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First and foremost -- I did NOT create this art! This is by a very talented artist who is doing the primary character work for the Powers Beyond roleplaying game.
Seconldy, the artwork is not final. The artist has been requested to add some superhero elements -- right now this is waaaaay too "Mad Max" to adequately sell the book as a futuristic superhero game.
I am creating the logo for the book, and would like your opinion on these three basic designs (exact coloring is still up for discussion/finalization). Thoughts and comments are VERY welcome!
I have to say that the third one really pops out at you. It looks great in the thumbnail and even better full size. If I was standing at the B&N newsstand, this would definitely grab my attention. I asked my boys to take a look and their opinions were mixed. I had one for the middle image and two for the last image. When you say the logo, are we talking about the whole Powers Beyond type and the logo behind the lettering or just the logo behind the lettering? That red text and the slanted letters really look great with the cover.
Thanks for the feedback. Hmmmm. I'm also mixed on which one I like. And by logo, I'm referring to all the text and graphic elements at the top of the page: Text, hazmat symbol and DNA. We'll see what the editor likes -- I may try adding the red color to the first design, and I've got to add the tagline, "A Super-Powered Roleplaying Epic" to the third design. I'm also thinking of taking the "Jagged DNA" element from the first design and moving it to the third.
Thanks again!
Not knowing anything of the game, series, or logo requirements, I like the more basic title better of the first example. The third one looks like hair shampoo or other consumer product, and to me, doesn't impart an apocalyptic theme.
The saturation differences are fairly mild, so I'd just go with your gut. I tend to like brighter colors if they aren't overbearing with the foreground and title treatments.
Finally, some of the comp effects looks pretty Photoshoppy toi me -- namely the laser beam. Part of the image has a quasi-drawn look, while a couple of the effects look very computerized. Playing with the blend mode for the effects may be all you need.
Tobor: I totally agree with you about the cover. I believe it was hand drawn and then colored in Photoshop, so there are some elements that don't quite gel completely. I've suggested some changes (as noted above, they are going to add someone with a cape and maybe one or two other elements to play up the superhero aspect). My samples include some color correction by me to make the two lead characters pop (also; if you compare the white version to the red version, you'll see that I removed a "floating pod thing" from the sky -- it was cluttering things up and needs to go). I guess right now I'm torn between the two approaches. I think they both need tweaking in regards to coloring/blending modes, but I like things about both of them and won't be upset with him choosing either one. I'm just going to sit tight until I hear from the editor.
BTW: I have been thinking about a hybrid of the two logos -- taking the rough DNA and moving it to the red logo, then manually breaking up the word "Powers" so that it has cracks and pieces missing. I just don't know if we have time for that...
The editor has spoken! We're going with the red one! I'll work on refining it tonight.
I've updated the Robot in the Med Lab illustration. I'd love any thoughts or reactions to it, if you've time: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/64940/wip-opinions-sought-on-comic-style-illustration#latest
For that raster effect there is a little bit too much detail in the tank (left side), at least for my taste. The rest looks very good.
Do you mean too much of the creature's arm is showing through? I think you've got a point there. If there's time, I'll tweak that a bit. Thanks for the feedback!
So, I've been playing around with this book cover. Wanted to get some opinions. Sample author and title text is just to view placement. I don't have to do typography, just give suggested placement for text on the cover. I have one more rendering which is just a close-up of the desk. Not sure if I like it as much as I like the room view, but I thought I would let it render out and play around with it and see how it turns out.
Here are the versions with smoking gun. I think the smoke might actually get lost and I'm not sure it is a good idea although I like the idea. Not too sure it works, though. Critiques and opinions would be nice.
Looking much better!
From my comment the last time, I'd look into using depth of field, to help focus attention on the foreground objects. You can set the DOF so that everything is in focus right at the start of the desk pad, to about the back edge.
I assume this is Iray. The body of the pistol is a bit too reflective. Though many handguns are chrome or nickel plated like this, it's a little distracting. You might fiddle with the Glossy Roughness and other settings, or use a silver-ish shader that has a rougher sheen to it -- for example, Magnesium Alloy.
On edit: maybe also add some unspent bullets to the tray, in a couple of orientations. Adds to the "lethalness" to it all.
I'll give that a try. Yes, it is Iray. I'll play with the DOF. That actually might help with the text standing out in the version without the fancy parchment overlay, too. It is a cool technique to use, but I think the overlay technique has been a bit overdone myself. It seems like almost every book has that done these days. I'll try some bullets, but I haven't been happy with the bullets I have in my library at the moment. I don't know if it is the shader or the modeling, but they just don't look realistic enough. I just got more shaders that I can try out, though, and see if any of them make a difference.
Forgot to add that I was real impressed with the shader that I used on the magnifying glass. That was from a new product and it almost actually looks like it magnifies a little.
Thanks for the comments, @Tobor. They really help.
If you want to add the bullets and don't have ones for that pistol, PM me...
It looks like it's a snub nose .38, so I have something that should be appropriate for it...
I'll have to play with that. I haven't played with some of those settings so I'm still unsure how some of the sliders work with different materials. I haven't played with surfaces directly much and refraction hasn't been one of them to date, I don't think.
Yes, to .38, but not sure of the snub nose part. I think so. That looks more like the bullet that I was trying to find, but couldn't. The one I have is supposed to be for a .38, but it doesn't have two material zones for the bullet which it looks like yours has. The one I have also has a weird shaping near the bottom of the casing. I like yours much better. I'll PM you about particulars as I really like the modeling on your bullet better than what I have.
MM - I'll keep that in mind next time I need those calibers. :)
Thanks for the help, guys. I really appreciate it.
Surprisingly, good bullets are hard to find!
Here's one from an old set for M3. The one mjc posted will work well, too. This one has two surfaces, and I've applied stock Iray shaders to them, and adjusted a few of the settings. The shell of a bullet is copper, but there isn't a copper metal shader, so I used gold. Taking a bit of artistic license with the gleam of the metal, I compensated a bit by darkening the color and roughing up the surface very slightly.
There's no lead shader, so I used the cast metal shader from the nVidia Iray examples. Bullets are small, and the default tile size is too large, so I adjusted down. Also, lead is fairly dull and darker than cast iron, so I made a small adjustment to the color. You may wish to dull it up even more, but again, the gleam is artistic license, which will help them stand out.
Anyway, just an idea.
As for the title treatment, busy scenes with full backgrounds present their own challenges. You may wish to show some alternative examples, to give customers some options to think about (always better to help them visualize). For example, a common technique divides up the cover into 2/3rds or 4/5ths, and places the scene into the larger frame. Or, you can try various unconventional compositions, like the very quickie example I've attached. The image is placed onto a dark background, -- the color of the background is taken from the scene. The top of the image is blended using some transparent-to-foreground gradients, and the image itself has been warped so its sides are no longer parallel.
@Tobor Those shaders are actually better than what I've been using. Getting a good substitute for lead is definitely one of the things I've been struggling with, but I like what you did to your bullet. I'll have to see if I can replicate it. I do have a copper shader, but it is burnished copper and I haven't really been able to modify it so that it looks like regular copper. Thanks for posting the pic with your settings as that will help.
I actually like what you did to my image and I'll keep it in mind because that does look really cool. I'll have to take a look at the fonts I have access to on the book covers website and see if there is something close to those fonts because they really do help give the feel of the Murder Mystery type feel I want for the cover. I use to have the biggest fascination with Perry Mason! All time best detective series, both the books and the tv show.
Definitely liking what Tobor did with the type. And I'll be revisiting his bullet settings in the future! Thanks for posting. Sorry I couldn't post more about the covers earlier -- too busy with work.
I'm glad you axed the parchment treatment. I actually like it, but you are correct -- it feels dated right now.
BTW: I just posted an update of the flying car battle: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/uploads/FileUpload/12/42dc353ccef9f14d5377265b073ecf.jpg
I took the suggestions and -- thanks to everyone for the help -- think I brought it up a level. I appreciate all the help!
Glad to have been of some help.
On the bullet, if you use it: Mjc's version is the appropriate one for this gun. It looks very much to be a .38 Special revolver, from the elongated cylinder. As comparison, the bullet I posted is more like a .38 Super, and is more for an automatic rather than a revolver. Small thing, but some murder mystery fans will know the difference
Yep...it's a Special and the other is a Super, for sure.
The .38 Special was a very common police/PI/security round...
I'll post another render and then I need to work on a couple of other things...
Nice job on these Knittingmommy. I do agree that the barrell is too shiny. The only other thing really bothering me is the two round objects in the background - the round table and the round ottoman. The spacing is off to me for some reason. Maybe you could move the ottoman just a hair more to right to break up the overlap on these two? I don't know why its bothering me but it keeps pulling my eye. or maybe one needs to be square or rectangular and the other round? Not sure exactly what it is that's feels off.. I like the front portion and think it looks good. I like the overlay but I think I like without just a hair better. And take all with a grain of salt please.
What is the metal thing behind the tray? The silver cylinder? Is it a handle on the tray? I just can't tell, but I find it very distracting.
In terms of color, I'd like to see the red rose either brighter, or the lipstick smudge darker. I'm also with Ice Dragon: I suggest moving the table to the left so more of it is out of frame. And I would like the pitcher/decanter to be a little lighter... and then thrown out of focus with DOF.
mjc016 - Those cartridges definitely look better than what I have been trying to work with.
Sonja, I'll see what happens when I play with the DOF and if it is still distracting, I thought about getting rid of them but I don't like the open void of space it leaves. I've moved them around a few times and thought I had them in a good placement, but I'll take a look at it again.
MM - That would be the pen cap. I'm thinking it might be better place on the parchement closer to the pen. I'll work on that. I believe that tall pitcher is a type of teapot according to the descriptive title of the object. It came with the room and I haven't played with shaders for most of the room. I do like the tall 'teapot' and cups that came with it, though, as it is so unusal looking and just seems to fit the room. I changed some things that clashed with the look I was trying to achieve, but not the rest. I'm not sure what I can do to make it lighter and still keep that overall feel. I'll play around with some more shaders. I just bought Mec4D's PBR shaders and there is a ton of stuff in there so I'm sure I'll find something appropriate. If not, I have Filter Forge and I'm getting better at making my own textures. I'll see what I can do.
Thanks for all the input, guys! It really does help.
I think moving it next to the map would be a big help in IDing what that item is. As for the teapot, I like it, but it just needs to stand out a little more. You can either lighten its texture, or add a small point light over it so that the neck and curves catch a little light on its edges, which will make it stand out in the background a little more. This should be very effective when you add the DOF blur.
BTW: I have updated the "Fallen Hero" illustration I did a while back. Thanks to all your help, I think it's much better than it was. If you get a chance, I'd really love getting some feedback on it.
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/69695/wip-supervillain-the-hero-defeated#latest
Wow! It seems like an age since I last got involved in the forums here at DAZ but I stumbled upon this thread and as I'm trying my hand at covers - and looking for feedback - I thought I would make a post.
I've always been most interested in using Poser renders as a starting point to create the illusion of natural media. I've used many programs to do this in the past, such as Artrage and PostWorkShop, but for my current project I'm just using PSE8 and GIMP. I've been looking at the pulp paperbacks (as opposed to the original magazine pulps, which were larger and had a more dynamic narative style) produced from the 1940s through 1970s and am currently identifying some key elements found in them and trying to reproduce them to create my own faux covers. I've produced four in this series of experiments so far but while I've posted them all on other galleries, I wasn't sure of the rules of this forum and so have limited myself to the the most recent effort here.
This experiment was mostly concerned with the background. Looking through examples of covers, I see that many have one or two detailed foreground figures, while everything else fades into a background colour with the details sometimes recovered/picked out by black linework. To reproduce this, I used a depth render pass as a layer mask to a copy of the original render, this could then be fine tuned with the brightness and contrast to get determine how much was faded out and to what degree. This was run through the Cutout filter (GIMP has one which is sometimes better than the PSE version but it is soooo much slower). This is layerd and merged with a colour gradient, which is then layered over the original render, then brushed with the smudge tool with a bristle texture (not so visible in this example but it does make a difference). Once the text in place, those layers are simplified, their opacity lowered, and then a gausian blur applied. All of this was then copied and given a colour half tone which was then reduced to an opacity of 10% before some wear and tear was added for display.
Pulp covers are a little unusual in that they can employ a few fonts where other covers should only have one or two. However, they do need to be the right fonts. While there are a few good free fonts that are suitable for pulp, I did invest some money in some to give me a useful selection to work with.
I am a believer in the value of branding in book covers and don't really understand why so many indie genre publishers don't invest in it - if they want to build a customer base of people who enjoy their sort of books, then they want those customers to recognise their books in the store at a glance. I created my own imprint and logo for this project which I'm quite pleased with (Noggin's Wasp has proved such a good purchase over the years!).
...and then after all that, I forgot to mention the line work which was rather a big reason for making this image. Poser has a toon render which I sent to black and white and utilised the new geometric outline. This was layered obove the image and then the lines erased where I didn't want them. This allowed me to pick out lost detail from the background without it dominating or cluttering the scene.