I used a guy on fiverr.com named fantabanner. I think he did a great job, and I am planning to keep using him. To see what he did for me check out my author page http://amazon.com/author/michaelanthony70 . The covers for "Tales of the Zombie Apocalypse" Issues 1, 2 and 3 are the covers he did for me. He also did my "How to Play Craps" book.

Not bad for $10. (I paid $10 because I wanted him to go choose and purchase the images for the covers. If you provide the image, he only charges $5.)

Mike

 

I have used pro_ebookcovers a few times

The last few times I have used mnsartstudio

A couple of times I selected half a dozen designers that I liked, paid them each for a five dollar gig on the same job, and then picked my favorite out of the deliveries and added in the extras I wanted, such as delivery of photoshop files. Both times I did this, mnsartstudio was head and shoulders above the rest, so he is my go-to designer right now.

 

It's definitely worth looking at the examples that designers include in their profile page. If they're roughly in line with what you like and with the types of covers which tend to do well in your category and niche, you can start narrowing down your choices or paying two or three to come up with a design. You can also split test them to see how they rate with your target readership.

You could also try posting your covers here and asking people what they think. There are some very talented designers on this board!

Clare

 

It's also worth making sure they actually own the rights to the photos they are using. I'd be sure to ask where they get their stock and for proof of license. I've seen too many people post a cover done on Fiverr only for people to quickly point out that photo or art isn't for sale or being used legally...

 

I used cal5086 for covers for "The Destiny Engine" and Moore Hollow. I was quite pleased with them.

 

It's also worth making sure they actually own the rights to the photos they are using. I'd be sure to ask where they get their stock and for proof of license. I've seen too many people post a cover done on Fiverr only for people to quickly point out that photo or art isn't for sale or being used legally...

I usually, but don't always, provide the photography.

 

It's also worth making sure they actually own the rights to the photos they are using. I'd be sure to ask where they get their stock and for proof of license. I've seen too many people post a cover done on Fiverr only for people to quickly point out that photo or art isn't for sale or being used legally...

Yikes!!!

 

I've been searching for a cover designer for a series of short stories -- short, so I can't afford to spend a lot on covers until they sell ;-) I looked at a lot of the Fiverr dcover designers and reviewed the samples of their work (e.g. I wanted someone who did a lot of fiction -- thriller, suspense, fantasy; which have different look than non-fiction cookbooks and money tips, etc.)
Then I started looking closely at some of the photos of covers displayed in the designers' galleries of work.
I was dismayed to see a lot of the "collage" type images of covers were actually the cover templates used by Book Ninja - KD COver Kit. (I know this, b/c I bought that cover template program -- just haven't learned how to use it yet ;-))
In other words, the covers were for fake books -- fake titles, fake authors -- -- they're just the examples of templates.

So -- when you find designers you like, be sure to check and see if the book covers they display as samples of their work are actual books!

DMac

 

I'm in the same boat, writerbee, and want to publish some short stories but don't want to pay a lot for covers. I also want more control over my covers. So I paid the recent $67 special rate for the "Book Cover Ninja" program with templates offered on Joel Friedlander's site - http://www.thebookdesigner.com/ - and will do them myself. I'm a low-tech sort of guy, so there's going to be a long learning curve. But it looks like fun. And I can do 1,000 covers for $67 plus photo fees. Cheaper than fiverr.

 

I'm in the same boat, writerbee, and want to publish some short stories but don't want to pay a lot for covers. I also want more control over my covers. So I paid the recent $67 special rate for the "Book Cover Ninja" program with templates offered on Joel Friedlander's site - http://www.thebookdesigner.com/ - and will do them myself. I'm a low-tech sort of guy, so there's going to be a long learning curve. But it looks like fun. And I can do 1,000 covers for $67 plus photo fees. Cheaper than fiverr.

Hey Steven,
I'd love to spend time learning my way around Photoshop, because actually it looks like fun ;-) And I enjoy collecting images for covers, and discussions on cover design, etc. But I'm swamped right now, so with some reluctance I decided it was a better use of my time to get my sequel finished and published than to get onto the steep learning curve for PS.
But b/c I'd looked at the different cover templates from Book Ninja - KD Cover Pro, I did recognize a bunch of the "covers" from the program and knew that those particular designers showcasing those covers had not designed them. (Well, maybe they did! For KD Cover Pro ;-D But they weren't real books)

After I asked, very nicely, for some samples of work these designers had done -- not the KD Cover Pro templates -- I got some very huffy and defensive responses -- but no samples.
Luckily I did find several 5rr designers with real books which they (apparently) designed in their gig portfolios.

 

I've been thinking about doing cover design, mostly premades, and have been pondering the issue of short stories.  I'm wondering if folks would be interested in package deals on series templates. That is, unique design (not something sold to other people) which could easily and quickly adapted to multiple titles.  It could be priced as a package deal -- 1 design, with typesetting and minor changes for packs of 5 covers at a time -- or at a higher price for you to do your own typesetting on an unlimited number of titles (no resales to other authors).

I know that's the only way I could offer something cheap enough for some authors' short fiction.  And it's a fun project, designing templates.

Camille

 

I have used pro_ebookcovers like the other poster below

great work and timely

non fiction was awesome and when you book she tells you the site to go to to pick your pics.

fiction was good too

I just need to find someone who can do a series the way I want for mil sf as the covers will be VERY different

 

I've been thinking about doing cover design, mostly premades, and have been pondering the issue of short stories. I'm wondering if folks would be interested in package deals on series templates. That is, unique design (not something sold to other people) which could easily and quickly adapted to multiple titles. It could be priced as a package deal -- 1 design, with typesetting and minor changes for packs of 5 covers at a time -- or at a higher price for you to do your own typesetting on an unlimited number of titles (no resales to other authors).

I know that's the only way I could offer something cheap enough for some authors' short fiction. And it's a fun project, designing templates.

Camille

FWIW, I think that's a great idea. The important thing for short fiction or a serial is to create the initial branding (with image, colors, typography, layout) and then make small tweaks for the rest of the collection/series. A package deal makes a lot of sense

 

I've been searching for a cover designer for a series of short stories -- short, so I can't afford to spend a lot on covers until they sell ;-) I looked at a lot of the Fiverr dcover designers and reviewed the samples of their work (e.g. I wanted someone who did a lot of fiction -- thriller, suspense, fantasy; which have different look than non-fiction cookbooks and money tips, etc.)
Then I started looking closely at some of the photos of covers displayed in the designers' galleries of work.
I was dismayed to see a lot of the "collage" type images of covers were actually the cover templates used by Book Ninja - KD COver Kit. (I know this, b/c I bought that cover template program -- just haven't learned how to use it yet ;-))
In other words, the covers were for fake books -- fake titles, fake authors -- -- they're just the examples of templates.

So -- when you find designers you like, be sure to check and see if the book covers they display as samples of their work are actual books!

DMac

What difference would it make if they were actual books or not? You hire someone for their portfolio. If the design is theirs, that's an example of what they can create and hopefully an example of the level of work that they'll create for you. For an ebook. I'd want someone with proven print experience for a print book.

I think that's a different issue than someone passing of templates designed by someone else as their own work. That's fraudulent and dishonest.

 

I have had the first book in a series designed, and then used it as the template for the rest of the books in the series. I always get the Photoshop file so that I can make changes.

I have really enjoyed learning Photoshop and figuring out how to do new things.

I also keep a clip file of covers that I see that I like, when I think that I might like to use a similar layout, texture, typography, mood, colour, etc. Sometimes I have a specific book in mind, and sometimes it is just something that looks good that I might like to reference in the future. If I'm working from a cover that really grabbed my attention, I am more confident with my final product.

 

It's also worth making sure they actually own the rights to the photos they are using. I'd be sure to ask where they get their stock and for proof of license. I've seen too many people post a cover done on Fiverr only for people to quickly point out that photo or art isn't for sale or being used legally...

This 1000%.

I would only use Fiverr if you license the Shutterstock (or whatever site you use) photos yourself and then send them to the designer with explicit instructions to only use those. Even then, I'd much rather go the pre-made route - goonwrite.com has a lot of good stuff.

Nick

 

What difference would it make if they were actual books or not? You hire someone for their portfolio. If the design is theirs, that's an example of what they can create and hopefully an example of the level of work that they'll create for you. For an ebook. I'd want someone with proven print experience for a print book.

I think that's a different issue than someone passing of templates designed by someone else as their own work. That's fraudulent and dishonest.

When I say "actual book" I mean, something published and out there -- whether as an ebook or a print book.

Of course, I realize someone can design a cover and then it may not be used on a published book, but it's still that person's design.

But unless you happen to have the KD Cover design template kit, you wouldn't necessarily realize that that collage of covers posted in a designer's gallery of gigs is NOT a collection of their designs, but simply the unmodified cover templates from the template kit.

Which several popular 5rr designers have done, and I think that's dishonest. It makes it look like they designed all those covers. Anything is possible, maybe they did -- someone had to! But what a coincidence that so many other designers post the same exact collage of covers. All by KD Cover kit.

So checking to see if a book is actually published is a way to see if that cover was actually something created by the designer.
=======================================================================
P.S. I'm trying to show an example of what I'm talking about (without mentioning names ;-0) and I can't figure out how to show an image! {insert Image just puts the html code here....do I have to use html code??]

BTW, one of the designers I contacted, asking if he could point me to examples of work he'd done, got really huffy and defensive.
But he also removed the 3 pages of cover templates he had posted on his gig.;-)

 

But unless you happen to have the KD Cover design template kit, you wouldn't necessarily realize that that collage of covers posted in a designer's gallery of gigs is NOT a collection of their designs, but simply the unmodified cover templates from the template kit.

Which several popular 5rr designers have done, and I think that's dishonest. It makes it look like they designed all those covers. Anything is possible, maybe they did -- someone had to! But what a coincidence that so many other designers post the same exact collage of covers. All by KD Cover kit.

Which is a good point, except for two things:

1.) those artists using the templates are selling covers -- so they are likely to have "real" published books in their portfolio. Whereas a recently graduated art student, doing all her own work, is more likely to have "pretend" books. This is true even if she has a lot of experience as an artist, but not yet with book covers.

So it only means something if they have those specific designs in their portfolio. Having "pretend" books in the portfolio only means the artist is new.

2.) Honestly, for five bucks, if the customer isn't supplying the finished art, it only makes sense to use templates. It would be foolish to expect otherwise, and it would be foolish to DO otherwise. Five bucks really doesn't cover any original work, really. It covers the by-rote work we'd like to skip ourselves (such as doing our own cover on KD Cover Kit).

I'm not saying that fivrr artists aren't doing original work, but those who really are doing the work fall in one of two categories: beginners who are picking up a little experience, and are really doing the job for free, or more experienced people who only offer the most simplistic, by-rote work at the $5 level, and everything else is in the add-on categories.

You really do get what you pay for. If it looks great for $5, more than likely you are getting stolen art, or free art that everybody in the world has.

Camille

 

Which is a good point, except for two things:

1.) those artists using the templates are selling covers -- so they are likely to have "real" published books in their portfolio. Whereas a recently graduated art student, doing all her own work, is more likely to have "pretend" books. This is true even if she has a lot of experience as an artist, but not yet with book covers.

So it only means something if they have those specific designs in their portfolio. Having "pretend" books in the portfolio only means the artist is new.

2.) Honestly, for five bucks, if the customer isn't supplying the finished art, it only makes sense to use templates. It would be foolish to expect otherwise, and it would be foolish to DO otherwise. Five bucks really doesn't cover any original work, really. It covers the by-rote work we'd like to skip ourselves (such as doing our own cover on KD Cover Kit).

I'm not saying that fivrr artists aren't doing original work, but those who really are doing the work fall in one of two categories: beginners who are picking up a little experience, and are really doing the job for free, or more experienced people who only offer the most simplistic, by-rote work at the $5 level, and everything else is in the add-on categories.

You really do get what you pay for. If it looks great for $5, more than likely you are getting stolen art, or free art that everybody in the world has.

Camille

I'm supplying my own images.
Of course designers use templates, why not! Most designers I know who do covers (for much more than $5) start with a template and move on from there with the design. Makes sense. Why re-invent the wheel?

And I don't care if a designer uses the templates from the KD Cover kit (or anywhere else) as a starting point to design their own covers. Again, it makes perfect sense.

What I object to is the practice by some 5rr cover designers of putting up a bunch of cover templates in their gig gallery as examples of their finished work. Unless that (or those) designers actually designed those templates for the kit, they should not be used to promote their work. That's misleading, to say the least.

I like to see examples of what the designer has done, so I can get an idea of their style, whether they have any experience in a particular genre, in fiction or non-fiction, etc. That's what those galleries are supposed to be for, to showcase the work they've done.

 

I have had the first book in a series designed, and then used it as the template for the rest of the books in the series. I always get the Photoshop file so that I can make changes.

I have really enjoyed learning Photoshop and figuring out how to do new things.

I also keep a clip file of covers that I see that I like, when I think that I might like to use a similar layout, texture, typography, mood, colour, etc. Sometimes I have a specific book in mind, and sometimes it is just something that looks good that I might like to reference in the future. If I'm working from a cover that really grabbed my attention, I am more confident with my final product.

That's very encouraging, PD Workman! I've also been keeping lots of sample covers in styles that appeal to me for whatever reason, as well as stock images I've acquired. I'm looking forward to spending some time (after I get my sequel published) and learning to use Photoshop. I'd love to be able to play around with the templates, designs, images, until I can make my own covers. :-D

Do you ever check out the Book Designer's blog, with his monthly eBook Cover awards?
I don't always agree with his evaluations, but I learn a lot about why some things work and others don't.
http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2011/08/monthly-e-book-cover-design-awards/

 

I've been thinking about doing cover design, mostly premades, and have been pondering the issue of short stories. I'm wondering if folks would be interested in package deals on series templates. That is, unique design (not something sold to other people) which could easily and quickly adapted to multiple titles. It could be priced as a package deal -- 1 design, with typesetting and minor changes for packs of 5 covers at a time -- or at a higher price for you to do your own typesetting on an unlimited number of titles (no resales to other authors).

I know that's the only way I could offer something cheap enough for some authors' short fiction. And it's a fun project, designing templates.

Camille

I would be very interested in seeing this

 

Oh boy. Do I feel like a Fiverr book design veteran!

I think I've ordered covers from five ... or is it six? artists now. Actually I'm still waiting for one last cover to be delivered.

I asked, when I considered it affordable, for the editable PSD file. Because of this, I feel like I "learned" something from each cover I ordered, even if I ended up not using it.

I provide my own photos for the covers. I know my way around Photoshop, but don't feel confident in my designing skills. But, I'm starting to re-think that. Some of these people are so bad, that my own designs are better! That's saying something!

My results:

The first two artists I hired were mixed.

The first was BAD. COMIC SANS MS on the title! NO NO NO! Horrible! But I actually did find their composition-as simple as it was-to be interesting.

The second cover was "okay." It didn't knock my socks off but it was acceptable. I even used it for a little while on my book.

The third and forth artists were both FANTASTIC. I would wholeheartedly recommend them.

In fact I'll link to them: https://www.fiverr.com/alerrandre and https://www.fiverr.com/zebastiann I was very happy with what they produced.

I will mention that with all of these artists, following instructions is not always a strong suit. You may have to remind them to get something correct (like the size of the book cover).

Now I'm on the last stretch with two final artists.

I just got a cover from the first of the final two. It was laughably bad. No, I should correct that-I'm sure if I had no Photoshop skills at all, I'd probably be grateful that someone did anything. But all I can say is I can do much better myself, and I don't have the greatest design skills. This person's sense of color was off (hint: If you don't understand color, just keep it simple! Don't try to use color combinations anyway! Holy cow!). The font choice was eh. And what they did with the pictures I sent-oy vey!

Oh well, I thanked them, but won't be giving them a review.

This time around, if I don't get something that knocks my socks off, I'm going with my own design. (Which is not that super great, but I got some ideas from all the other designers I hired!)

I'm waiting for one last designer to come through. It was someone that was recommended here on this thread. I'm pretty sure I'll like what they do, but just in case I won't mention their name.

My conclusion from my fiverr experience is, quality is VERY mixed. Some of these people have no business calling themselves designers. But then again, they are being paid a pittance, so I'm not complaining too loudly. You get what you pay for.

With the prices on Fiverr, the best thing you can do is get some recommendations (like from here) or budget in several tries with several artists to finally find one that you like. Assume that at least 50% of what you get will be rubbish and laugh it off.

And a final thing: I send a tip to the designers who do nice work. They get paid so little, and the tip brings their fee up to something a little less grievous.

 

Oh yes, I had one designer use Comic Sans. For a thriller. And the title was misspelled, author name missing, back cover content missing, etc. It was horrible. But I had paid five different designers $5 each for the same job and picked the one I liked.

Which was not, of course, the Comic Sans designer. Who, by the way, did not deliver on schedule. Did not deliver at all until I cancelled the job because it was overdue.

 

Someone told me recently that I should do covers on Fiverr, but it seems like a lot of work for just 5 bucks. And heck, I giveaway covers all the time to indie authors in need. But I wonder about the quality of the work from Fiverr...

BTW, if anyone needs a premade cover, I'm giving away some free designs this month: http://bookcover-designs.blogspot.com/p/huge-premade-ebook-cover-design-sale.html

 

Someone told me recently that I should do covers on Fiverr, but it seems like a lot of work for just 5 bucks. And heck, I giveaway covers all the time to indie authors in need. But I wonder about the quality of the work from Fiverr...

BTW, if anyone needs a premade cover, I'm giving away some free designs this month: http://bookcover-designs.blogspot.com/p/huge-premade-ebook-cover-design-sale.html

Very nice! I thought there were be maybe two or three. I'm going to have to take some time looking at them!