CoverUp! (4.0)

VERSION FOUR (or just the fourth thread, really) of what was originally called 'cover requests?' -.- never was too good at catchy catchphrases. (catchy. catchphrases. geddit? har har har. -.-) ANYWAY.

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Hey there!

Please bear with me - it gets a bit long-winded here, as usual. (if you can't stand all the talking, just jump straight to the 'if you want a cover please give me these' bit and continue from there!)

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Basically, if you've been loitering around the threads here for the past year or so, you've realized that I've been popping up pretty consistently, so all of this should be rather old news by now (I hope) -.-

(for newbies - hello! I'm fena. I don't like my name.)

I revamped my portfolio/website/thingumabob after a lot of opinions on how I should go all professional (WHICH, I must say, is still kind of awkward for me - but shh), but the whole reason why I began making covers in the first place is not because of the monetary gain, but because I actually like making you guys some little stuff, and hopefully brighten a bit of your day (even if my covers tend to be screwed up most of the time - something I'm sure the old nano-ers must be familiar with).

SO I started this. And in conjunction with that (of sorts), I'm offering covers (AS USUAAAAAL) here.

(don't worry though - you guys won't get the ugly watermark, unless you really, REALLY want it, for some reason. Then I promise I'll make it as inconspicuous as possible!)

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So. I've been looking at my past covers, and I realized that I tend to make horrible, horrible ones when I have far too many requests.

"THEREFORE THIS TIME AROUND," wrote:
I'll try something new - I'll only take 5 covers at a time.


This means that I'll start off with 5 requests, and for every cover I make, the slot it previously took up will be open for the first request made after that. (Which is kind of horrid if you think about it!)

The other requests will be ignored (don't worry - I'll post a cover queue each time so you'll know if there are slots open), so it's pretty much the whole early-bird-catches-the-worm deal.

(which, frankly, I've never really liked - not to mention the fact that it's GMT+8 here, so if you're living in America you're probably on the short end of the stick! - but I really do want to give you a decent-enough cover instead of a sub-standard one that's rushed-out so I can keep up with requests, and this is the only way to do so)

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SO. IF YOU WANT A COVER, PLEASE DO GIVE ME THE FOLLOWING:

"starred stuff are required! wrote:

1*. title

2. subtitle, if any

3*. your author name

4*. a synopsis/summary of your plot

5*. any preferences? book size, if not 6x9? theme (dark/light/scary/etc)? general idea? colour scheme? things like that. or rather, what is an important element in your story?

6. do you have a photo? that you want me to use, perhaps, or simply just something similar to what you want?

7. any examples? of covers which concept you want your cover to have - it can be any of my work, or a book that you’ve read, or seen in the bookstore.

YEP.

Nothing all that different from the old threads, really!

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DO NOTE THE FOLLOWING POINTS, THOUGH:

1. i promise i'll try my best, but my (epic-fail) photoshop CS3 is on my now-dead laptop, so i'm actually using GIMP. which i don't exactly like (it's annoying, actually), but it does the job. but this means that the stuff you get might not be anywhere as nice as the others in the other threads!

2.  I will post whatever I do on my portfolio site, with your synopsis and a link to your nanowrimo page, so if you want to keep your privacy, just say the word, and I'll get rid of the links and all. I'll even delete the photo, if that's what you want. (:

3. credit is optional. HOWEVER, if you could, it'd be very much appreciated. (HOW?)

4. I'll try to get each cover out as soon as possible, but I can't promise anything (While finals may be over, I'm still first and foremost a student, and I have band as well). I hope that's understandable.

5. I WILL ONLY MAKE COVERS FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T ALREADY HAVE ONE. I don't have anything against anyone who asks for multiple covers (because frankly, I can understand your logic), but I'm afraid I'll have to ignore your request if that happens. Of course, you're more than welcome to ask for a cover from someone else AFTER I've made you one because my stuff honestly ain't that good (do let me know first, though - and don't worry, I won't be the slightest bit miffed about it), but if you already have a request for the same novel on another thread, I'll leave you to enjoy that beautiful cover. (:

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And that's about it! (WHEW).

SOME EXAMPLES:



(MORE HERE!)

(i have to say, though, that most of the stuff under '2010' are so embarrassing i could conjure up a sinkhole and jump down).

They're nowhere as professional and pretty as most of the stuff here, but I hope they're decent enough for you guys to give me a shot.


(:

Happy nano-ing or something!

fena

Could it be I'm the first one to order a cover? o:

I just a one question though- would you be willing to create a cover for someone who is doing fanfiction? I mainly just need a cover for the free copy I'm planning to get after NaNo, but if you don't want to, I completely understand.

But in the case you'd be willing... (:

1*. Title
The Rise of Nine

2. subtitle
N/A

3*. your author name
A.C. Graves

4*. a synopsis/summary of your plot -
Four and Nine are on the run, unable to remain at a location longer than a day or two. Six, Seven and Ten are across the country, thankfully safe... for now. But if they are to save Earth, then they cannot remain in hiding. They must reveal themselves eventually, and when they do, they'd better pray to the Loric gods that their enemies don't find them before they find each other.

5*. any preferences
6x9 cover please. The cover should feel dark, and should have a somber color scheme compared to the two examples I have listed below.
6. do you have a photo?
I feel this is the most difficult part of my request, but I'd be really thankful if you could put it in- http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb416/TingleLovah/TheRiseofNineSymbol.png (The Symbol, without the pesky number that overlaps if you can.)

7. any examples?
I'd really like it if the cover looked somewhat like the two first novels in the actual series: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6f/I_Am_Number_Four_Cover.jpg/220px-I_Am_Number_Four_Cover.jpg and http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2yCJRKA9eY8/TWLEYHE4GsI/AAAAAAAAB4M/8vqselKz5A8/s1600/the+power+of+six.jpg

Again, I understand if you don't want to accept this request.

THE COVER QUEUE:

1. The Rise of Nine - A.C. Graves


2. (open)


3. (open)


4. (open)


5. (open)

Hi, could I also request one please?

Title: Blackbird

Subtitle: N/A

Author: Angel Cascarino

Synopsis:
Alex Peterson goes to a boring school, in a boring town in the heart of England. But when a terrible crime is commited, and his best friend is lost forever, he must team up with strangely attractive Holmes wannabe Peter Ryan to find the truth about his friend... if he can stop flirting with his co-sleuth, that is.

Theme: I don't really have any preferences; I do plan on writing a (relatively) happy ending though, so nothing too grim please :)

Photo: Nope, no photos here!

Examples: Hmm.
Link to Cover

I love the simplicity in this one, and the font.

Link to Cover

Again, love the design in this, the font is also similar.

Link to Cover

This one I also adore, I love covers et.c that do innovative things, like this one



Oh, and this one. I know it's practically identical to the first one (they are the same book, after all) but I again really love it. Labyrinths really fascinate me :)

Thanks a huge, huge amount! :)

[Edited by moderator for oversized images :)]

1. Title: To Monstrous Nothing

2. Author name E. R. Doyle

3. Synopsis:

"...To monstrous Nothing yield your little breath:
You shall achieve destruction where you stand,
In intimate conflict, at your brother's hand..."

Epitaph for the Race of Man - Edna st. Vincent Millay

They may be siblings, or at least half siblings, but Yrg and Meidr are nothing alike. All their lives they've been head to head, a straightforward god and a goddess who can't tell someone the time of day without knotting it into codes and lies.

So it isn't surprising when they end up going to war that they are on opposite sides of the battle field. Their war is over a seemingly pointless detail, one that will not effect the gods themselves, but will effect the lives of billions upon billions of souls.

As Yrg and Meidr lock blades and spit poison, the dawn of humanity is approaching, and the victor will choose their ultimate destiny. That is, of course, as long as the fabric of reality can withstand the abuse, because if not humanity will have no destiny at all.

4. Preferences: Well, I can start by saying that I have allergies to the common fantasy cover. The story is...complex? It's about a war, but the tone isn't exactly war-like, it focuses more on the sibling aspect. So...I have no real clue re: tone. Somewhat dark humour meets family drama meets All Quiet on the Western Front (only not quite that sad).

5. Photo N/A, sadly. I know that's not helpful but...the colours of the opposing sides are (unofficially) gold and silver.

6. Examples: I'm not fussed either way, but I adore your cover for "Tale of Dark Illusion" and "La decadencia de la leche cortada".

1. Perfume, Pinups, and Pinwheels

2. Um... nope!

3. K.N.Lynn

4. If lives were measured in pages, my brother wouldn't make it to the end of this paragraph. Of course that's a lie, because this whole story is about him. He's been with me ever since I was little. In fact, he was there right next to me when I, when we were born. He's affected my whole entire life. He lived so many wonderful, fabulous, glorious years. And now he's gone. And he left me behind to pick up the pieces, to cope with the loss, to deal with life without him. And life without him... well that's just not worth it to me. You see, my brother was my best friend, and my twin to boot. His name was Leo. My name is Cleo. Without him, I'm just the average C.
(This is kind of a coming of age novel, following Cleo through a time in her life dealing with her brother's death. She's witty, sarcastic, pessimistic and dark. With a possible romance, I haven't decided yet.)

5. 6x9 sounds good. Um... Simplistic. But in depth. No "high concept" type stuff.

6. Um nope.

7. I love all your work! Just something similar if possible :D

1. Title: The Start of the Whole Picture

2. Subtitile: (none)

3. Author name: Lourdes Bobbio

4. Synopsis:

Five high school freshman are sent to an academic help class because they are on the verge of failing their first semester of high school. They each are labeled a certain way by the rest of their classmates but they have secrets that go deeper than their superficial label. Raven, Adrienne, Ryan, Hope, and Aaron meet each other on the first day of their after school class only knowing each other through what they have heard about each other. They each have a story to tell but they are too scared to say it because they all know if they trust the wrong person everything could go wrong.

The story follows these five teenagers through their six week class and they each slowly reveal a little bit more about their life as they get to know each other. In the end, they learn that they must learn to trust their friends or sooner or later they will drown in their own problems with no one to help them.

5. Preferences: I'd like a 5x8 cover if thats okay. The story covers some deep issues like abandonment, abuse, and loneliness so obviously nothing too happy. For some reason I have this idea of dark colors with a like teal blue highlights to signify that there is hope at the end. It doesn't have to be blue if that doesn't work for you, but something along the lines of dark colors with maybe one brighter color.

6. Photo: No specific photo.

7.Examples: I can't really think of any covers at the moment.

1*. title Shark's Heart

3*. your author name Emily Bennett

4*. a synopsis/summary of your plot

When I was fourteen, I was just another girl from just another family. I had a mom and a dad, and two brothers. Four years older than me, Brian was sweet, funny, and kind. Four years younger, Lukey was wild, fearless, and enthusiastic.

Now, my parents are dead, and I live with my brothers. Three years spent in a program meant to make him into the perfect killer drained away almost all of Brian and replaced him with a stranger who calls himself Shark. Lukey spent twenty minutes with a Soul-Sucker demon before I managed to kill it, and my fearless baby brother turned into an unpredictable coward.

Me? I’m just trying to hold together what’s left of my family.

(FMC's name is Jess, by the way)

5*. any preferences? book size, if not 6x9? theme (dark/light/scary/etc)? general idea? colour scheme? things like that. or rather, what is an important element in your story?
Book size is 5x8, if possible, thanks! It might be cool to use one of those old-style anatomical sketches of a partially-dissected shark, or something like that (like one of those high-contrast overlays of a shark), but of course not necessary. The story is suspenseful - they're being hunted by people who want Brian/Shark to finish his training (or for Jess to take his place).
If you do use a shark image, please stick to using a reef shark, tiger shark, great white shark, etc - not a hammerhead, wobbegong, etc.

1*. Title:
Unclean

2. Sub Title:
Six Months

3*. Author Name:
Joedale Jones

4*. Synopsis:
“Politics…It always comes back to that in this damn city.” Michael said letting out a harsh breath. His chest rose and fell in a rapid, uneven pattern as he struggled to keep his voice hushed. He was huddled into a dingy back alley behind the remains of a rusted out dumpster. He cringed at every passing car, each reminding him of the ever present CPU and their unending patrols.

Six months, six hellish and unending months, filled with the stench of the substrate. Shit and piss from every noble in the city rained on his head, the shambles of his former nobility only portrayed in the tattered rags clinging to his body. Before he ran, he would never have tolerated it. Instead he would have climbed aboard the same pedestal as everyone else screaming to cleanse the unclean.

It was all over the public view screens, trumped up and scripted testimonials from every family unfortunate enough to have a mutate in the line. Then images of lorics, the tin men who do all the councils dirty work, machines run by magic. Vids of them wiping out entire mutate settlements were all the rage. More than once he was in those, running, leaving his own kind to die by. Sometime they used bullets, most of the time they just burnt the whole town.

Six months, looking back at every trial he faced every indignity that he suffered through. At how completely worthless he was, every time he broke down and slept in the sewers crying himself to sleep. Only one thing came to mind, “Damn was I a whiny little ingrate.”

Not now though, now he was capable, striving on the constant conflict. No longer squirming under the CPU’s boot heel but thriving on the constant cat and mouse games.



5*. any preferences? book size, if not 6x9? theme (dark/light/scary/etc)? general idea? colour scheme? things like that. or rather, what is an important element in your story?
6x9, something old looking, i love throwbacks to the old school Sci-Fi novels, Something simple 3/4 colors and a large title. The most important thing in the story is the mutates themselves. They're not X-men mutants. They are disfigured and opporessed to the point of disgust. So nothing too peppy?

6. do you have a photo? that you want me to use, perhaps, or simply just something similar to what you want?
Nopers :)
7. any examples? of covers which concept you want your cover to have - it can be any of my work, or a book that you’ve read, or seen in the bookstore.
http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/128/2613/3235444679_5ffdabc5b4_b.jpg

1*. the crystal owl

2.

3*. ayan au musse

4*. a synopsis/summary of your plot
"Florence is a quirky and socially awkward girl and she's the total opposite of her sister, something which her mother hate. Being the outcast of the family, Florence has found refuge in a quaint little café where she has found a little spot in the makeshift family that the owner, Mr. August, has "collected" over the years.

While working at the café, Florence starts to create different stories for the customers that she encounters. Regulars as well as new customers."

5*. any preferences? book size, if not 6x9? theme (dark/light/scary/etc)? general idea? color scheme? things like that. or rather, what is an important element in your story?
6x9 works, I would love something quirky and fun with vibrant colors. Something that I would love is if you could incorporate an owl in some way, preferably an abstract owl. Or something more minimalistic, suprise me.

6. do you have a photo? that you want me to use, perhaps, or simply just something similar to what you want?
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR48UzsrdAFHdegsDxhxiMdcv-tLLn0nIGho1bDPaJOiVv7ONlk
Basically something like this.

7. any examples? of covers which concept you want your cover to have - it can be any of my work, or a book that you’ve read, or seen in the bookstore.
- http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1316640922l/1618.jpg
- http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312633918l/5470.jpg

*puts hand up* Um. Hi. Remember me? 8'D Would you object to me asking for a cover this year too? o3o I can see your cover list is already full, so I'll wait til it's open again. But I just wanted to check with you before I go diving in, since you made me one last year. XD

Title: Withered

Subtitle: N/A

Author Name: Ashley Hamlin

Synopsis: Boy meets girl...
Nick was an ordinary guy. He loved to hang out with his friends and do the every day things that the people of Coos Bay, Oregon do. Then, one day his eyes land on a girl he's never seen. The girl, a small and quiet person, held a daisy in her hands, never letting go for anything. It was natural curiosity that drew him to her, or even more than that.
Days later...
Nick finds his life to be spinning out of control and he doesn't know what to do. But, all he can think of is that girl with the daisy. She seemed to have been a pretty girl with a dark secret. He should have seen it all coming.
The days get dreary...
With his friends, Nick leaves Coos Bay to try and discover the truth behind the girl with the daisy. But, nobody ever said it'd be easy...
"We will forever wither."

Preferences: In my mind, I've got these two cover ideas. One is of a girl with wavy blonde girl standing around some trees with a daisy in her hand. The other is just a daisy, starting to wither. Either way, I can see it being somewhat dark. I would like both book size and 6x9.

Photos: I have no photos I can find that I would like you to use.

Examples:
For the darkness, I'm thinking something like this cover: http://portfolio2011.pheeena.co.cc/post/11345633330/darkcreatures
I would also like something at least similar to the title font of this: http://portfolio2011.pheeena.co.cc/post/11261453358/thebaddestblonde

"BloodRoseAngel" wrote:
*puts hand up* Um. Hi. Remember me? 8'D Would you object to me asking for a cover this year too? o3o I can see your cover list is already full, so I'll wait til it's open again. But I just wanted to check with you before I go diving in, since you made me one last year. XD

hey there! ahaha sure - i'd love to help you, once the whole queue's no longer full. if you don't mind waiting (i'll try to update faster this time - ack), that is (:

fena

Your work is as lovely as ever, Fena. I'd love to request from you some time, but I can see you're busy, and I'm currently waiting on a cover for one of my NaNovel ideas.

Please keep up the good work and thanks so much for everything you do for the NaNo community!

`Caroline

Hey Fena. The covers are still gorgeous. I'd ask for one, but a) you're already busy, and b) I already requested a cover from another artist. You did my cover for The Tale of Dark Illusions if you remember. Keep up the good work and don't be so hard on yourself. :)

"Tsuki.Seishin" wrote:Your work is as lovely as ever, Fena. I'd love to request from you some time, but I can see you're busy, and I'm currently waiting on a cover for one of my NaNovel ideas.

Please keep up the good work and thanks so much for everything you do for the NaNo community!

`Caroline

hey there! aha ack sorry about that - but thank you, though.

"Anahlynn" wrote:Hey Fena. The covers are still gorgeous. I'd ask for one, but a) you're already busy, and b) I already requested a cover from another artist. You did my cover for The Tale of Dark Illusions if you remember. Keep up the good work and don't be so hard on yourself. :)

hey yourself! aha yep i do - because i was supposed to be studying that day. XD but thank you, i suppose - have a great day! (:

(and best of luck for nano!)

fena

"Ting wrote:Could it be I'm the first one to order a cover? o:

I just a one question though- would you be willing to create a cover for someone who is doing fanfiction? I mainly just need a cover for the free copy I'm planning to get after NaNo, but if you don't want to, I completely understand.

But in the case you'd be willing... (:

1*. Title
The Rise of Nine

2. subtitle
N/A

3*. your author name
A.C. Graves

4*. a synopsis/summary of your plot -
Four and Nine are on the run, unable to remain at a location longer than a day or two. Six, Seven and Ten are across the country, thankfully safe... for now. But if they are to save Earth, then they cannot remain in hiding. They must reveal themselves eventually, and when they do, they'd better pray to the Loric gods that their enemies don't find them before they find each other.

5*. any preferences
6x9 cover please. The cover should feel dark, and should have a somber color scheme compared to the two examples I have listed below.
6. do you have a photo?
I feel this is the most difficult part of my request, but I'd be really thankful if you could put it in- http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb416/TingleLovah/TheRiseofNineSymbol.png (The Symbol, without the pesky number that overlaps if you can.)

7. any examples?
I'd really like it if the cover looked somewhat like the two first novels in the actual series: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6f/I_Am_Number_Four_Cover.jpg/220px-I_Am_Number_Four_Cover.jpg and http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2yCJRKA9eY8/TWLEYHE4GsI/AAAAAAAAB4M/8vqselKz5A8/s1600/the+power+of+six.jpg

Again, I understand if you don't want to accept this request.

hey there!

SO.

i gave it a shot:
1. got the logo! got rid of the annoying 'nine' bit - i hope it's fine. (: it's blurred because i blew it up, though. T____T couldn't help it - i'm sorry!
2. dark = epic fail -.- *headdesks* i ended up making the font bright and orange so it looks more like an action novel than anything dark.
3. font = couldn't find the exact one, so i gave it to the best of my ability. i tried staying as true to the original books as possible, but i may or may not have screwed it up.

i don't think it's THAT bad, but i do hope it's decent enough!

therefore, here you go!

(:

fena

THE COVER QUEUE:

1 Blackbird - Angel Cascarino
2 To Monstrous Nothing - E. R. Doyle
3 Perfume, Pinups, and Pinwheels - K. N. Lynn
4 The Start of the Whole Picture - Lourdes Bobbio
5 Shark's Heart - Emily Bennett

(NO OPEN SLOTS AT THE MOMENT = please do not post a request!)

"Robotnick2" wrote:Hi, could I also request one please?

Title: Blackbird

Subtitle: N/A

Author: Angel Cascarino

Synopsis:
Alex Peterson goes to a boring school, in a boring town in the heart of England. But when a terrible crime is commited, and his best friend is lost forever, he must team up with strangely attractive Holmes wannabe Peter Ryan to find the truth about his friend... if he can stop flirting with his co-sleuth, that is.

Theme: I don't really have any preferences; I do plan on writing a (relatively) happy ending though, so nothing too grim please :)

Photo: Nope, no photos here!

Examples: Hmm.
Link to Cover

I love the simplicity in this one, and the font.

Link to Cover

Again, love the design in this, the font is also similar.

Link to Cover

This one I also adore, I love covers et.c that do innovative things, like this one



Oh, and this one. I know it's practically identical to the first one (they are the same book, after all) but I again really love it. Labyrinths really fascinate me :)

Thanks a huge, huge amount! :)

[Edited by moderator for oversized images :)]

hey there!

SO.

comments:
1. from the covers you gave as examples, it seemed as though you like simple covers, so that's what i did.
2. ...i probably screwed it up by taking (1) WAY TOO FAR.
3. red is overrated when it comes to crime, so i gave you a slight reddish-orange.
4. dark reddish-brown background (i'm not sure- detectives always remind me of brown trench coats, so it's a mix between that and dried blood (even though that's redder -.-)).
5. simple sans-serif font for the title, and a serif font for the author name.
6. played around with the text a bit - the bird on the 'a' is obvious, as is the bird tail on the 'r'. (yes no black, unfortunately. that bit's overrated as well). those are supposed to emphasize the title, somehow.
7. ALSO, the stick (there's really no other word to describe it) below the 'd' is supposed to link with the circle bit of that letter to form a magnifying glass - for detective work. YEAH. XD

therefore, here if your cover.

(:

fena