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I was kinda kidding, too! But I will mention it to him. Thanks for suggesting it.
I like the cover. It's suitably plushy looking, and seems like it would appeal to kids and parents alike. I'm not a big fan of the back cover, though. I think some clip art of parchment would work better than the white box (with curly corners) that you chose. Something a little more lush might appeal to kids and parents a bit more. Nevertheless, this does look like a fun book and I wish you well with it.
I really, really like the main figure. I also like the font, but I'm having a lot of trouble reading the text on the spine. In print, red does not contrast well with dark colors like this. This is a place where editing in a lighter color behind the letters (perhaps adding a little foggy cloud effect) at both top and on the spine would increase the contrast between text and background. This looks like a great cover, though, and I really, REALLY like the illumination on the front of the werewolf. This is very dramatic and very cool. EXCELLENT work.
Thank you, Mitchell. They did end up going with the red and made no changes. I'll keep it in mind next time though.
I figured that was the case. I just wanted to mention it. I really do like the painting, by the way. VERY dramatic.
OFF TOPIC: I'm working on a whodunit mystery short story and an accompanying illustration (that actually has two of the clues needed to assist in solving the case). I should be done with the illustration tomorrow, and would really like to get some feedback from a few readers before sending it to the editor (it's for a small-press publication: the Collectors' Club Newsletter). When finished, would anyone here be willing to read it and quickly give me your feedback (like overnight)? Let me know and I'll send you the material via email or private message.
Mike
Just sent you a PM!
Thanks (and to 3dLux). I really appreciate it. I'll finish the illustratin tonight and send it your way.
This is a bit off topic, but I was hoping I could get some feedback on a logo I'm working on. This is not for a cover, but the interior logo for the story series I'm working on. I really would like the "You Solve It" caption, but I'm not sure. Sometimes I like it, but other times I don't like it. I really want clean lines for that retro feel, but I just can't make up my mind. This may be a case when having too many options may be a bad thing. Of course, I could pick one basic design (with magnifying glass or without) and then just vary them from story to story...
Version 1: Mag Glass - Black Name, Blue Mystery, Version 2: Mag Glass - Black Name, Gray Mystery
Version 3: Mag Glass - Gray Name, Blue Mystery, Version 4: NO Mag Glass - Black Name, Blue Mystery
Version 5: NO Mag Glass - Blue Name, Black Mystery, Version 6: NO Mag Glass - Black Name, Gray Mystery
Version 7: Gray Mag Glass - Black Name, Black Mystery, Version 8: NO Mag Glass - Black Name, Black Mystery
Couldn't leave well enough alone. Here's another one: Version 9: Typewriter Text
Only the updated version with the magnifying glass really works, IMO. The others are too busy, and affect the reading of the text. I'm not sure you need both the half-silhouette of the woman AND the magnifier. The two seem to compete with one another.
You'd have to reduce the art down to thumbnail size to see how it looks with the rest of the cover. On some of the samples, the text effects on the shattering of MYSTERY could be an issue. I'd think the plainer this treatment, the better -- no strokes, drop shadows, etc.
Double Post.
Thanks, but it's not for a cover. It's for an interior title page that will be printed at 5.5 x 8.5 inches. This will appear above the text. inside the book/magazine. So, thumbnail is not an issue. Does that affect your thoughts on this?
Number 9 is the clearest imho, by a long way. The early ones wit the mag glass read to me as "Terry Done Mystery", which might work in a Ray Winstone accent but probably wasn't what you were after. Then with the others, I just couldn't unsee the above. Also, having the 'A' inside the T just got lost.
I like the girl and the gun and the fingerprint.
One thing, if it's for interior pages, I'd be inclined to check the print process - is it colour? (the blue tints will be lost if not), will it be halftoned? (could make the cracked text look really ugly - might be better to have all the text black, sometimes greyscales don't come out so well)
Thank you. That was very useful. If one person sees the "a" as an "o," then others will, too. Since the name is stuck in my head, I didn't see that possibility. (Your accent joke made me smile, btw). As for printing -- yes, it will have color. I'm not worried about the halftone, as I will set that myself when I send it to them (I'll define it in Manga Studio, so I'm not worried about that). Nevertheless, let's see it in black: Version 9: Typewriter Text, Black Mystery w/Black Fingerprint
Also, if I were to remove the girl and fingerprint, this logo is no longer the correct shape. This is to appear as a banner across the top of a page: removing her and keeping the text would change the aspect ratio, making it too tall. I would need to go wider. Two other things: The typewriter text was actually my first idea, but then I decided to try a more modern, 50s text and so the first group of versions were born. If time permits, I may try one other approach for the "Mystery" word, but I kinda like it. It's a little different, and I like the imagery that things are falling to pieces, so you call Terry Dane. But, if legibility is an issue, then I may revisit it.
That one works for me :) I think running the two lines of text into each other didn't help the readability on the earlier ones either.
Is the girl Terry?
I love the typewriter font! It definitely reminds of the old mysteries I read as a kid. I think of the last two, I like the darker black font better. It really stands out. The other (gray) one is more subtle and I might see it, but ignore it type of thing if i saw it in a book. It kind of fades in the background more. As for the word, Mystery, I like the kind of shattered look it has. Just my two cents.
I was shooting for an old-fashioned look (like I read as a kid, too), so good to know I nailed that aspect of the logo. BTW, I got an extension on the deadline, so I have a few more days to work on everything.
I'm also kinda liking the darker type.If it's not a cover logo then it might be fine. #9 with the darker MYSTERY would be my choice.
You might play with the magnifying effect of the "Da" inside the glass -- not too much, but as a subtle tweak. It would be ideal if the rim of the magnifier didn't cover up the "n" quite as much. (Or crossed into it more; I'm sure you tried both ways.)
For a full retro look, they wouldn't have used such a fine screen half-toned gray. The fine screen somewhat ruins the "old fashiond" feel and makes it look modern. I'd still go with black/near black for the text, but you could try a more coarse screen for the gray tones in her clothes. The gray of the fingerprint is fine.
You are correct -- I keep tweaking the placement and magnification of the magnifying glass; I'm still messing with it. Thanks for the comments on the screen tone -- that's something people don't often think of . I recently saw a colorist use that technique very effectively in a Howard the Duck comic, where all the flashbacks were printed with a slightly coarse halftone pattern with visible dots. It was subtle and effective. I don't usually apply the halftone to things presented online because, based on screen scaling and resolution, it can just look weird. I will apply a screen when sending it to the editor. In this case, though, I will post a copy of the final version here when I get it sorted out.
Yeah, adding an effects screen can often mess up any real screen the printer uses. Generally, it's just the hint of the dot pattern that's enough. Is this for online or printed?
This will be both: some people receive copies via PDF and some perfer print. I get both copies.
The only time I've seen problems with conflicting screens is when the dot patterns of the two patterns were too small and they created a moire effect.
My one suggestion would be to move the magnifying glass back so that *only* the D in Dane is highlighted. Otherwise, it just looks odd. It would also make it easier to play with slight magnifying effects without making her name look like it should somehow be pronounced Da-nay, if you see what I mean. Make the D a monogram type thing, so to speak. If this is something that you'll be making into a sort of series, that could even become a small logo.
It would also let you put the end of the handle of the magnifying glass even with the left edge of the M in Mystery, which might work a little better graphically.
Interesting thoughts, and thanks for thinking about it with such consideration. I might revisit centering only the "D," but I did that before and it actually decreased legibility because it separated the "ane" too much. I do like the idea of making it a logo or seal with just the D and the mag glass. So... I may give it another shot. Also, I'm revisiting the "Mystery" word. I like the shattered look, but I think it needs tweaking to really convey the message I want, and guarantee that it will still work at a slightly smaller size.
Yup. That's Terry Dane -- tough-as-nails lady detective.
I don't want to double-post the image, but I created an image of her boyfriend, Police Detective "Lancelot" Worthington, and posted it in the Non-Photo-Realistic Render thread. It's the same style that I used for the Terry Dane illustration (which I'm still working on -- I will probably wrap up the logo tonight).
This is the last draft of the Terry Dane Mysteries logo. I'm out of time on changes, so this is the one that's going to print. Of course, I could always tweak it in the future, should I feel so moved...
Thank you all for your input. This is definitely a better logo because of your kind help.
Well, for what it's worth, I like the final result! :)
Thank you. I like it, too. And all of you did a lot to help shape its final outcome.
Now... on to the next project!