Book cover mock up

[Steerpike]

I used GIMP and a photo of my daughter to make a mock up of a book cover (not that I have a current book to use it with).

Thoughts?

http://mythicscribes.com/forums/portfolios/steerpike/28-book-cover.html

 

[Devor]

I really the special effects and graphic work you put into it. The only thing I'd say, though, is that a smile isn't always the best look in a marketing tool, especially with cover art. You need to make sure the expression matches the mood of the story, and most stories, of course, are full of conflict. Your daughter makes a great model, but you might want to try and get a more serious expression from her.

 

[Graham Irwin]

I understand this a mock up, and so I say: excellent beginning!

But I agree with Devor, her smile is a little jolly for a smoky apparition. Unless she's a female Casper

 

[Steerpike]

Good point, Devor. I agree that a more serious photograph would be a better starting place, particularly since the overall effect is meant to be rather more gloomy. I do have a Halloween picture of my daughter from years ago. She was a princess every year, and I finally talked her into being something a bit more scary (she said 'ok a dead princess'). So I got her a princess outfit and made her up:

http://mythicscribes.com/forums/portfolios/steerpike/29-lauren-halloween.html

(Sorry to derail my own thread but you'll see she can do gloomy if I ask her to. LOL).

 

[Steerpike]

Thanks, Graham. Looks like the consensus is that the picture is far too cheerful!

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

It could only be "too cheerful" if it doesn't match the material inside. If it's about a ghost girl who wreaks (amusing) havoc and gets into troublesome situations, but is generally light and upbeat... *shrug*

 

[Steerpike]

Thanks, Benjamin. That makes sense. I don't even have a book for it now, I was just playing around with cover ideas in GIMP. If I used it for one of my current works, I'd want to swap out the central picture as something else would better match the tone of the work.

 

[Reaver]

I like the mock-up a lot, Steerpike! It's very cool. However, "Title" for the name of a book is pretty lame.:wink:

Seriously though--nice work my friend!

 

[TWErvin2]

A concern is if the title is longer than a word or two. Also, the author name. White wouldn't work with the smoke. It'd blend in unless the font were somehow outlined, but then it might diminish the smoke effect. I am just speculating as you probably have something in mind. I like the effect and think it would stand out in a thumbnail crowd.

 

[Steerpike]

I like the mock-up a lot, Steerpike! It's very cool. However, "Title" for the name of a book is pretty lame.:wink:

Seriously though--nice work my friend!

Thanks, Reaver, I appreciate it. I thought about just calling it "Book," but that seemed kind of bland

 

[Steerpike]

A concern is if the title is longer than a word or two. Also, the author name. White wouldn't work with the smoke. It'd blend in unless the font were somehow outlined, but then it might diminish the smoke effect. I am just speculating as you probably have something in mind. I like the effect and think it would stand out in a thumbnail crowd.

Good points, Terry. A long title would be a problem with this cover I didn't put in an author name because I wasn't quite settled on how to approach it. I was thinking about trying it in a white font in the lower left, but inside a thin-lined box to separate it from the rest of the image. But I haven't yet tried it to see how that would look.

 

[Reaver]

Thanks, Reaver, I appreciate it. I thought about just calling it "Book," but that seemed kind of bland

How about "Celestial Body Bag?" This'll make more sense if you check out the "make up a fantasy word" thread in challenges.

Steerpike strikes again!