Experimenting with doing my own cover

The Second Moon

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Messages
3,393
Reaction score
355
Website
mimistromauthor.com
I really like your cartoon-style.

However, the cheesy snack and dice aren't working for me, for some reason. I guess it is too "realistic" compared to your drawing. I like what they portray and their meaning, but just not the realistic style.

The font for "Totally a novel by Micah Kolding" looks a bit bland compared to your other fonts. Also, do you need "Totally"? Yes, it adds a "vibe" to your cover but it seems to diminish your creditably since it is near your name.

This current cover gives the impression that it is about a person getting stuck in a fantasy world(perhaps one based off a dice-rolling game?)

Anyways, take all of this with a grain of salt. I am no artist.
 

micahkolding

Banned
Super Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
96
Reaction score
10
Location
Washington
Thanks; yes, the photographic elements were a friend's suggestion that I'm still thinking about. I don't know if the solution is to add more, or to just axe the idea entirely.

You hit the nail on the head with your impression, so that's good.
 

Maryn

Sees All
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
55,442
Reaction score
25,462
Location
Snow Cave
Psst! Micah! Your image size vastly exceeds what's allowed here. Better resize it before this board's mod sees it. Your book-shaped image should be about like this:

PItIUpX.jpg

More about how to do this here. Also, a gentle reminder that the moderator who posted all the links in the newbie thread where we welcomed you did it because you need to know the rules lest you break them.

Maryn, who mods elsewhere and is a private citizen here, hoping to keep you on good terms
 

micahkolding

Banned
Super Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
96
Reaction score
10
Location
Washington
I'll just get rid of it; the size restrictions are too small to see the picture anyway.
 

Maryn

Sees All
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
55,442
Reaction score
25,462
Location
Snow Cave
And that tells you something of great importance, actually. People who buy your print book online, or buy it in ebook form, will be seeing a much smaller cover than the green rectangle I shared, so a cover has to work in the size in which it'll be displayed at selling points.

Maryn, who has never liked her publisher's cover art, for the record
 

lizmonster

Possibly A Mermaid Queen
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
14,533
Reaction score
24,100
Location
Massachusetts
Website
elizabethbonesteel.com
What Maryn said. Reduce your cover to ebook thumbnail size, and pay attention to the details you notice. At a minimum you should be able to make out your last name and the book's title, and the cover art shouldn't be incomprehensibly cluttered.