I had high hopes for something like the setch below, but on paper it didn't seem to work as well as it did in my head. In fact, I wonder if anyone other than me can even tell what's going on.
More soon.
Monday, July 9, 2007
The True Meaning of Smekday – Making the Cover
Here are a number of thumbnails and sketches of potential covers for my fall novel, The True Meaning of Smekday. I sketched out more ideas for this cover than I do for most–I was just really excited about this project, and the story is such that it didn't suggest an obvious solution to me early on as some do.
I had high hopes for something like the setch below, but on paper it didn't seem to work as well as it did in my head. In fact, I wonder if anyone other than me can even tell what's going on.
More soon.
I had high hopes for something like the setch below, but on paper it didn't seem to work as well as it did in my head. In fact, I wonder if anyone other than me can even tell what's going on.
More soon.
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13 comments:
I for one can't really tell what's going on with that bottom one. Looks like a car, a rear-view mirror, a billboard?
Fess up, mister.
I know, right? So.
We're inside the car, looking through the passenger side (or for our British friends, not the passenger side) window. We see a reflection of my alien character, J.Lo, in the side mirror. Beyond, on the left side of the image, the car is about to pass a roadside stand or something. Beyond that is a billboard, through which a hole has been blown. Past this is another billboard and a water tower, both similarly damaged, and beyond that is a spaceship, barely visible. Typography on the various towers and signs and things are meant to spell out the title, but don't.
What a great idea for the cover of a mass-marketed novel, am I right? I might as well title it ";34&*happyface/7" and package it inside a flimsy garbage bag full of bees.
i think it would work as a viewmaster image. you know, for the spatial aspect. you could attach a viewmaster viewer to the front of the book and people would have to put the book up to their face to see the cover.
but i guess the sales and marketing people might not like that idea...
Mr. Rex will you be goin to the San Diego Con??
Marketing people are remarkably tight-fisted about viewmasters, Matt. You have no idea.
No, Joshua, I won't be in San Diego, alas. Probably next year.
Great stuff Adam! I like the fact that you can't easily tell what is exactly going on. It makes the viewer use their imagination and come up with their own conclusion. Beautiful sketches!!
ok, i'm certain this is to be a dumb question...but, here goes -
do you always start with the cover, when you are working on a new piece? what's the thinking behind that? i'd love to know when the mold (idea) starts growing for you...not mold, as in old, but more like, when it comes to life. (oy, that was stupid.)
psst looks WONDERFUL! can't wait for that one! :)
Thanks, Shawn!
Ms. Froggie–I think the cover is generally one of the LAST images I work on. I give ideas time to bubble up, and I also don't think you can really have a good idea of what should be on the cover until you're pretty far into the project in question. I can't, at any rate.
and see? TOLD you it was a stupid question! :) then, i must have been late to the party as i've only seen this "smekday" stuff, the cover work, and just thought that's all there is so far...when obviously, there's much more to it. i'll havta wait for the book then, solve my own mystery. :)
Im one of Mrs. Biggs students, and I absolutely LOVE this book! It's my favorite book ever! Hilarious!
P.S. Hi Mr. Tucker!
Oh, Wait. Theres a Brian Biggs here in Illinois. Whoops!
SORRY!
I really think that The True Meaning of Smekday is an awesome book.
It took me a while to decipher this cover but once I got it, it actually is a pretty nifty idea. I guess the publishers wanted something people could read quickly-er. Oh, and The True Meaning of Smekday is by far my most favourite book in the world.
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