Any suggestions on a software program to make a "sample" cover for my book. The POD publisher will do a final, but I wanted to give them a sample of what I am thinking.
Software to make cover
- Thread starter pohaver
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For whatever it is worth, I use Photoshop Elements (plus a humongous clip art collection that comes on more than two dozen CD ROM disks).
--Ken
I use QuarkXpress for all covers and interior layout. InDesign is the other big one most publishers use. If you are just making a mock-up cover, however, then anything will work. You can try one of the opensource programs such as gimp. Or just use one of the free ones that come on your computer. For the final, however, I would recommend either Quark or InDesign, as you need to make sure all of the rasterizing and exporting of fonts and images is done to the printer's specks.
Hmm...there are several online sites that have clipart (some you have to pay, some you dont - i know for Microsoft.com, you dont). I usually take those and edit it in Photoshop.
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An excellent free program for making graphics that don't have to stand the test of printing is paint.net (http://paint.net/)
For those who don't use windows, you can do some remarkable things with the free program GIMP ( http://gimp.org/)
For those who don't use windows, you can do some remarkable things with the free program GIMP ( http://gimp.org/)
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But costs a lot of money, especially just to do a sample cover.
One thing we forgot here (multiple personaly disorders to that a lot) is that GIMP also comes in a "GimpShop" configuration to emulate PhotoShop interface.
But really, Paint.net is your best bet: free, good support forum, extremely instinctive and easy to use. It can take HOURS to figure out how to do things on Photoshop. Many of the things you see big online PS tutorials on can be done quickly and easily on Paint.net. Use of layers and transparency is not an esoteric mystery there: it falls easily to hand. Rotation is handled with an ingenious single control that allows zoom, rotation and 3-D "tipping" all in one simple box. It allows use of hexidecimal color codes instead of the onerous RGB type-in.
The control over flooding color in with the "bucket" is a simple slider and it doesn't get all weird with half-colors that you have to look up and figure out.
It's not as heavy into cool brushes and stuff, but you probably aren't going to be creating art, just assembling it.
A really good piece of free software and an EXCELLENT introduction to using graphics programs.
Our designer used it for the sig banner below and almost all of the design work on the site it clicks to.
GIMP really shines when it comes to creating logos, titles and type. You can just type out your title, name, etc then use the Alpha-Logo filter to turn them into an impressive array of neat graphics with no background knowledge required.
One thing we forgot here (multiple personaly disorders to that a lot) is that GIMP also comes in a "GimpShop" configuration to emulate PhotoShop interface.
But really, Paint.net is your best bet: free, good support forum, extremely instinctive and easy to use. It can take HOURS to figure out how to do things on Photoshop. Many of the things you see big online PS tutorials on can be done quickly and easily on Paint.net. Use of layers and transparency is not an esoteric mystery there: it falls easily to hand. Rotation is handled with an ingenious single control that allows zoom, rotation and 3-D "tipping" all in one simple box. It allows use of hexidecimal color codes instead of the onerous RGB type-in.
The control over flooding color in with the "bucket" is a simple slider and it doesn't get all weird with half-colors that you have to look up and figure out.
It's not as heavy into cool brushes and stuff, but you probably aren't going to be creating art, just assembling it.
A really good piece of free software and an EXCELLENT introduction to using graphics programs.
Our designer used it for the sig banner below and almost all of the design work on the site it clicks to.
GIMP really shines when it comes to creating logos, titles and type. You can just type out your title, name, etc then use the Alpha-Logo filter to turn them into an impressive array of neat graphics with no background knowledge required.
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Photoshop Elements costs a fraction of the price of Photoshop. I paid $80 at Costco for the latest version of Elements (full product, not an upgrade). FWIW.
--Ken
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Want free and just like photoshop?
The Gimp - it's open source and with all the goodies packed into it. It's what I did 10 book covers with. Or, you can always ask a certain graphics designer to do it pro bono....
*shameless aren't I*
TT
The Gimp - it's open source and with all the goodies packed into it. It's what I did 10 book covers with. Or, you can always ask a certain graphics designer to do it pro bono....
*shameless aren't I*
TT