tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post8111825603547699650..comments2023-05-17T05:15:04.982-07:00Comments on BIBLIOPHILY: Cover Art: Love it or Hate It?Marie Hartehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07722761134690362076noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-14815205781494080182007-09-21T18:54:00.000-07:002007-09-21T18:54:00.000-07:00Oh there's luck there, alright, Marie. I'll be the...Oh there's luck there, alright, Marie. I'll be the first to admit it! :) But also philosophy, I think. I'm with Samhain and TEB primarily and their cover artists are terrific. Great art backed by a strong publisher philosophy. I am, indeed, very very lucky.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-33623327080595971632007-09-21T11:07:00.000-07:002007-09-21T11:07:00.000-07:00I believe good cover art is essential. Sometimes ...I believe good cover art is essential. Sometimes authors don't get exactly what they want but a company can try to get close. I, too, hate poser. A good looking cover is what attracts me, then the back cover blurb.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-16381715332051968402007-09-21T10:33:00.000-07:002007-09-21T10:33:00.000-07:00Great article, marie. I'm with you too on poser co...Great article, marie. I'm with you too on poser covers, as well as covers with people in impossible positions. Have you seen those? Arms and legs that have been grafted on and are anatomical impossibilities/look like tentacles? Heads in strange positions. I wrote Moon Child and I'm sure the cover is part of the reason it's number one bestseller on Fictionwise at the moment. I love Dan's work. Yep,the cover has the power to sell or sink a book, that's for sure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-32920469979497547942007-09-21T09:36:00.000-07:002007-09-21T09:36:00.000-07:00Hey Dan! Yes, you and I share great taste in your...Hey Dan! Yes, you and I share great taste in your cover models...haha Tell Nick I said hi. I didn't know you did the cover for Moon Child, but I shouldn't be surprised. It's great! Congrats. And I was looking at your gallery the other day. You have fabulous stuff out there. And I'm digging the fantasy cyborg stuff a lot. :) So keep putting art up there. <BR/>MarieMarie Hartehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07722761134690362076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-10423380745403135192007-09-21T07:07:00.000-07:002007-09-21T07:07:00.000-07:00I'm one of the one who refused to have Poser art o...I'm one of the one who refused to have Poser art on my covers. But then I discovered something. Yes, a lot of the earlier Poser Art is too contrived. But dealers are constantly improving their character models, and Poser itself is also being upgraded. <BR/><BR/>What Poser 7 can do is far better then the Poser 4 or 5 artwork you see on most ebooks.<BR/><BR/>I've seen really good Poser art, and really bad. It also depends on the artist. The image link below..I created him with Poser art, and I'm actually rather happy with Michael.<BR/>Though I'm still not likely to have Poser art on ebooks, unless exceptionally well done, I have fun playing with Poser and coming up with chars for the cover artist to bring to life. Heh.<BR/>http://www.theprincesangel.com/images/Michael_Realms.png<BR/><BR/>- Shayne CarmichaelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-13580843265946048332007-09-21T07:02:00.000-07:002007-09-21T07:02:00.000-07:00Marie: Thanx for your comments on my art for the ...Marie: Thanx for your comments on my art for the Talson series for ya...and of course, the um...comments on my model and buddy Nick. I felt the same way for years about Poser and refused to use it until this last year, but I found a perfectly acceptable technique. I graft my real models heads onto the bodys. I was so happy to see one of my covers reach the number one slot on Romance on Fictionwise this week with Candy Nicks MoonChild book.<BR/><BR/>As always, I think you're best!!!<BR/>DanCERBERUShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04640254907325995487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-26493170628018848172007-09-21T06:46:00.000-07:002007-09-21T06:46:00.000-07:00I agree that the Poser covers are usually not so g...I agree that the Poser covers are usually not so great...and it makes me mad too b/c i have read some really great stories that were waiting underneath those unattrative covers, and truly enjoyed the books. but had i just seen the book in a store, i would NEVER have picked said book up! seeing that cover staring out at me would have turned me awy from the purchase before i even read the blurb!<BR/> I defeintly prefer the work of the Loose-Id, Liquid Silver and Samhain artists...especially April Martinez, she rocks my world!<BR/><BR/>-MariaMaria Shainkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00181275834637108516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-37492753771192900462007-09-21T06:26:00.000-07:002007-09-21T06:26:00.000-07:00See, I knew if I posted a generalized "I don't lik...See, I knew if I posted a generalized "I don't like Poser" someone would show me up. :) Yeah, Kaz, I've seen the cover for The Dragon of Ankoll Keep and thought it really well done. Didn't know what computer graphic had done it, but I was so taken with the incredible coloring and dragon that the man was almost background for me. And he's pretty hot, but not real, again, more's the pity!!<BR/>No doubt your book will sell on cover alone, but in my opinion, you got lucky with the artwork. Because it rocks. Or I'm biased because Samhain has awesome artists..smiles<BR/>MarieMarie Hartehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07722761134690362076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-42815832957387074642007-09-21T00:03:00.000-07:002007-09-21T00:03:00.000-07:00I’m with you on the Poser cover art--I *really* di...I’m with you on the Poser cover art--I *really* dislike it. <BR/><BR/>Now, moving on down in your post...I think a 'book about an alien who has to have sex with suburban housewives in ninety-nine positions to get home' might be pretty darn interesting :)Pamela Tynerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05048817764278290443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-12415478617526377262007-09-20T16:50:00.000-07:002007-09-20T16:50:00.000-07:00I've yet to have a cover that's NOT Poser, unfortu...I've yet to have a cover that's NOT Poser, unfortunately... but the trick I've discovered with Poser covers is to NOT see the faces or use moody shadowing. Good Poser body parts (yummy torsos, butts, biceps etc) can work really well. It's the vacant eyes and soulless expressions that I can't stand. A GOOD Poser artist can create the most amazing images, but it's a very time-eating medium which I think can have a negative impact on Poser covers.<BR/><BR/>I have one cover that makes me cringe every time I look at it (the hero looks like he's just escaped from the looney bin after being beaten by the ugly stick and had his genitals removed - I kid you not!) and, while the book has been repeatedly praised by reviewers and readers alike, it's my poorest selling. <BR/><BR/>I must admit, I'm very excited to see what my first Samhain cover will look like. : )<BR/><BR/>Lexxie <BR/>Lust. Desire. Danger.<BR/>http://lexxiecouper.com<BR/>Savage Retribution - Samhain, Feb 08Lexxie Couperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03743206169718199536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-60868161250614286132007-09-20T15:47:00.000-07:002007-09-20T15:47:00.000-07:00It's not what you use but the way that you use it!...It's not what you use but the way that you use it! I, er, somewhat agree with you, Marie. Oh, there are some covers out there that are truly ruly dreadful, don't get me wrong. And I cringe and feel sorry for the authors because, like it or not, it affects whether a lot of readers will pick up the book.<BR/><BR/>However, however, however...Christine Clavel did the cover of <B>The Dragon of Ankoll Keep</B> for me. It's an entrant on The New Covey Awards (http://thenewcoveyawards.blogspot.com) for this month. It rocks (imo). And it uses Poser.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-3424621068500589302007-09-20T15:28:00.000-07:002007-09-20T15:28:00.000-07:00Okay, Jenna, I confess. The dude on the right is f...Okay, Jenna, I confess. The dude on the right is from my book, Winner Takes All. He's still the hottest hero I've had...coverwise. But the dude on the left is REAL. Now him I'd like to meet. hehehehMarie Hartehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07722761134690362076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-21738596250658881532007-09-20T14:40:00.000-07:002007-09-20T14:40:00.000-07:00I think I know which book the one on the right com...I think I know which book the one on the right comes from and it's a damn good story too. *grins*Jenna Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12153417576470472639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-16331260017212514892007-09-20T14:08:00.000-07:002007-09-20T14:08:00.000-07:00No poser artwork for me--thank you very much. As f...No poser artwork for me--thank you very much. As for your two choices of male beauty, I really like the man on the right, the artwork based on a model. Lots for the imagination on that one. <BR/><BR/>Scott Chandler and Dawn Seewer worked their magic with my two covers for Samhain--no posers allowed.Marie-Nicole Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06704351418597214594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-60179773254426887372007-09-20T12:55:00.000-07:002007-09-20T12:55:00.000-07:00Great post, Marie. :)I agree, and I admit that the...Great post, Marie. :)<BR/><BR/>I agree, and I admit that the cover has to grab me. I'm sure I've missed out on some great reads because of it, but I am <I>not</I> a fan of most chick-lit covers. Most of them are just silly looking and I don't want to be caught with one in my hand in public.Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12898085311065248451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748120279251102636.post-85549824876393647472007-09-20T12:18:00.000-07:002007-09-20T12:18:00.000-07:00I'm with you on the Poser covers Marie, and I like...I'm with you on the Poser covers Marie, and I like to have a good looking cover art to look at when I'm reading. I sometimes have been known to flip the book closed just to get a glimpse of the hunk on the front cover.<BR/><BR/>Nice post. <BR/><BR/>Monica<BR/>Monica Burns - http://monicaburns.com | http://myspace.com/monicaburns<BR/>Mirage, Samhain, 10/07<BR/>Dangerous, Samhain, 03/08Monica Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13801472688555176112noreply@blogger.com