Comments for Book Cover Blog http://bookcoverblog.com Tools, critiques and resources for authors designing book covers Sun, 18 Dec 2011 04:55:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Harnessing the Powah of Free Web Stuff by Eric http://bookcoverblog.com/2011/12/harnessing-the-powah-of-free-web-stuff/#comment-72 Eric Sun, 18 Dec 2011 04:55:12 +0000 http://bookcoverblog.com/?p=195#comment-72 One of my favorite Photoshop websites is Worth 1000, which is sort of a contest site for Photoshop and other digital tools. What is not to be missed on this site is their Photoshop tutorials. Their tutorials will tell you how to do things that you never even thought of. http://www.worth1000.com/ Check it out. One of my favorite Photoshop websites is Worth 1000, which is sort of a contest site for Photoshop and other digital tools. What is not to be missed on this site is their Photoshop tutorials. Their tutorials will tell you how to do things that you never even thought of.

http://www.worth1000.com/

Check it out.

]]> Comment on 10 Common Font Mistakes by Robin http://bookcoverblog.com/2011/12/10-font-mistakes/#comment-31 Robin Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:38:22 +0000 http://bookcoverblog.com/?p=142#comment-31 @Willsin, I think with some work you can make almost any typeface doable, especially for specific applications. But like anything else, you have to do it with knowledge aforethought. Me, I've seen papyrus so often that I don't even like it any more. I'm just bored by it. @Willsin, I think with some work you can make almost any typeface doable, especially for specific applications. But like anything else, you have to do it with knowledge aforethought. Me, I’ve seen papyrus so often that I don’t even like it any more. I’m just bored by it.

]]> Comment on 10 Common Font Mistakes by Willsin Rowe http://bookcoverblog.com/2011/12/10-font-mistakes/#comment-30 Willsin Rowe Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:59:23 +0000 http://bookcoverblog.com/?p=142#comment-30 I must say that I agree in principle on almost everything you've said. Most of those fonts are, and have always been, butt-ugly. I personally think Papyrus is a lovely font, but it certainly has suffered from over-exposure. I'd not automatically be averse to using Courier to create a particular effect (such as a 1970's TOP SECRET document or something like that), but I do agree that American Typewriter is superior. And I'll come clean...I've used both Beesknees and Papyrus in the past couple of years, although I rarely use a font like those without having a bit of vector fun with them in Illustrator. For Papyrus, I simply gave it a thicker outline and then took it into Photoshop, thereby negating the "too thin" issue. With Beesknees...well, I was making a cover for a story about a woman who was the elephant keeper at the San Diego Zoo...with just a little tweaking (taking the curve of a J and using that instead of the diagonal descender on an R) I was able to create an R that looked like an elephant head! It was fun... I must say that I agree in principle on almost everything you’ve said. Most of those fonts are, and have always been, butt-ugly. I personally think Papyrus is a lovely font, but it certainly has suffered from over-exposure. I’d not automatically be averse to using Courier to create a particular effect (such as a 1970′s TOP SECRET document or something like that), but I do agree that American Typewriter is superior.
And I’ll come clean…I’ve used both Beesknees and Papyrus in the past couple of years, although I rarely use a font like those without having a bit of vector fun with them in Illustrator. For Papyrus, I simply gave it a thicker outline and then took it into Photoshop, thereby negating the “too thin” issue. With Beesknees…well, I was making a cover for a story about a woman who was the elephant keeper at the San Diego Zoo…with just a little tweaking (taking the curve of a J and using that instead of the diagonal descender on an R) I was able to create an R that looked like an elephant head! It was fun…

]]> Comment on Featured Cover Artist Renu Sharma by Robin http://bookcoverblog.com/2011/12/featured-cover-artist-renu-sharma/#comment-28 Robin Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:50:31 +0000 http://bookcoverblog.com/?p=112#comment-28 Eric, I must have been having a bad day. Thanks for letting me know and they are now fixed. Eric, I must have been having a bad day. Thanks for letting me know and they are now fixed.

]]> Comment on 10 Common Font Mistakes by Robin http://bookcoverblog.com/2011/12/10-font-mistakes/#comment-27 Robin Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:23:48 +0000 http://bookcoverblog.com/?p=142#comment-27 Eric, what do you mean by otherworldly? Historical? Sci-Fi? Fantasy? What is the cover art? What is the genre? All of those inform my typeface decisions. Eric, what do you mean by otherworldly? Historical? Sci-Fi? Fantasy? What is the cover art? What is the genre? All of those inform my typeface decisions.

]]> Comment on Featured Cover Artist Renu Sharma by Eric http://bookcoverblog.com/2011/12/featured-cover-artist-renu-sharma/#comment-25 Eric Wed, 14 Dec 2011 05:38:16 +0000 http://bookcoverblog.com/?p=112#comment-25 The two links did not work for me. The two links did not work for me.

]]> Comment on 10 Common Font Mistakes by Eric http://bookcoverblog.com/2011/12/10-font-mistakes/#comment-24 Eric Wed, 14 Dec 2011 05:36:27 +0000 http://bookcoverblog.com/?p=142#comment-24 What would you suggest as a replacement for "Papyrus" if you are going for other worldly? What would you suggest as a replacement for “Papyrus” if you are going for other worldly?

]]> Comment on Behold the Awesome Power of Kern by Robin http://bookcoverblog.com/2011/12/behold-the-awesome-power-of-kern/#comment-20 Robin Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:32:03 +0000 http://bookcoverblog.com/?p=150#comment-20 @Brent, I think my goal here is really to encourage authors to go ahead and hire professional artists and designers for their cover work; but to do so from a position of knowledge not ignorance. No way can I compress 25+ years of education and experience into a few blog posts. OTOH, I have seen covers unveiled by authors that are supposedly professionally done that really... are not. It's a buyer beware world out there. Helping authors educate their eye will help them make smart decisions. And then the good professional artists and designers get the work they deserve. @Brent, I think my goal here is really to encourage authors to go ahead and hire professional artists and designers for their cover work; but to do so from a position of knowledge not ignorance. No way can I compress 25+ years of education and experience into a few blog posts. OTOH, I have seen covers unveiled by authors that are supposedly professionally done that really… are not. It’s a buyer beware world out there. Helping authors educate their eye will help them make smart decisions. And then the good professional artists and designers get the work they deserve.

]]> Comment on Behold the Awesome Power of Kern by Robin http://bookcoverblog.com/2011/12/behold-the-awesome-power-of-kern/#comment-19 Robin Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:29:34 +0000 http://bookcoverblog.com/?p=150#comment-19 thanks! thanks!

]]> Comment on Behold the Awesome Power of Kern by Linda Cassidy Lewis http://bookcoverblog.com/2011/12/behold-the-awesome-power-of-kern/#comment-18 Linda Cassidy Lewis Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:59:26 +0000 http://bookcoverblog.com/?p=150#comment-18 I just want to say that I'm really enjoying your posts. I saw your link on the Cover Art Review site and immediately subscribed. I'm sure I'll have to read your tips repeatedly to absorb all the info, but I'm learning. Thank you. I just want to say that I’m really enjoying your posts. I saw your link on the Cover Art Review site and immediately subscribed. I’m sure I’ll have to read your tips repeatedly to absorb all the info, but I’m learning. Thank you.

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