eBook Publishing - Cover Art

[McKenna]

Does anyone here have experience creating their own eBook covers? Got any tips or tricks? What program(s) do you use? Where do you get your stock images?

 

[sr71plt]

I don’t make my own covers, but here are a few photo services that cover images can be obtained from:

Dreamstime: http://www.dreamstime.com/

123 Royalty Free: http://www.123rf.com/

Shutterstock: http://www.shutterstock.com/

Deposit Photos: http://depositphotos.com/

 

[lovecraft68]

So far I have 123rf the best. They are far less expensive than dreamstime with just as large of a selection.

For text there is a free site called online image editor whete you can add text on a variety of fonts and colors.

You can also create borders and add a few effects. If I remember when I get home I will come ba k and post the link.

Also if the photo does not provide adequate space for text Microsoft publisher allows you to create a template to insert the photo into and have borders for yhe text

If you are adventurous there is a free program called gimp that can do some photo shop type tricks

 

[slyc_willie]

I've made all my own covers (except one), using nothing more than Microsoft Paint. Any pictures I use I've gotten from Creative Commons, searching only for those that are for public use.

I know that GIMP is a pretty good program for making images. I've used it a few times but keep going back to basics.

ETA: One of my covers. The first thing my publisher commented on was the cover.

 

[Erosa007]

Does anyone here have experience creating their own eBook covers? Got any tips or tricks? What program(s) do you use? Where do you get your stock images?

I've done a few of my own using Adobe Photoshop. If you have a child in school or college, you can purchase the software at half price. I prefer to have my covers done professionally.

There are a few cover artists who have pre-made covers for as low as $12. A lot of them cost $50 -100. With so many books vying for the same dollar, a well made cover is their first peek at the author and manuscript.

 

[McKenna]

Thanks, everyone. I've used shutterstock before in my "real" job; I was hoping for a cheaper alternative. Will have to check out 123rf now.

I have Adobe CS3, so I've definitely got more firepower than I need as far as image editing software; I'd like to try doing it myself first, and if it looks like so much garbage I'll call in a favor or two.

BTW, Gimp is awesome for those on-the-run fixes. I've used it before as well when I didn't have access to anything else.

With so many books vying for the same dollar, a well made cover is their first peek at the author and manuscript.

Oh, yes! Couldn't agree more.



Thanks for the help, guys.

 

[R. Richard]

I used Bigstock and Irfanview to edit the Bigstock photos. If I can do it, anyone can do it.

 

[BONNIEBREA]

Does anyone here have experience creating their own eBook covers? Got any tips or tricks? What program(s) do you use? Where do you get your stock images?

Ditto R. Richard's response.

I've done all my smashwords covers with stock images (usually bigstock - fee only, royalty free images), and then use something as simple as Paint to add titles. It doesn't give you professional art (in the sense of some sort of interior or exterior hand drawn/painted scene), and sometimes finding the right image can take a little bit of searching, but the covers are entirely presentable and more than good enough to meet the cover requirement for smashword's premium list. To my way of thinking, a photographic image cover is preferable to drawn/painted art, anyway.

The cost is extremely low. Some stock houses are generally more expensive (ie. - getty) and some less so (ie. - bigstock), but doing the lettering additions yourself you can produce an excellent cover to your exact specifications for under ten buck. And like R. Richard - if I can do it, anyone can.

 

[THROBBS]

I make my own covers and purchase stock stories, one can get those pretty cheap and the cover is the most important part.

 

[sr71plt]

I make my own covers and purchase stock stories, one can get those pretty cheap and the cover is the most important part.

You can do even better by using best-seller author's names.

 

[THROBBS]

You can do even better by using best-seller author's names.

That would be deceitful
I can just put "Winner of THROBBS choice Award!"

 

[McKenna]

I make my own covers and purchase stock stories, one can get those pretty cheap and the cover is the most important part.

Heyyyyyyy, what a coincidence you showed up! You can still act surprised when I email you though, if you like.

 

[sr71plt]

That would be deceitful
I can just put "Winner of THROBBS choice Award!"

Or Best-Seller in my house

 

[THROBBS]

Heyyyyyyy, what a coincidence you showed up! You can still act surprised when I email you though, if you like.

Hardly a coincidence.

Saw a thread about cover art dangling with some beautiful name attached...I hardly noticed the barbed hook!

 

[TxRad]

I make my own covers and purchase stock stories, one can get those pretty cheap and the cover is the most important part.

Hey old man, where ya been?

I know, hanging out over in the Artistic forum. They have laws against that in most states and in most states.

If ya ever need any stock stories, give me a yell. Maybe we can make a deal.

 

[McKenna]

Hardly a coincidence.

Saw a thread about cover art dangling with some beautiful name attached...I hardly noticed the barbed hook!

At least I baited it, right?!

 

[THROBBS]

At least I baited it, right?!

correct!...........................

 

[THROBBS]

Hey old man, where ya been?

I know, hanging out over in the Artistic forum. They have laws against that in most states and in most states.

If ya ever need any stock stories, give me a yell. Maybe we can make a deal.

The "artistic forum" is not nearly as exciting as I had hoped, which got me snoopin' around back here.

At least my "hanging out" is just my private parts in private parts, rather than in public parks.

Oh, I don't need "good" stories, any ol' clump or words will do.

 

[TxRad]

The "artistic forum" is not nearly as exciting as I had hoped, which got me snoopin' around back here.

At least my "hanging out" is just my private parts in private parts, rather than in public parks.

Oh, I don't need "good" stories, any ol' clump or words will do.

Oh yeah, I do any ol' clumps of word, real good.

Now if I could just string them together so they made sense.

 

[Boxlicker101]

I use either Bigstock or Dreamstime. The former is cheaper, two dollars for a 600 by 900 pixel image, which can be resized to the size required. Dreamstime costs vary from about the same to about three times as much, sometimes for the same images.

You have to be careful what you send to SW because they do not allow nudity in their premium catalog, not even butt cracks that would be no more than PG rated.

 

[McKenna]

I use either Bigstock or Dreamstime. The former is cheaper, two dollars for a 600 by 900 pixel image, which can be resized to the size required. Dreamstime costs vary from about the same to about three times as much, sometimes for the same images.

You have to be careful what you send to SW because they do not allow nudity in their premium catalog, not even butt cracks that would be no more than PG rated.

Thanks, Box. $2 sounds doable to me. The thing that annoys me about these sites is that one photo might be $2, but you have to buy a minimum number of "credits" to purchase, which is usually $50. Sneaky bastards!

 

[NaokoSmith]

Hi McKenna

I do my own covers. I got a programme recommended by Smashwords - it was free, which seemed like a good deal! I use pictures off of Clipart Free Images, in case of copyright difficulties. (I don't want anyone claiming any of my $60 werewolf money! I have that earmarked.)

Although it's true that they have very few piccies of two guys snogging, but I use my imagination ....

LOL.

 

[THROBBS]

I use either Bigstock or Dreamstime. The former is cheaper, two dollars for a 600 by 900 pixel image, which can be resized to the size required. Dreamstime costs vary from about the same to about three times as much, sometimes for the same images.

You have to be careful what you send to SW because they do not allow nudity in their premium catalog, not even butt cracks that would be no more than PG rated.

Thanks, Box. $2 sounds doable to me. The thing that annoys me about these sites is that one photo might be $2, but you have to buy a minimum number of "credits" to purchase, which is usually $50. Sneaky bastards!

also... keep in mind that a 600 pixel by 900 pixel image is not very big and certainly not viable for a *quality* PRINT image. you *can* resize it, but making it bigger reduces the quality (it will either be blurry or pixelly, depending on output). so...for an E-cover...it might be "ok" and if a generic looking cover suffices for you work............. have at it.

*that being said, I know that McKenna is fully capable of working with stock images to make them unique: over laying, cropping, adjusting... rather than merely "slapping on", as too many are wont to do.

 

[McKenna]

Hi McKenna

I do my own covers. I got a programme recommended by Smashwords - it was free, which seemed like a good deal! I use pictures off of Clipart Free Images, in case of copyright difficulties. (I don't want anyone claiming any of my $60 werewolf money! I have that earmarked.)

Although it's true that they have very few piccies of two guys snogging, but I use my imagination ....

LOL.

I think I'd be ecstatic with $60 worth of pin money for my smut. I might even treat myself to a massage with that kind of cash!

<snip>*that being said, I know that McKenna is fully capable of working with stock images to make them unique: over laying, cropping, adjusting... rather than merely "slapping on", as too many are wont to do.

Ohhhh, just you wait. I can do it, true, but I'm no expert at it (like you). Email shall be coming, just got busy with other stuff. I'd like to pick your brain a bit, iffn you don't mind. I have an idea of what I want to do, just not sure how to do it.

P.S. Thanks for your confidence in me. That made me smile.

 

[THROBBS]

Ohhhh, just you wait. I can do it, true, but I'm no expert at it (like you). Email shall be coming, just got busy with other stuff. I'd like to pick your brain a bit, iffn you don't mind. I have an idea of what I want to do, just not sure how to do it.

P.S. Thanks for your confidence in me. That made me smile.

Don't pick at it, it'll never get better! (momma always said)