How To Make A Basic Book Cover

Rep given. That was lovely. Thanks so much. The information about grids and the golden ratio was especially helpful!

Great tutorial. My only quibble would be with respect to type. It seems to me that for ebook covers (which most self-pub books are), and for selling print books through online stores, it is vital that the cover works well at thumbnail size. Many of the covers you've used as examples in that section, while lovely, and perfect for print covers in a bricks and mortar store, are going to be illegible and bland at thumbnail size.

It looks fine on my screen.

Thank you! You've given me lots to think about.

Speaking of fonts ... there was a comment in another threat about some fonts not being public domain. Can someone expound on that a bit? Is there a list of fonts that are available for use?

^click me

There are maybe 400.000 fonts out there. Some you can get for free others you have to purchase.
You can start here. If you want free...just make sure it says they are (and not just for personal use).

thebloodfiend said:

I thought I'd make a "short tutorial on what I think makes a good book cover.

Click to expand...

Thank you so much for doing this. Its very helpful to those of us who are very, shall we say, design-challenged.

Perhaps it could be stickied.

I second it being stickied, though I think it would be better for members and AW's SEO if the jpeg were transcribed in an actual post.