Cover critique, please?

1238 Views 12 Replies 8 Participants Last post by deanna c, Mar 14, 2015

deanna c

Discussion Starter · Mar 13, 2015

Hi there --
I've had cover version #1 since November and I like it, but I've had a nagging feeling the cut-off faces turn some romance readers off. So... I've been playing around with a new version. What do you think? Am I over thinking this? I've got a new book in the series coming out in a couple months and I know I need to settle on a design before that, so your feedback will be really appreciated. Thx!

VERSION 1:

VERSION 2:

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1 - 13 of 13 Posts

JV

· #2 · Mar 13, 2015

Version 2 looks cheap to me...I don't like the washed out effect either. I also prefer not to see their faces for some reason. Version 1 is definitely the way to go.

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deanna c

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 13, 2015

Thanks, JV

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JV

· #4 · Mar 13, 2015

deanna c said:
Thanks, JV

You're welcome. The typography is all wrong in the second one too. It almost looks cartoonish...or like something that would splash across the screen of a 70's grindhouse flick.

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deanna c

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 13, 2015

Yeah, the different fonts are just fillers from the designer and not what I had in mind. I'm more concerned about seeing faces .... but that seems to be my own hangup... Thanks for adding that, tho.

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Anna_

· #6 · Mar 13, 2015

I'm all for version 1 too.

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setherd

· #7 · Mar 14, 2015

version1

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Atunah

· #8 · Mar 14, 2015

I am a romance reader and I am turned off by cut off heads. Don't like headless covers.

But I don't really like either of them. Don't have any suggestions as I am not a designer. But the expression on both is kind of sourpuss. Or bored, they look bored. Lifeless.

And like I said I don't like headless corpses on romance covers. Just looks creepy to me.

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Hope

· #9 · Mar 14, 2015

Version 1

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deanna c

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 14, 2015

Thanks for weighing in everybody... it's really appreciated

I'm thinking I'll stick with the general design of Version 1, but without cutting off the heads and see how that goes...

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mbroadway

· #11 · Mar 14, 2015

I agree with JV. Although I'm not crazy about your type selection on version 1 either. It's too small and gets lost. Everything seems to be about the same weight and size, so you don't really have a focal point to draw the reader's eye. I would suggest, if you want heads, to move the subjects down on the page and run the title larger and above them. Or, move them up on the page and do a fade like on version 2, but fade it to black so you have a nice solid background below the figures where you can place the type. You could put your author name at the top above the heads. Just suggestions. Hope that's helpful.

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10105

· #12 · Mar 14, 2015

I prefer version 1 because the heads are cut off. I'd rather picture the characters in my imagination based on their descriptions and dialogue in the story. Then, of course, if you do a sequel, will you get the same models in another pose.

Off with their heads!

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deanna c

Discussion Starter · #13 · Mar 14, 2015

mbroadway said:
I agree with JV. Although I'm not crazy about your type selection on version 1 either. It's too small and gets lost. Everything seems to be about the same weight and size, so you don't really have a focal point to draw the reader's eye. I would suggest, if you want heads, to move the subjects down on the page and run the title larger and above them. Or, move them up on the page and do a fade like on version 2, but fade it to black so you have a nice solid background below the figures where you can place the type. You could put your author name at the top above the heads. Just suggestions. Hope that's helpful.

Yeah, the typography kinda goes from one (not great) extreme to the other... and that's definitely something I'll work on. I like your other ideas, too. Thanks for offering them.

Al Stevens said:
I prefer version 1 because the heads are cut off. I'd rather picture the characters in my imagination based on their descriptions and dialogue in the story. Then, of course, if you do a sequel, will you get the same models in another pose.

Off with their heads!

Ha! Al, you have a great sense of humor. And these are romantic comedies...

The sequel will have a new couple set in the same world so, yeah, off with their heads

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