Book Cover Project
It may need a crop to closer to 16/9 depending on how many pages she turns out
Is there enough visual space for the title (assuming it's going at the top)? Ideally, you need more sky. Although the area reserved for the spine is clear of people, the bushes and trees, the sky, and the pathway are very different (and therefore difficult) backgrounds for the lettering (author name, title, imprint) to run through. The lettering is unlikely to have an even prominence, crucial on a spine. I would suggest interrupting the wrap-round and running a solid colour down the spine (for over-printing or reversing out of).
Given the subject matter of the book I think mono may be worth a visit. Give it a try with slightly over done highlights and shadows.
Sometimes I'm serious and sometimes not, but I consider sarcasm an artform. Which is it today?
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look at it as three separate images - front, spine and back. None look too busy to me and each will work on its own as well as an overall image.
Adding the lettering will be my daughters job, I do see the point about keeping the prominence which is something we hadn't considered, maybe will look at reducing the opacity on the spine and back?
I had already processed a B&W version which I like much better as a standalone image. My daughter wasn't so keen ( I think she pretty much hates any media in B&W since I made her watch Brief Encounter lol )
I like Smeggy's idea but maybe front colour, spine and back mono
here's the mono version
2. I think that once the lettering is added in colour she may feel differently.
3. Just do what your daughter says. Life's too short haha
Sometimes I'm serious and sometimes not, but I consider sarcasm an artform. Which is it today?
For me the building stage right is a distraction IMHO .... jeff..
As a parting comment, do consider the lettering and photo in tandem. It'll be the difference between a successful and not so successful design. On the back, eg, will there be a blurb? (It would be usual to have one there, unless you are producing a jacket with flaps.) If so, where will it go and how will it contend with the figures in the photo?
Would it have worked better if shot in a graveyard, perhaps with one of those small chapels we often see there in the background?
Thanks for the comments.
Adding the lettering will be my daughters job, I do see the point about keeping the prominence which is something we hadn't considered, maybe will look at reducing the opacity on the spine and back?
I had already processed a B&W version which I like much better as a standalone image. My daughter wasn't so keen ( I think she pretty much hates any media in B&W since I made her watch Brief Encounter lol )
I like Smeggy's idea but maybe front colour, spine and back mono
here's the mono version
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139 posts
10 years
I've been working with my daughter to produce a book cover for her final college project, I'd really appreciate your feedback and comments on any improvements that could be made.
The book is a novella length ghost story and the cover is meant to invoke the idea that the main character is living in a world where the dead are manifest only to him.
If all turns out to plan the cover will wrap around the book and the tree placed middle frame should show up on the spine.
The image was produced by taking two shots, first a six second exposure (10 stop filter) with the "ghosts" standing still for two seconds then moving directly away from camera and the second shot a normal exposure with just the model. We then got the levels as close to each other as we could manage in Camera Raw and merged the two images with a layer mask and painting in the model and his shadow.
Weather was far from ideal, when we tested without people it was dead calm and the trees were pin sharp.
I understand the heavy PP won't suit everyone's taste but it is a ghost story and my daughter likes it hehe. I'd happily make the originals available if anyone would like a go at an alternative PP
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