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| #1 | |||
| Extreme Fan   Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,526
| Cover Artists: without them, every book would look the same. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but as someone who plans to be a cover artist in a few years, I usually can't help it. And when you go to a bookstore or library, there are so many books sitting on the shelves that you can't possibly pick them all up and read their descriptions. So you rely on an interesting cover/spine to catch your eye. At least I do. I don't think cover artists get enough credit for what they do for books. Does anyone else feel this way? I know I definitely have a mental list of some of my favorite book covers of all time. And it's true that sometimes a book with good writing inside has a bad cover and vice versa, but when I can find a phenomenal writer paired with a wonderful artist, the book just seems a lot more complete and appealing to me. __________________ + Susan "Everything I've touched has been diminished." | |||
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| #2 | |||
| Master Fan  Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 12,829
| Rain Candy Cover artist sounds like a wonderful job.  I believe too, that a cover can be really important because it's usually the first contact the reader has with the book in question. When I'm in a bookstore and I'm checking out for new books, I know that I will go to books whose titles or covers catch my eyes. It's a huge responsibility to be in charge of the artistic aspect of a cover and I agree with you that cover artists don't get the recognition they deserve. I can describe in details the covers of my favourite book but can't put a name on the artist behind it. I'm not even sure the artists' names are credited in the books. __________________ The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast : the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed' | |||
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| #3 | |||
| Loyal Fan  Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,615
| Re: Cover Artists: without them, every book would look the same. Quote:
Anyhow, I wish you all the best with your career, it was what I wanted as well but I sort of gave up because I am weak and can't trust myself especially dealing with the subjective or maybe because i just lack the skills Anyway. Okay. | |||
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| #4 | |||
| Master Fan Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 12,829
| Re: Re: Cover Artists: without them, every book would look the same. Quote:
 __________________ The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast : the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed' | |||
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| #5 | |||
| Extreme Fan Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,526
| Quote:
I was trying to buy This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen this summer and I love the UK cover, but I live in the US. So I asked a family friend who was going to England if she could try and get it. But she couldn't find it, so I was stuck with the US cover. Of course, it's still a fabulous book. __________________ + Susan "Everything I've touched has been diminished." | |||
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| #6 | |||
| Master Fan Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 12,829
| I really like books covers that have drawings like children's. One of my favourites is the cover of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The author drawed it himself, and I think it really fits the dream-like universe very well.  __________________ The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast : the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed' | |||
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| #7 | |||
| Passionate Fan  Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 3,490
| Re: Cover Artists: without them, every book would look the same. Quote:
I love the cover for 'Across the Nightingale Floor'. It's all shiny and gold and I have to admit I left it lying on my bed because it looked so pretty. __________________ Hey dead head. Take a bite of peach Sawyer/Sun | Jack/Sun | Fearless Soul | Seeker | | |||
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| #8 | |||
| Extreme Fan Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,526
| Re: Re: Cover Artists: without them, every book would look the same. Quote:
My personal favorite cover artist has to be Cliff Nielsen. I just like his sense of design and style. He's done a lot of covers for books I like. StellaSlight: I adore The Little Prince. And I agree about the drawings. I like how France used to have pictures of the Little Prince and the elephant inside the boa contrictor (or what the grown-ups thought was a hat) on their money. I guess now that they've switched the Euros they don't have them anymore, but I always thought that was cool. __________________ + Susan "Everything I've touched has been diminished." | |||
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| #9 | |||
| Master Fan Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 12,829
| Re: Re: Re: Cover Artists: without them, every book would look the same. Quote:
That was my favourite part of the book, the one where the narrator was explaning about the boa constrictor with the elephant inside. __________________ The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast : the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed' | |||
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| #10 | |||
| Master Fan Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 11,286
| I love The Little Prince too - I recently found my copy again and read it for the first time in ages. I really have to buy some postcards or something for my classroom the next time I'm in France, among other things. __________________ Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win By fearing to attempt. | |||
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| #11 | |||
| Elite Fan  Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 41,496
| I agree. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but sometimes a really well drawn cover will make me pick up the book. That or the title.  __________________ Practice safe lunch. Use a condiment.  Are you a poor pirate? Because you have a small chest. I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I. I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I. I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I. I.I. | |||
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| #12 | |||
| Master Fan  Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 15,641
| I really wish that the artist at artdungeon.net could illustrate the Harry Potter books...she's amazing! | |||
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| #13 | |||
| Master Fan Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 12,829
| Quote:
Jo!!  If you don't have the French copy of The Little Prince, I can send you one. I think it would make a marvelous book to read to your students. And don't forget to call me next time you're in France. __________________ The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast : the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed' | |||
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| #14 | |||
| Master Fan Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 12,829
| Quote:
__________________ The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast : the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed' | |||
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| #15 | |||
| New Fan  Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 81
| Rain Candy, what a coincidence. Cliff Nielsen is one of my favorite artists too (not to mention the first artist I thought of when I saw this thread). There's a very nice little online gallery of his work here. I don't know how much validity I put in that old saying ("don't judge a book..."). There's nothing worse than a book with a terrible cover. Well except maybe a terrible book. The recent trend of boring stock photo art on books instead of illustration disappoints me. I like when a cover is simplistic and clean looking and sometimes photos convey that well. For instance, a photo of an object on the cover that is featured in the book. But lately many books have covers that feature good looking trendily dressed young people like they're fashion magazine covers or something. Seeing a shot of a young womans chest and legs with the head cut completely out of the picture or people entwined on a bed really cheapens a good book. Anyway, that said, here's a few of my favorite cover artists. Suza Scalora does the artwork for the popular teen series Daughters of the Moon by Lynne Ewing. She uses makeup, light and photography techniques to create the fantastical. She's published a few photography books that you can find by searching on Amazon.com. I usually spend a few whole minutes staring at a Kamil Vojnar cover. Greg Spalenka's style is similiar to Cliff Nielsen's. It's slightly dark and gothic, a almost grungey. | |||
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