Book cover design is fun! Challenging, but fun. In past posts we’ve showed you the original pencil sketch of Miri and the first colored version of her face.
Or course, for the new cover of Miri Attwater and the Ocean’s Secret, we needed Miri to be more than just a floating head. Ask TechnoTim, getting the hands right was the hardest part. I’m really good at telling him when something doesn’t look quite right. 🙂 Keep in mind that while TechnoTim is drawing this, he’s also teaching himself how to use a new computer art program!
The first cover was made in PhotoShop, which he’s used for years. To make this kind of illustration, he needed to work in vector art. This time he’s making the cover in Inkscape. (Which is free.)
Besides drawing more of Miri, the hair changed a bit too. It’s shorter and the curls are a bit softer. But, there’s still the same mistake from last week. Have you spotted it yet?
I totally understand why you need to change the cover. I like the idea of showing her face. Well done to TechnoTim for all the hard work he’s putting into it! So, what’s wrong with the color? Does she have brown eyes in the book? I can’t remember, but I was one of those readers who was disappointed when it came to an end. P.S. Maybe her dress could be a shimmering green (of a lighter tone) to offset the bright orange/red hair.
@Christina – you are the right track with what’s wrong with the picture, but off on the color. Hint: What color are Miri’s tails? 🙂
Oh, and the dress suggestion? I think you’re going to like the cover for Book 2, All that Glitters!
Even on longer books, I’ve heard that one problem with ebooks is that readers are surprised when they get to the end because it’s hard to judge how much you have left in an ebook. It’s even harder when you put a preview of another book at the end. But I also can’t say it’s not partially my fault as the writer – I maybe shouldn’t have broken the one too long book into three, or I should have done it with more skill. 🙂 Of course it’s working on the “skill” part that has delayed book 2.