I love this behind the scenes of the making of a book cover.
Penguin Australia's Between the Lines had two posts last week discussing Kirsty Eagar's cover for Saltwater vampires. Over 70 cover concepts were created in a design brief (!!) Senior Editor Editor Amy Thomas discusses those ideas here. The images below are from this post which also discusses each design concept
An early concept design:
 |
| copyright: Marina Messiha |
A la Clockwork Orange style:
 |
| copyright: Marco Recuero |
Blues:
 |
| copyright: Getty Images |
I love this one. A lot. The water and the blues and model <3 I'd pick it up for sure. I think it matches the surfer scene and perhaps the idea of Aussie music festival days - but it's very light looking for a novel with some pretty freaky guys in it.
The almost final version:
 |
| copyright: Getty Images |
I like this one too. Same model from the blues one above. I love seeing the image used so differently.
.
.
AND the final available now in shops cover for Saltwater Vampires:
This one makes me think of the Batavia shipwreck and also the creepier content. It doesn't necessarily look YA - which is a good thing as this book has crossover appeal into the adult market.
What do you think?
Do you have a fave?
Would you pick up any of the earlier concepts off the shelf?
The designer for this cover (Marina) also designed two of Melina Marchetta's Australian covers - both of them I love whole-heartedly:
And while we're here talking about Kirsty Eagar - here's a lovely clip I found of her talking about writing Raw Blue (one of my favourite reads this year).
I knew it was going to rock but am stunned just how how much it does.
Everyone I know who's read has given it 5 stars. I have a feeling my rating will be the same :)
So, on the vampire covers, I like the first one, kind of. Pretty simple, yet creepy, but perhaps a little too plain for me. I like the second one. It's...okay. Don't like the third one because when that water like background makes me think of a pool and a pool makes me think of chlorine, not salt water so...
ReplyDeleteI like don't like the fourth one, because I don't know why, but it looks almost like he's wearing a sort of knights type clothing. Not sure what that's called, but the stuff a knight would wear under their armor? Okay, I'm strange.
My favorite is the last one. Kind of eerie, kind of beautiful. Love the way you see a little bit of a person's face, but not so much of it that it immediately taints your full vision to what your imagination wants to conjure up as you read the book. I also LOVE the contrast of the light blue eyes against the rest of the color scheme. Very cool.
I really like the final version for Saltwater Vampires and have been intrigued with this ever since I first discovered the book trailer for it. The other one with the watery background it cool too
ReplyDeleteI am glad you are liking Graffti Moon. It sounds like a book I will have to check out. Can't wait for your review.
I love the blue cover..the final one creeps me out, but then, I guess it captures the essence of the novel.
ReplyDeleteI love the Finnikin of the Rock cover as well..the model's hot :P
I like the final version and the two you said you liked as well. The person on that final version looks very much like one of the actors from The Lost Boys (well, the eyes at least). I still have to read this one. Gosh, I have such a growing list now. I don't know what to do with myself!!
ReplyDelete@ Mel - youre right, the blue one doesnt necessarily look like saltwater. its ver pristine and pretty.
ReplyDelete@ Jan - Graffiti Moon was awesome. so in love with that book.
@ Bee - re Finnikin - I KNOW :)
@ Angie - I am drowning in my to-read list as well...
Love the blue cover! I also like the almost final one...the actual final one is a bit too creepy for me. I wouldn't pick it up in a store whereas I would the other two. Still - I guess it matches the tone of the book.
ReplyDeleteI tagged you in this "things I like" blog post: http://sarahnicolas.com/blog/2010/09/16/lets-play-tag/ :-)
ReplyDeleteI love the blue cover best, I'd definitely pick it up. The final cover is a bit busy for me.
ReplyDeleteThe Piper's Son is one of my favourite covers ever! I hope the UK/US ones are as good.
I saw that post on BTL! I love your little comments on each cover. I really do agree (to the BTL crew) that the final cover is the best.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting on my review for One Night that Changes Everything! I can't say which is better: Aces Up or One Night. I've heard that Aces Up is a bit weird... I'm a bit hesitant to pick it up because of it. Though, I do want to build my Barnholdt library! :P
Muy buenas todas las portadas... un trabajo genial.
ReplyDelete