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Studio Art
For Sale
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Ebooks are becoming increasingly popular, changing the way we view the world of literature. The artists who design the covers for this innovative medium are also having to be pioneers in a new and evolving art form. Book covers haven't always been an important part of selling books. Early covers for fiction works were like plain brown wrappers. Readers wanted their literature to look demure--even if the inside was hot and spicy! Of course in the image driven world of the 20th century, visual aspects of books became as important as the books themselves. Covers were painted by respected artists and became calendars and posters. High priced models graced the fronts of best-selling author's books. Elaborate paintings were created, visually stunning, then photographed to give the reader a sense of what was waiting for them inside the book.
These books are marketed in a different way than their print counterparts because of being totally on the Internet, but their covers are still important. The images of the covers are listed on various sites where the books can be downloaded to tantalize readers into buying. The big differences in the art that produces these covers is involved with the size and the usage of the images.
Most cover images are listed as jpg or gif files and are no larger than
a thumbnail on a page with hundreds of other books. Images are loaded
as a large size then shrunk to fit the medium. The image must be clear
and easy to see. They must be colorful and translate well into a lighted
background. Obviously, many of the book covers created for print books
would fade into insignificance in this form! Print covers were made to
be attractive on a bookshelf to readers walking by! Ebook covers are also
displayed on the jewel case that holds the diskette or CD that can be
sent out for the ebook. Another challenge to the ebook cover artist is to create an image that will hold up when the book is downloaded into an electronic reader. The screens are small, roughly the size of a paperback book. Some of them are in color, some in black and white. Writers and publishers want their covers to translate well into either medium. The importance of line and contrast is everything. Otherwise a cover that looks good on a book publisher's site will look like a gray mass on a reader! To accomplish this, artists must look at their covers in a thumbnail size in black and white. Ebook covers have to be able to hold their own in either format.
We began to create our book covers for our e-books because we were thrilled
with the idea of being involved with that part of the process. Traditional
print publishers don't allow for authors to be part of the cover art design.
For most authors, what will be on the cover is a mystery until the book
comes out. It's not always a pleasant surprise! We created the cover for
Mask of the Stranger to reflect the brooding romantic sci-fi suspense
of the book. It's a simple but very visual design that we feel helped
to make the book a bestseller.
Some book covers are still created first as oil paintings on canvas then
scanned into the computer and adjusted to fit. One author who does her
own work, Celia Ann Leaman, works in oils and created the haunting cover
for her first e-book, Mary's Child. It was drawn from a favorite spot
in Devonshire, England where she was born.
While other authors like Judith B. Glad are creating their covers with
no formal artistic training from graphic images with their computers.
Computer graphics for cover art can range from very simple to elaborate. Some artists are beginning to make their names working for hire in the field. Trace Edward Zaber, Eliza Black, Ron Chironna, and Wordbeams' publisher Susan Bodendorfer are creating fascinating images for authors that sell ebooks to an ever increasing audience. The covers can be populated with colorful people or aliens or just a wave of color and light with a simple design or elaborately drawn title.
The writing format of the future is spawning the artistry of the future! Some links to ebooks and ebook covers: www.awe-struck.net www.wordbeams.com My thanks to these authors: Celia Leaman- www.islandserve.com/~paradise Jude Glad- www.judithbglad.com Penelope Marzek-www.geocities.com/pennyspen Rita Hestand-ritahestand.romance-central.com Laurie Alice Eakes-- http://www.lauriealiceeakes.com Betty Jo Schuler---home.webworks2000.net/bschuler/bettyjo.html Reprinted by the kind permission of the author. About the Authors:
Joyce
and Jim Lavene have created covers for all six of their ebooks and are
busily working on a cover for a new print book due out in 2003. They have
forty novels to their credit (including the award winning Sharyn Howard
mystery series) and a wide array of non-fiction articles, and short stories.
They welcome readers to their website at
www.joyceandjimlavene.com
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In the
21st century, we've changed the way we read. Electronic books or e-books
are becoming increasingly popular with readers. These books never see
a press or paper. The author's words are translated by the computer into
downloads that are read by special programs and e-book readers. They're
inexpensive and a good answer for many people who are concerned about
the environment. They're also available in many markets where print books
aren't for sale.
E-book artists are beginning to command high dollars in comparison to
their counterparts a few years ago. An ebook cover can run from $100.00
to $300.00 on the market. Artist's wares sell on Barnes and Noble and
Amazon along with other websites that feature ebooks. Word of mouth is
enough to keep them busy and contests for best ebook covers are becoming
as plentiful as they are for the content of the books!