There
are a host of artists at various levels of quality and experience, but there is no
one-size-fits-all artist.
Every
artist has his own style and his own unique vision. The trick is finding an
artist who can also create your
vision. To do this, you must study the designer’s work. Communicate your needs
and measure the response.
I’ve
been a graphic artist for more than thirty years. My background is primarily in
print advertising which means I’ve learned the value of making a statement with
immediate impact. That’s incredibly important for a book cover.
With
the rise of self-publishing, cover art may be your first and only chance to
catch a reader’s eye. It all starts with the cover. Is it strong? Intriguing? Does it make you stop in your tracks? That’s my number one goal when I
design my covers.
Glance
through my portfolio. Email me and ask me questions. You never know. I might be
the artist you’re looking for.
Other things that might be on your mind:
How do I contact you?
You may contact me at CoverMe AT argontech DOT net. Be sure to include Book
Cover Diva in the subject line.
How Do I Start?
1. Fill out the Art Information Questionnaire. The more I
know, the better I can serve you.
2. Once I get a good feel for the direction you want for
your book, I will send you a low-resolution, rough draft on how I visually
translated the information you sent me.
3. At this point, we can tweak the design.
4. If you’re satisfied with the rough draft, I will then
polish it and send you a low-resolution flattened jpg for your final approval.
5. When you’ve approved it, you send me the final payment.
Upon receiving payment, I will send you the final art file in the correct size
and resolution for whatever project you contracted.
What if I already
have the image I want to use in my book?
Excellent!
Just two things:
Do you own the license and/or copyright to use that image?
Can you send it to me in high resolution and large format? If so, we’re in business.
Can you do custom
illustration?
Yes and No. I can create custom illustrations, but it is very
time consuming and therefore expensive. But if you’re looking for a painterly cover,
you’re in luck. My specialty is creating atmospheric scenes with photographs.
I like the model, but
I don’t like her clothes. Can you give her a new wardrobe?
Probably not. The only way to do this would be to find the
right clothes on a different model in a similar pose. Unless it’s a historical,
clothing probably won’t be a big issue.
Do I need to know
what I want for a cover?
Not at all. Fill out the Art Information Questionnaire and
leave the rest to me. That’s why you hired me. Right?
Trading Cards,
Business Cards and Postcards: What does Camera-Ready mean?
Camera-ready means that you can take that file directly to
the printer and have your cards printed without them having to do anything to
make it fit their cardstock. Vistaprint is also a good choice as long as you
can traverse their site without signing up for some arcane service on your way to checkout.
How Long Does it
Take?
It all depends on my project load, but I will always give
you a time estimate when you hire me. My turnarounds are pretty quick, but
again it all depends on how many others are ahead of you, and if I can pawn off
homestead duties to the husband.
Should I credit you
in the book?
That’s entirely up to you. Most traditional publishers
credit the designer in their books. I would be thrilled if you did too.
You can credit me with this byline: Cover designed by Maria Zannini of Book Cover Diva
