Professional Skills

It's a problem. That's especially true when you look at how many writers there are compared to a cover artist or an editor, how much respective skill and time goes into developing different professions, and how many humanhours it takes to produce a given piece of work.

I pay attention to it in my work -- a key reason I can sell a lot of poetry, at rates most people can afford, is because I write it really fast. Fiction, the results aren't nearly as good, but I keep at it because that's a skill I want to develop.

Oh, and I recently referred someone to the Three Micahs on pricing work. It's still the best coverage of that topic I've found, so thanks again.

Artist shopping is challenging because you have to match the flavor to the writing, as well as finding someone with decent professional bearing at an affordable price. Though I find it hard to imagine your characters done in anyone else's art style; I'm used to seeing them in yours. It will be interesting to see the results, though; branching out is good too.

The Earthrise cover? That is pretty cool.

>> Though I wouldn't call myself a big-P Pro Artist, I still hold out hope that I will be allowed to do some of my own covers or illustrations at some point, just because that while I know I'm not the best and have a lot to learn, I at least know exactly what I would get. <<

I like your art. I'm particularly fond of how well you do character expressions and body language, and the way you use different styles to convey different moods or characterization.

>> (At least I wouldn't do crop/scale errors like in that article! D8 Good god those are horrendous.) <<

Yeah, my ability to make art is limited, but my compositional skills are in good working order. I actually knew most of the answers. I just can't draw or paint. But I've made lots of my own advertising posters, and I know how book cover design works.

>> Also, I am REALLY not a fan of the recent photomanip trend in book covers. Even well-done ones bug me. Am I the only one? <<

I'm not fond of photo covers on fiction books in general, unless the targeting is very precise. Most manipulated photos don't look good to me. There are a few rare exceptions where the style really matches the book's subject. But people are using this stuff now because it's cheaper than hiring an artist, and that really bothers me.

>> Yeah, character design is my strongest point. (I will spare you my big huge long rant about character designs that focus on lots of accessories and details in wardrobe rather than iconic and clear recognition.) <<

To some extent, that's about artistic style. I prefer individualized characters, but some cartoonists in particular have very similar character shapes distinguished by other means. Sometimes it works.

>> The only general type of cover I dislike more is the... *shudder* 3D Poser cover. G-g-g-guhhhh... <<

Poser is challenging to render well. I know a few folks who are really good at it. And then there's all the other crap. 3D is even harder. It's not the best cover choice.

>> Everyone wants their game or novel or whatever it is brainchild to have awesome artwork worthy of how fantastic their thing is. <<

Usually true. Though I will add, there are different kinds of awesome and not everyone recognizes that. I have a particular taste for "scratchy" styled art illustrating edgy content, which is a style that some people think is technically flawed, just as one example. Conversely I tend to dislike photo-manipulated covers, but some other people like those.

>> Nobody enjoys paying for art that awesome, everyone is stressed, and communication gets unintentionally quite hurtful. <<

Often but not always true. Some of us love the idea of supporting artists, just can't always afford to do that. A few are lucky enough that they can, and do.

>> Add in a few intentionally exploitative individuals or a few personality things and you have a real CF, right there. <<

No argument on this point.