I love the cover of my new book Married to a Perfect
Stranger. The purple is gorgeous, and the
look the couple is exchanging positively sizzles. It fits the story so well.
Wondering about the process of creating covers, I talked with talented
artist/designer Duncan Eagleson about how a great book cover comes about.
Where do you start when you're designing a book cover?
DE: For preference, with reading the book. This isn't always
possible. Sometimes I have to get by with a synopsis, or the back cover copy,
or even just with descriptions of the main characters. But the more I know
about the book, the better job I can do.
Do you get guidelines from the editor or author, or do they
leave the concept up to you?
DE: Generally clients leave it up to me. I've done this sort
of work for over thirty years now, and most of my clients trust me to create
the concept. I recently had a client who already had a very specific scene and
layout he wanted. I did a color sketch to his specifications, but I also showed
him an alternative design of my own. He fell in love with it, and we went with
my design.
Say you're commissioned to do a romance cover. Is there
anything in particular you think about?
DE: The first thing I consider is the mood and tone of the
book. Is it light and witty, almost a rom-com? Or serious and moody? Perhaps
it's got mysterious elements, or shades toward the paranormal. Romances are
always about relationships, but every book has its unique aspects, and you want
to convey those in the cover design.
For cover paintings, do you use models or still-lifes, or
just your imagination?
DE: Not all my cover illustrations are paintings. Some use
stock photos or photo-manipulations. But I always begin by sketching based on
imagination. A reference photo can save a lot of time in painting, showing how
clothing will drape, or the shape of a cast shadow.
Are there elements that a non-artist might not realize are
part of the design process?
DE: I’d say, composition. You can't just throw a couple of
figures in there, slap at title on it and go. I show a client three or four
color sketches, but prior to that, I may have done dozens of thumbnail sketches
working out the composition, so that the elements lead the eye around the page
the way I want them to.
Thank you, Duncan!
Duncan Eagleson is an author, painter, animator, sculptor,
and award winning maskmaker. He contributed art to Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN, adapted
and illustrated Anne Rice’s THE WITCHING HOUR, and has made masks for Wes
Craven's CURSED, the WWE wrestler Kane, the Big Apple Circus, and the
Smithsonian. His first novel,
Darkwalker, is now available.
Find Married to a Perfect Stranger at:
I love this cover, Jane. Great interview! It's so interesting to see how artists work.
ReplyDeleteGreat to learn about the process, and thought-provoking! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete