Saturday 2 February 2013

Second Book Cover in Progress

Copyright © 2013 Mark Kelly
All Rights Reserved.
I thought it was too good to be true, escaping the annual Christmas cold was just a ruse - the bloody thing has me in it's grasp as I type this. I hate having a cold just as much as being cold. The two are just bleh!

Well, here is the second cover I'm working on. I've yet to hear back from the lady concerned as to whether or not she likes it, or wants it changed. But to be honest, this is the fourth incarnation of this cover and I think it's almost there.

If you're wondering what that horrible yellowish thing is on the image, it's to make it hard for folks to steal the work. You wouldn't believe how long it took me to create that planet from scratch, so I've been advised to 'protect' it. Well, there you go. Not even planets are safe from being stolen.

10 comments:

Deborah Walker said...

I love it. What kind of surface does the planet have. I thought that the dice was part of the story, a device left by the ancients. Which would be pretty cool.

JoJo said...

That is really cool! You made that planet? So do you read the book prior to designing the cover? Or does the author tell you what they want?

Mark K said...

I think you've been reading too much Douglas Adams ;) When you ask about the planet surface do you mean the actual planet in the story, or what texture did I use to create it?

Mark K said...

The author responded to questions I emailed, and I've gone from there. Granted, it's nothing original, but I'm still learning the processes of various software packages I used to use when doing graphic design, which I turned my back on just over 7 years ago now.

Deborah Walker said...

There's no such thing as too much Douglas Adams!

The planet's texture intrigued me. It's cracked so I was thinking maybe ice. And you've got that lovely blue colour. Is it an ice planet?

Mark K said...

Well, the planet is supposed to be similar to earth. The texture I used was a rock face image and multi-layed it, whilst turning it and flipping it.

I might have to change the colour of the surface, not sure yet, but I based this on the fact the main character has a blue tinge to the skin, so went with a common link. I could be totally wrong, hence the unfinished bit :)

As for Master Adams, I do recall reading (possibly the fourth in his 'trilogy'?) where Arthur Dent has met the mysterious girl after being given a lift in a black Saab Turbo on a rainy night, with a taciturn brother in the driving seat. but what does stay in my mind is the scene where Arthur shows her how he can float by diving out of a first floor opening, stopping mere inches off the ground.

Funny what stays in the mind.

Deborah Walker said...

Blue skin? That's intriguing. I think a good cover will lead to questions and pique the interest about the contents. Looks like you're pointing to that with that wonderfully coloured planet.

And the thing I'll never forget is the poor doomed whale.

JoJo said...

I wish I'd gone into that field.

Mark K said...

So what's stopping you, Jojo? Most of the best artists are self-taught to a degree. It's never too late ;)

Mina Lobo said...

I dig the planet's texture too, Mark. Striking cover! Lovely shading and I enjoy that shade (hue?) of blue. Dig it, Dude!