eBook cover images

[pdurrant]

Since I wrote a QuickLook* plug-in for Mobipocket books, I've become pickier about covers for my eBooks. I've made quite a few covers for various books, in 600x800, <60KiB Jpeg format suitable for use with Mobipocket for CyBook, etc, and probably OK for other formats.

Would there be general interest in a forum for people to upload covers for their favourite eBooks?

I'll admit that the covers I've created are also a bit dull (see attached sample for Ernest Bramah's "Kai Lung's Golden Hours"), if better than nothing, so perhaps this would encourage the more artistically talented among us to try their hand.

Paul

*QuickLook is a technology in Mac OS X 10.5 that enables file previews to be generated for arbitrary formats by the use of a plug-in API. Combined with Mac OS X's CoverFlow views, it makes browsing my eBooks a much more pleasant experience.

[DaleDe]

I think that is a great idea. Adding covers to eBooks is a good thing.

dale

[HarryT]

I've not forgotten the ones you very kindly sent me, Paul. Life is just a bit hectic at the moment; I will use them, I promise you .

[pdurrant]

I'm not hassling! :-)

But I did think that there might be people out there interested in producing covers. Also, although eBooks are mostly about the text, I think discussions about covers - styles, preferences, creation methods might be fruitful.

And it might be a good way for people to encourage conversion of a book they want - "Here's a good cover for xxx - can anyone do the conversion?"

Paul

Originally Posted by HarryT

I've not forgotten the ones you very kindly sent me, Paul. Life is just a bit hectic at the moment; I will use them, I promise you .

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

But I did think that there might be people out there interested in producing covers. Also, although eBooks are mostly about the text, I think discussions about covers - styles, preferences, creation methods might be fruitful.

I think it's a splendid idea, and will happily contribute both covers and discussion.
______
Dennis

[Elsi]

I like the idea ... and I'd be glad to help make covers on request.

[discourse]

This is one thing that has frustrated me for a while. I would gladly contribute some artwork.

[pdurrant]

I'm glad you like the idea. Please do add a comment to the new thread of this topic at

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29239

and perhaps we'll get enough interest to justify a forum for cover uploads.

Paul

Originally Posted by discourse

This is one thing that has frustrated me for a while. I would gladly contribute some artwork.

[Jellby]

I thought that we could also use abstract or semi-abstract images as cover pictures (and then adding the title and author). So I fiddled a bit with POV-Ray and created this random Julia fractal. Similar images with different shapes and textures can be easily created, I can do more if anyone is interested.

[mtravellerh]

I would be delighted if I had somebody more creative than myself who would make covers for me. Generally, I do not like mine too much as I am a bit clumsy with visual art.

BUT: I do assemble like at least three books a day on bad days and I like to stray around in my subjects.

So someone who'd cooperate with me would have to be rather flexible and available and a fast worker (and all that for nought) or I'd have to change my working style completely.

Cooperation with ravenne for the "Karl Mays" is a dream come through, though, cause the woman's that good.

Anyway. I at least make a cover with every book I assemble.

[mtravellerh]

Originally Posted by Jellby

I thought that we could also use abstract or semi-abstract images as cover pictures (and then adding the title and author). So I fiddled a bit with POV-Ray and created this random Julia fractal. Similar images with different shapes and textures can be easily created, I can do more if anyone is interested.

I thought that was a snake Great work, Jellby.

[vivaldirules]

For each ebook I've been posting, I have been adding a simple illustration as a cover image - usually either of the author or one of the illustrations from the book. I never edit these to add, for example, the title and author of the book to the cover image. On my Sony Reader, I select the book I want to read from a list of authors or titles. There is a no display of book covers, as far as I know, from which to select a book. If there was, I can see that having just an illustration (with no title or author on it) as a book cover would be awkward unless you happened to recognize which book it was from. And if that's the case, I should start adding titles and authors to the covers of books I post. Could someone please comment?

[HarryT]

On the CyBook it's vitally important to have a recognisable cover - ie at least the book title and preferably the author's name too. That's because the primary means of navigating the CyBook's library is by cover image.

[pdurrant]

Mobipocket Desktop reader displays the cover images. And books stored on my Mac display the cover images (which look goof in coverflow). I'd definitely recommend adding title and author to cover images -and in large, easily readable type.

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

For each ebook I've been posting, I have been adding a simple illustration as a cover image - usually either of the author or one of the illustrations from the book. I never edit these to add, for example, the title and author of the book to the cover image. On my Sony Reader, I select the book I want to read from a list of authors or titles. There is a no display of book covers, as far as I know, from which to select a book. If there was, I can see that having just an illustration (with no title or author on it) as a book cover would be awkward unless you happened to recognize which book it was from. And if that's the case, I should start adding titles and authors to the covers of books I post. Could someone please comment?

[vivaldirules]

Thanks for the info. Ouch. Another thing to fix.