Christian Book Cover Design

Status: Closed
Præmier: $200
Modtagne indlæg: 20
Vinder: supermagnetron

Winner

Konkurrence Instruktioner

This contest is for a book cover for my new novel, The Savvy Demon's Guide to Godly Living. For the final product, I'll actually need two images, one with text on it and the other without text. The text it needs is the title and the author's name.

Title: The Savvy Demon's Guide to Godly Living
Author: Brad Francis

The dimensions of the image should be 6X9, with the width being a minimum of 1500 pixels. It also needs to be at least 300 dpi. It is much easier to shrink an image that is too large than it is to enlarge an image that is too small. Please make sure your entry is large enough or I won't be able to consider it! That being said, a book cover needs to look good both full-sized and as a thumbnail.

Book synopsis: A demon named Melchior gets drunk. He's sick and tired of his job because the church members he's assigned to tempt and distract never do anything. He decides to stick it to his boss (the devil) by visiting the pastor and telling them exactly what they're doing wrong. The pastor realizes that Melchior is right and their middle-of-the-night visit changes his life. The bulk of the novel is about the pastor's quest to really follow Jesus instead of just doing church the same way as everyone else.

My idea for the cover is to do a sort of parody of those real classy memes/e-cards that have an old-timey post card feel. I'll attach some to the contest as an example. My idea is to feature the demon on the cover, sitting in a big comfy chair and reading a book, perhaps wearing a monocle or glasses and smoking a pipe. It's sort of a funny book and the cover would be all about the juxtaposition - very classy, old fashioned surroundings but featuring the demon. He has purple skin (all demons do - well, in my book), yellow eyes, black horns and leathery red-and-black wings that look like a bat's. But other than that, he's more or less humanoid. I don't think he would be clothed, although, y'know, no like genitalia or anything. I realize the postcards on the attachment are rather monochromatic, but this doesn't have to be.

That's my idea, but I'm not married to it. If you have another concept, I'd love to see it. I'm intentionally doing a fairly long contest period because I want you to have plenty of time to play around.

I realize that guaranteeing the contest makes it more attractive for the artists; I understand that, but I really need the money back guarantee. I honestly hope I find a design that works and I'll definitely buy it if I do, but I need the option to get my money back if there is poor turnout. I was very happy with the last contest I did and am still working with that artist on new projects.

Feel free to submit sketches as you play around with the cover and think of different ideas. I will be checking this contest on a regular basis and giving feedback on every design. So I can tell you if you're on the right track or not. I'll tell you honestly whether your work is right for this project or not so that you don't waste time working on an image that will not be chosen.

Please feel free to ask questions. I hope I'm being clear. I'd love to see what you guys come up with and I'll make sure to give prompt, detailed feedback. Oh, and in addition to being paid for your design, you'll be credited for the cover in the front cover of the book. I'd also be willing to link to your digital portfolio (as long as it is professional and wouldn't offend my readers). I've been able to recommend my last Freelancer contest winner to other indie book authors who were impressed with her work.

Thanks everyone for your work and I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Oh and please provide me with jpg files!

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“@supermagnetron won the contest on 29 March 2013”

hammolaw, United States.

Offentlig Præciserings Opslagstavle

Konkurrenceafholder
- 10 år siden
Benedyh, thanks for joining. I don\'t know if you\'re familiar with it at at all, but #24 reminds me strongly of the artwork for the video game Catherine. It\'s not a bad thing at all, and in fact I like your design quite a bit. The bummer about receiving a submission at the very end of the contest is that there\'s no time to make little tweaks (for example, the title isn\'t large enough to read in thumbnail form and the goat hooves would require a rewrite, as I\'ve indicated in other messages below). You are a designer I\'ll have to keep my eye on for future projects, no doubt.
- 10 år siden
Konkurrenceafholder
- 10 år siden
Excellent! Thank you, supermagnetron! Exactly what I was looking for!
- 10 år siden
1. supermagnetron
  - 10 år siden
  You are welcome :)
  - 10 år siden
perevodchitsa33
- 10 år siden
I\'m not sure if I\'ll be able to complete mine on time, but excellent work supermagnetron!! I agree that the lettering in #15 is the best. I think the blue background in 13 is best because it makes the character pop out more, since the chair is a neutral color. Also, I love the subtle design you put as the background- it gives the whole cover more depth without going overboard. :D
- 10 år siden
1. Konkurrenceafholder
  - 10 år siden
  I agree with almost everything you have to say. I promise to not make any final decisions until the contest is over and to give full consideration to all applicants, but I\'m very happy with supermagnetron\'s work. I\'m always impressed with the sheer amount of talent I tend to see on Freelancer.
  - 10 år siden
supermagnetron
- 10 år siden
Hi there, want you to know that I`m still in the contest, I was out drawing) So check out my finished entry #12 and tell what are you thinking about it.
ps sorry about copyright i just need that to protect myself, you know
- 10 år siden
Vis 4 beskeder mere
1. Konkurrenceafholder
  - 10 år siden
  My thought is that the outlined lettering on #17 isn\'t as easy to read in thumbnail form as #15 .
  - 10 år siden
2. Konkurrenceafholder
  - 10 år siden
  Supermagnetron, is it possible to get some different options on background color that uses the nice big font from #15 ? Put it perhaps with the green and blue backgrounds, and maybe anything else you\'d like to try? Barring any last minute excellent submissions, my idea will be to host a survey for my readers on the cover with the different colored backgrounds and have them help me choose which one to go with for a finale. Thanks very much!
  - 10 år siden
artinearth
- 10 år siden
#12 Excellent work supermagnetron! I was thinking to enter the contest but now there is no need to do so!
- 10 år siden
1. supermagnetron
  - 10 år siden
  Thanks!
  - 10 år siden
chrisart1
- 10 år siden
Hi, gone in a different direction with this from my original sketch, entry #9 and #10 . Hope you like these. Colours and text can be easily changed if needed. Let me know what you think. Thanks.
- 10 år siden
Vis 2 beskeder mere
1. Konkurrenceafholder
  - 10 år siden
  Yep, sorry. I\'ve been trying to find time to go through all the new entries in detail. There are things I think work and don\'t work about #7. I like the demon itself and the setting (although, as I\'ve said before, the goat legs do not fit the description of the demon in the book). Things I don\'t like: the background looks so disconnected from the characters and objects in the foreground that I feel like it has an unprofessional look. The title sort of looks like you ran out of room at the end and hence the three different fonts/styles. I really think that a hand-sketched font that doesn\'t necessarily follow a straight line would help, in part because of the length of the title.
  - 10 år siden
2. borkica
  - 10 år siden
  Thank you for the feedback....
  - 10 år siden
rudi2x
- 10 år siden
Entry #11 I will undress him. give him a pipe and put him in a sofa later. With this entry I was trying to elaborate the Christian concepts of \"devil as liar, thief and killer.\" Please tell me what you think, especially about his eyes, smile, expression and big fingers.
- 10 år siden
1. Konkurrenceafholder
  - 10 år siden
  Honestly, it just doesn\'t look as professional as I\'m looking for. That\'s all I see.
  - 10 år siden
perevodchitsa33
- 10 år siden
Hi- #8 is my rough concept sketch. I know mine also has "regular guy" hair, but I think once the color is in he will look like a proper demon. Thought I'd try to get some feedback to make sure I'm in the right direction before going any further.
- 10 år siden
1. Konkurrenceafholder
  - 10 år siden
  I like what I see so far. Take care not to make it too busy, especially in the background. The aesthetics for creating a great cover are different than just creating a drawing or a picture. I\'m going to post some links up above.
  - 10 år siden
2. Konkurrenceafholder
  - 10 år siden
  Hey also - the claws really help with the \"demon\" thing, I think. That\'s good.
  - 10 år siden
Konkurrenceafholder
- 10 år siden
Hey everyone. I wanted to post some links to some eye-catching book covers. Especially pay attention to how the design gives room for the titles. http://www.amazon.com/Right-Eye-Blue-Frog-ebook/dp/B007CZHY2I/ref=sr_1_80?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1363972565&sr=1-80

I thought that the artist who won my previous Freelancer contest did a great job with understanding what makes a great cover. http://www.amazon.com/Emalines-Gift-Christian-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00916VWUQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1363972769&sr=1-1&keywords=emaline%27s+gift

This is a different type of book, understand. But spending some time browsing through Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble could help. There are countless different book designs out there. It\'s important that a reader is able to get *some* idea of the genre at a glance. The idea here is humorous but not flatout comedy. \"Dramedy\" is a good word. So there should be some whimsy but not too much. It\'s a difficult balance. Keep working and thanks!
- 10 år siden
Konkurrenceafholder
- 10 år siden
Hey everyone. I know there's still over a week yet but I want to make it clear that I have not seen anything yet that I could pick as a final. Although I love the look of #4 and would love to buy it and put it up on my wall, I have concerns that it wouldn't work for the book cover. It's an impressive drawing but I think it's too busy as a book cover and the people I've shown it to don't think they would click on the book to read more about if they browsed by it. I have little doubt that chrisart1 (#1) and supermagnetron ( #6 ) (and Ewehouse for that matter,but they aren't interested in doing anymore) all have the talent and professionalism to win this contest; it's just a matter of getting past the sketches and to a completed book that would work. So, from where I'm sitting, this is very much an open contest and I'll keep giving quick feedback!
- 10 år siden
supermagnetron
- 10 år siden
Check out my detailed sketch #6 and tell me if i`m on the right track
- 10 år siden
1. Konkurrenceafholder
  - 10 år siden
  Hey thanks for joining the contest! The look is very much what I was envisioning, like the cards/memes I posted. I'm concerned that he's a little too human-looking. It looks like a normal guy except for wings and horns, and I'd like him to be a little more visible demonic than that. I think that would be helped if he were bald or at least didn't have "human" hair. Of course, the coloring will help too so maybe I'm worried about nothing. It may be difficult to strike the right balance between the demon - who should be very clearly demonic, or at least not-human - and the archaic, humble setting. You have a lot of talent! Please stay in the contest!
  - 10 år siden
Konkurrenceafholder
- 10 år siden
#5 - Thanks for participating. Honestly, though, I couldn't consider this as is because the demon is so different from the one I described. Like I said in the brief, you don't have to go with my idea and I'd like to see some creativity, but I didn't intend that to mean changing the character I described. Notice how #3 made him noticeably and identifiably demonic but also followed the guidelines I listed. Also - and I hope other entrants see this - the graveyard motif really doesn't fit in. This cover has a real Halloween feel and that's not appropriate for the book (I know that may not all be clear from the brief and I'm sorry...it's difficult to fit everything in). Plus, where's the guy's foot?
- 10 år siden
Konkurrenceafholder
- 10 år siden
#2 - I *love* the look, the detail and all that. And the cartoony style looks great. I mean, it's funny and professional. These are my quibbles: there are no wings, and I honestly hadn't thought of the goat-demon idea when writing the book. I like your design so much as is that part of me wants to go back and give Melchior a goat bottom half. I'll have to think about that. If you can submit a design with a less-hairy bottom half, too, I'd love to see it. My other question (as an author, not an artist) is whether the final product would be black and white. I'm asking since it's *so* detailed. I don't think a completely black and white cover would be a good idea when it comes to catching the eye of browsers. I'd also love to see how you'd do the text so that it stands out from the very detailed picture. You're very talented and I'm thrilled to have you participating in the contest!
- 10 år siden
Vis 2 beskeder mere
1. Ewehouse
  - 10 år siden
  Oh, don't worry about the size. It's 4441x2960 pixels, 600dpi. Yes, I added the titles digitally so that you'd get your PSD file with layers so you can still edit the font if you so desire. I did one with the title on top and one with the title below for your viewing.
  - 10 år siden
2. Konkurrenceafholder
  - 10 år siden
  Thanks! I won't be making a decision until the contest ends.
  - 10 år siden
Konkurrenceafholder
- 10 år siden
Thanks to both the entrants so far. First, let me say to both Ewehouse and chrisart1 that these are clearly demons - but since I'm commissioning custom artwork, I'd like people who read the book to look at the cover and say, "Yeah, that fits the description of Melchior." There is plenty of room for interpretation but check the description in the brief again. Both of these designs are wingless, for instance. That's the biggest issue I see.

Now, #1 - I'd be happy to see more! Especially if you were able to give him wings, as I mentioned above. His head and pipe look great especially and I realize it's just a sketch. So yes I would love to see more but let me tell you that I love the cartoony look of #2 as well. But you're definitely in the ballpark so I'd love to see you develop it further!
- 10 år siden