Sci-Fi Novella Cover Design Contest (WIP Thread) - A.E. McCullough

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Comments

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    Yeah hopefully aemccullough will get the thread up in the next couple of days, and then once it has the actual images added to it, I can help him get a voting Poll added, to make things easier,

  • Jake_35533Jake_35533 Posts: 242
    edited September 2012

    Marty D said:
    WORK IN PROGRESS (NOT FINAL IMAGE)

    Now I am approaching the end of this image. I love using Rons Rain brushes. I always try to find an image I can use it on. This image is basically finished (plus minor elements I am still working on) but I am saving the high res version (1400x2000) for the contest thread that is promised to be up sometime soon.

    1400x2000? Is this for print too. Wow, ok, have to go back again put that together ...

    You don't have to do that high res. i just chose to do it at 1400x2000. The minimum is 700x1000 and since this wil be an ebook on a kindle fire screen size, 700x1000 is more than enough. If A.E. McCullough wants to do a physical novel, then a 1400x2000 would be needed. But for now he says he is only doing a digital version.

    Post edited by Jake_35533 on
  • Jake_35533Jake_35533 Posts: 242
    edited December 1969

    Very cool, action-packed cover, Jake__Russel! And DJ´s red suit goes very well with the red book title. I like it how your cover has a border, it looks very stylish, and the weapon aiming at DJ from behind the border looks cool.

    I would maybe take away one or two of the sheriffs to the right, I think there are too many of them and it makes the image look a bit overcrowded.

    Also, isn´t DJ´s daughter a bit small? I thought she was 12 years old (as A. E. mentioned in the other thread), here she looks about half that age. She reminds me of my 6 years old niece, who is about this tall, and is considered to be rather short for her age.

    Thanks, i didn't think about the age and height issue.

  • daz3_57718312fadaz3_57718312fa Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Marty D said:
    WORK IN PROGRESS (NOT FINAL IMAGE)

    Now I am approaching the end of this image. I love using Rons Rain brushes. I always try to find an image I can use it on. This image is basically finished (plus minor elements I am still working on) but I am saving the high res version (1400x2000) for the contest thread that is promised to be up sometime soon.

    1400x2000? Is this for print too. Wow, ok, have to go back again put that together ...

    You don't have to do that high res. i just chose to do it at 1400x2000. The minimum is 700x1000 and since this wil be an ebook on a kindle fire screen size, 700x1000 is more than enough. If A.E. McCullough wants to do a physical novel, then a 1400x2000 would be needed. But for now he says he is only doing a digital version.

    That's what I thought too, but then P.S. mentioned 'the other thread' (which I haven't read) and wasn't sure. All right, at any rate, upgrading all the materials and going full guns on a finalized render now anyway. Another thought, 700x1000 does sound like a good number for older tablets because details can get lost when resizing bitmaps with third party software, but, you know, the newer tablets are all trending toward very high resolution displays. Maybe you are right, maybe the 1400x2000 would be better.

  • Jake_35533Jake_35533 Posts: 242
    edited December 1969

    Marty D said:
    Marty D said:
    WORK IN PROGRESS (NOT FINAL IMAGE)

    Now I am approaching the end of this image. I love using Rons Rain brushes. I always try to find an image I can use it on. This image is basically finished (plus minor elements I am still working on) but I am saving the high res version (1400x2000) for the contest thread that is promised to be up sometime soon.

    1400x2000? Is this for print too. Wow, ok, have to go back again put that together ...

    You don't have to do that high res. i just chose to do it at 1400x2000. The minimum is 700x1000 and since this wil be an ebook on a kindle fire screen size, 700x1000 is more than enough. If A.E. McCullough wants to do a physical novel, then a 1400x2000 would be needed. But for now he says he is only doing a digital version.

    That's what I thought too, but then P.S. mentioned 'the other thread' (which I haven't read) and wasn't sure. All right, at any rate, upgrading all the materials and going full guns on a finalized render now anyway. Another thought, 700x1000 does sound like a good number for older tablets because details can get lost when resizing bitmaps with third party software, but, you know, the newer tablets are all trending toward very high resolution displays. Maybe you are right, maybe the 1400x2000 would be better.

    A.E. McCullough said he's only using Amazon (kindle only) so 700x1000 is reallly all thats needed. Now for the ipad 3, which i am doing some stuff for, it would need to be 2048x1536. Big difference.

  • daz3_57718312fadaz3_57718312fa Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Yes, all right. Appreciate all the input.

  • BrotherloboBrotherlobo Posts: 495
    edited December 1969

    Working an off duty detail tonight. Surfing on my Kindle Fire Atm. Will try and get the other thread up on Sunday.

  • Proxima ShiningProxima Shining Posts: 969
    edited December 1969

    When talking about Kindle - I now remember that I read somewhere that covers for e-books should be tested if they look good in black and white, since Kindles with e-ink technology show everything (= including colorful pictures) in greyscale only. I guess it is not a problem for big Kindle Fire but not everyone has it (I don´t) and people with less advanced Kindles really see everything in black and white only. I use my PC to buy books and then send them to my Kindle, so it is not a problem for me to see the cover in color. But others may shop through Kindle and see it in grey. So I guess it really sounds like a reasonable approach to have a picture that looks good in grey too.

  • Jake_35533Jake_35533 Posts: 242
    edited December 1969

    When talking about Kindle - I now remember that I read somewhere that covers for e-books should be tested if they look good in black and white, since Kindles with e-ink technology show everything (= including colorful pictures) in greyscale only. I guess it is not a problem for big Kindle Fire but not everyone has it (I don´t) and people with less advanced Kindles really see everything in black and white only. I use my PC to buy books and then send them to my Kindle, so it is not a problem for me to see the cover in color. But others may shop through Kindle and see it in grey. So I guess it really sounds like a reasonable approach to have a picture that looks good in grey too.

    I think that is the least of our problems as far as this competetion is concerned.

  • Jake_35533Jake_35533 Posts: 242
    edited September 2012

    A.E. McCullough, I read the reviews of your book last spartan: different paths and they gave it rave reveiws. I also saw it comes in paperback. So does amazon print it for you or you got a publisher to print them? Also, dont you need the cover image to be high res in case you are making the book in paperback? What is the resolution a publisher uses for a book cover?

    Post edited by Jake_35533 on
  • Proxima ShiningProxima Shining Posts: 969
    edited December 1969

    From looking at the book in Amazon store, he publishes the paperback version through CreateSpace, which is self-publishing platform also owned by Amazon. It is something like Kindle Direct Publishing, only for paper books. As I understand it, when someone orders a paperback, CreateSpace prints it and Amazon sends it to the customer.

  • BrotherloboBrotherlobo Posts: 495
    edited September 2012

    Okay...sorry about the delay in my response......I've worked 30 of the last 36 hours - most of those non-working 6 hours was spent driving to and from work and off-duty jobs. So, I'm a bit punchy and not thinking straight.

    Yes, I use Createspace to publish the printed version of my novels. I am really impressed with their service. I will probably use them for this novella also, so the size of the cover design can easily be larger. Honestly, any other questions and the other thread will have to wait until tomorrow....sorry, too tired to concentrate.

    Post edited by Brotherlobo on
  • Jake_35533Jake_35533 Posts: 242
    edited September 2012

    So here are my final images. Can't think of anything else to fix on them so I should stop now. (These are the full 1400x2000 version). I am still working on the fifth cover with Dj's daughter on it. Having technical difficulties with the file and may have to redo the scene entirely.

    COVER_3_(FINAL).jpg
    1400 x 2000 - 740K
    COVER_4.jpg
    1400 x 2000 - 651K
    COVER_1.jpg
    1400 x 2000 - 3M
    COVER_2_(FINAL).jpg
    1400 x 2000 - 655K
    Post edited by Jake_35533 on
  • Proxima ShiningProxima Shining Posts: 969
    edited December 1969

    WOW! Very cool.

  • BrotherloboBrotherlobo Posts: 495
    edited December 1969

    The Final Render ie Submission thread is finally up.
    Sorry about the delay....been a long rough three days for me.

    For ease on setting up the poll, please make each submission - cover design - a seperate post.

    Thanks for everything....I am thrilled at the response and there are some great cover ideas.
    Good Luck to all :-)

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    And as I have noted in teh submission thread. Try to add a Unique title of some sort to each submission, to make it simple to add to the Poll, even if it's only something like " Chohole entry 1"

  • OdaaOdaa Posts: 1,548
    edited December 1969

    For those who are wondering what the characters look like, I talked with A.E. and this is the complete overview of how the main characters look. (Correct me A.E. if I misunderstood anything)


    So DJ is:
    -Sandy brown hair
    -No facial hair
    -Professional and normal looking
    -Broad-shouldered
    -Retired but Mid 30's
    -Has a slight belly
    -Round friendly face, no facial hair.
    -In some kind of uniform
    -Eagle tattoo on left shoulder


    Jagger Jax:
    -Dark hair
    -Bald
    -Very big (massive shoulders and arms)
    -Tribal tattoo sleeve
    -black synth-leather outfit
    -Mustach and gottee


    El Gato:
    -Blond hair (but can be any color)
    -Skin tight suit
    -Friend of DJ

    Thank you for passing this along, Jake-is there a description of the daughter?

  • Jake_35533Jake_35533 Posts: 242
    edited December 1969

    Odaa, I asked the author about these details but I never thought to ask him about the daughters appearance. You may need to send him a PM for it. Hope you submit an image or two. We need more people involved in the contest.

  • BrotherloboBrotherlobo Posts: 495
    edited December 1969

    Odaa, I asked the author about these details but I never thought to ask him about the daughters appearance. You may need to send him a PM for it. Hope you submit an image or two. We need more people involved in the contest.

    Good memory Jake...you had the general descriptions down pat. As to Kaitlyn (DJ's daughter and the subject of his mission) she is a pre-teen (12 going on 16....those with kids know what I mean). Shoulder length brown hair....tomboy....has trained in boxing, gymnastics, ballet and dance. Hated the last two...loved the first two -- but when DJ's ex-wife gained all parental controls, she stopped Kaitlyn's boxing and gymnastics training. Eventually, Kaitlyn discovered the sport of Parkour and that is now her favorite sport. As a side note, El Gato (Stephanie) is a master at Parkour and Kaitlyn's coach. That is not to say that Kaitlyn doesn't like girly stuff....but she isn't the typical girly girl.

    I hope this helps.

  • OdaaOdaa Posts: 1,548
    edited December 1969

    Odaa, I asked the author about these details but I never thought to ask him about the daughters appearance. You may need to send him a PM for it. Hope you submit an image or two. We need more people involved in the contest.

    Good memory Jake...you had the general descriptions down pat. As to Kaitlyn (DJ's daughter and the subject of his mission) she is a pre-teen (12 going on 16....those with kids know what I mean). Shoulder length brown hair....tomboy....has trained in boxing, gymnastics, ballet and dance. Hated the last two...loved the first two -- but when DJ's ex-wife gained all parental controls, she stopped Kaitlyn's boxing and gymnastics training. Eventually, Kaitlyn discovered the sport of Parkour and that is now her favorite sport. As a side note, El Gato (Stephanie) is a master at Parkour and Kaitlyn's coach. That is not to say that Kaitlyn doesn't like girly stuff....but she isn't the typical girly girl.

    I hope this helps.

    Thanks, that's very helpful!

  • BrotherloboBrotherlobo Posts: 495
    edited December 1969

    Jake....what morphs or add-ons did you use to get the tattoos and the scar on Jagger Jax?

    Jagger_Jax.jpg
    803 x 460 - 159K
  • Jake_35533Jake_35533 Posts: 242
    edited September 2012

    Jake....what morphs or add-ons did you use to get the tattoos and the scar on Jagger Jax?

    I used Aiden for M5 skin map. It just happened to have a tattoo already that fit A.E.s description of what Jagger Jax tattoo looked like. Since the tattoo is only on one arm and only on the upper arm, all I did was find the texture map in the runtime folder, go into photoshop and paste the tattoo on the rest of the arm and a little on the neck. As you can see, it came out very well. I would have not been able to do it as well if I did it myself with my own Photoshop skills from a real tattoo.

    The scar was just a line drawn over the eye and a layer style of bevel and overlay opacity setting. It works differently with different lighting so this setting is not universal.

    Post edited by Jake_35533 on
  • BrotherloboBrotherlobo Posts: 495
    edited December 1969

    Thanks....a couple new tricks for me to try. :-)

  • BrotherloboBrotherlobo Posts: 495
    edited December 1969

    I havent picked up the Michael 5 pack yet....been debating about it. Been working with M4 and Genesis....and a bunch of old stuff for M3 and V3.
    Might have to invest in the new bundles

  • Jake_35533Jake_35533 Posts: 242
    edited December 1969

    I havent picked up the Michael 5 pack yet....been debating about it. Been working with M4 and Genesis....and a bunch of old stuff for M3 and V3.
    Might have to invest in the new bundles

    I actually got M5 because it was bundled with hair and clothing that I was going to buy anyway. It was also on sale so it worked out as a way to get several things for a good price. M5 is actually great if you are making a warrior sized character. M5 (hero morph) is taller and more like a football player. If you stand M5 and M4 together, M5 makes M4 look like a kid.

  • BrotherloboBrotherlobo Posts: 495
    edited December 1969

    Once again I want to thank everyone for thier input, suggestions and entries. I am thrilled with the outcome.
    I do plan to do this again for another novel that I'm working on -- probably around the holidays. More info to come.

    Thanks again :-)

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