Oh esteemed smallpaxers...
Can anyone give me advice on this cover? I think it is getting there (as usual, I am using fuzzy photos taken by me, deep sigh). Anyone want to give a critique? I had to make the stock photos (which were of course clear) fuzzy to make them fit with the fuzzy front picture.
Can anyone give me advice on this cover? I think it is getting there (as usual, I am using fuzzy photos taken by me, deep sigh). Anyone want to give a critique? I had to make the stock photos (which were of course clear) fuzzy to make them fit with the fuzzy front picture.
(Okay I fixed the text, Thom -- any better?)
9 comments:
Overall, it's a cover that grabs attention. But are you sure you can't find a camera that can focus properly? Other than that, I would want to edit the title text to frame the moon better. And try placing the rest of the text farther to the left for balance. That may or may not work. And I'd retake the photo with her head tilted to her left a little so that you don't have to chop her hair off in Photoshop to reveal the guy in the corner. That may look OK.
What's the origin of the fairy tale?
That wasn't clear: rotate her head back the way you like it when you composite. Just have her hold her head so her hair doesn't flair out over her shoulder so much.
Thanks Thom! I don't know if I have time to reshoot the photo unfortunately. :( I'm sort of stuck with this one for now. I'll see what I can do with the text.
Oh, and this novel is based on the Twelve Dancing Princesses. Ben Hatke knows all about it.
The text is better now. Maybe a little bolder, it starts to get lost in the highlight of her hair. I would suggest that you consider adjusting the lighting on the girls face. She appears to be lit by the sun on a moonlit night. Can you use Photoshop to adjust the tones to appear more like moonlight or lamplight? Good, bold cover overall. Looking forward to reading the story!
Ooh, fun!
The only thing that's distracting me a bit is the way the type is stacked in the subhead. Maybe if it reads, "a fairy" on one line and "tale retold" on another, or shrink down the type and run directly underneath the word "dancers" that would help. I can see where you wouldn't want it to run over the girl's face though. I guess the type is visually choppy and I think that's what's throwing me.
I like the play between the moon and the letter "m." You could even play that up some more by bumping up the size of the "m" and letting it bleed off the side or something.
And this might not work, but it would be cool possibly to brighten up the blue in the girl's eye to match the vibrancy of the background shot, kind of a neat way to link up the two. I'd agree with the suggestion to cool the colors in her face to match the background nighttime appearance.
Overall nice work! :-)
Yes, the text is better, now. Of course, I'd want to edit the "M" itself so that it matches the contour of the moon better. :) Too bad about the photo but I know how it is.
Ah, Regina, this is one of may FAVORITE of your books. I still remember, fondly, reading one of your drafts in the guest quarters of HLI.
How have things changed?? Will they ship a copy to Gravagna when they are printed? I'm really excited to read the story again!!
Oh, and no advice on the cover. I think it looks fine.
Ben,
Send me your address so I can send you a copy!
THanks all! !
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