Comment on e-book covers.

[The Grump]

Saw my first Kindle download or whatever you call it when a critique partner showed me his recently published book on his screen.

When I looked at the cover color version online, I thought the illustration was unclear and busy. Only the print stood out.

When I saw the cover on the Kindle in black and white, the illustration was an indistinct mess.

My comment? Maybe, if you get a chance, authors should lobby for e-covers with simple elements in the design. Or, maybe new e-publishers should take note? Whatever, it was disappointing to say the least. The group should of had a happy celebration and ended up moaning and groaning.

[brainstorm77]

I`ve yet to have this problem with the covers on any of my Kindle purchases.

[johnnysannie]

I`ve yet to have this problem with the covers on any of my Kindle purchases.

Neither have I. In fact, I find a lot of the ebook cover art to be very impressive, sometimes more creative than traditional book covers. As an author, I was awed by my first cover and I expect to find that the others will be just as fantastic.

[the bunny hugger]

I think good epublishers who hire good ebook cover designers already know this?

[Medievalist]

A good artist can prepare a gray-scale version of the cover to be used on the Kindle.

Otherwise, the color one is dithered down, and looks crappy.

And yes, there are a lot of covers that are not as good as they might be, not only in terms of production quality, but in terms of text and the actual art.

It has been my experience in hiring graphic artists that you will have better luck with those who have formally studied non-digital life drawing.

[kateharp]

Here's a 14 page free booklet (for non-designers) on how to make a simple e-book cover -- bottom of page
http://howtobook.blogspot.com/