Comments for Sue Campbell writes about design, books, writing, art, & life ... http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com Sue Campbell writes about design, books, writing, life and other stuff . . . Sun, 05 Sep 2010 02:22:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on A New Day, a new cover… by » The Perfect Cover LifeStories Books http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=750&cpage=1#comment-646 » The Perfect Cover LifeStories Books Sun, 05 Sep 2010 02:22:50 +0000 http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=750#comment-646 [...] Authors usually face the design of their book cover or jacket design with some trepidation. They know how critically important the cover will be to the book’s success, especially in retail environments. As publishers, we take many factors into consideration in designing covers. The design needs to communicate the content and help the buyer identify books in which they’d be interested. We listen, too, to the author’s suggestions. We consider the marketplace, what competing titles look like, color trends, typography, and much more. Research tells us that IF a customer picks up a book, they’ll spend 8 seconds looking at the front cover, and if their interest continues, they’ll flip it over and spend 15 seconds reviewing the back cover. Book designer Sue Campbell recently posted an article on the design of a new Stephens Press title, A NEW DAY by Dora Barilla. Sue outlines the design process and the covers that were developed at Sue Campbell Graphic Design. [...] [...] Authors usually face the design of their book cover or jacket design with some trepidation. They know how critically important the cover will be to the book’s success, especially in retail environments. As publishers, we take many factors into consideration in designing covers. The design needs to communicate the content and help the buyer identify books in which they’d be interested. We listen, too, to the author’s suggestions. We consider the marketplace, what competing titles look like, color trends, typography, and much more. Research tells us that IF a customer picks up a book, they’ll spend 8 seconds looking at the front cover, and if their interest continues, they’ll flip it over and spend 15 seconds reviewing the back cover. Book designer Sue Campbell recently posted an article on the design of a new Stephens Press title, A NEW DAY by Dora Barilla. Sue outlines the design process and the covers that were developed at Sue Campbell Graphic Design. [...]

]]> Comment on Zombies! Bunnies! … Zombie Bunnies! by Missy http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1076&cpage=1#comment-645 Missy Sun, 05 Sep 2010 00:00:46 +0000 http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1076#comment-645 That first cover will sell like hotcakes. Everyone loves zombie bunnies! That first cover will sell like hotcakes. Everyone loves zombie bunnies!

]]> Comment on Zombies! Bunnies! … Zombie Bunnies! by Sue Campbell http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1076&cpage=1#comment-644 Sue Campbell Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:46:20 +0000 http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1076#comment-644 Thanks my friends. This is a fun project. I also like the first one—it'll take some licensing of that artwork, but I am hopeful on that count. I think any of these directions could work very well, even if these first comps are not the ultimate design. The Mexican folk especially has so many colorful directions it could go in, aside from this particular piece of art. Yes Betty I could manipulate that font, and I am not totally sold on it yet. It may change to something quite different But I do really like the bold graphic approach too. It just really depends on the author and publisher's feeling about the tone of the book and the tastes of the target market. I can't choose though, it would be like picking just one of my kids. However, Bethany, I think my money is on #1. Thanks my friends. This is a fun project. I also like the first one—it’ll take some licensing of that artwork, but I am hopeful on that count.

I think any of these directions could work very well, even if these first comps are not the ultimate design. The Mexican folk especially has so many colorful directions it could go in, aside from this particular piece of art.

Yes Betty I could manipulate that font, and I am not totally sold on it yet. It may change to something quite different But I do really like the bold graphic approach too. It just really depends on the author and publisher’s feeling about the tone of the book and the tastes of the target market. I can’t choose though, it would be like picking just one of my kids.

However, Bethany, I think my money is on #1.

]]> Comment on Zombies! Bunnies! … Zombie Bunnies! by Bethany http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1076&cpage=1#comment-643 Bethany Sat, 04 Sep 2010 20:06:27 +0000 http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1076#comment-643 the first one without a doubt! the first one without a doubt!

]]> Comment on Zombies! Bunnies! … Zombie Bunnies! by Frank Fiore http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1076&cpage=1#comment-642 Frank Fiore Sat, 04 Sep 2010 18:50:08 +0000 http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1076#comment-642 Very cool Sue. Shades of Monty Python and the Holy Grail killer bunny. OH MY!!! And thanks for the great cover for my Trapdoor Books novel Cyberkill. Frank Very cool Sue. Shades of Monty Python and the Holy Grail killer bunny. OH MY!!!

And thanks for the great cover for my Trapdoor Books novel Cyberkill.

Frank

]]> Comment on Zombies! Bunnies! … Zombie Bunnies! by Betty Auchard http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1076&cpage=1#comment-641 Betty Auchard Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:56:24 +0000 http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1076#comment-641 Sue, I like the first and third designs best. The third one appeals to me the most because it's so dramatic and straightforward. The only thing that might be "barely" changed is the font. I love the blood-dripping, creepy nature of the font design, but it's just a little bit hard to read. Are you able to manipulate the ascenders and descenders (the up things and the down things) in those letters and/or the spaces between them? The spaces between the a and m as well as the o and m feel crowded. and the o in Rio reads like an e as though it reads "Rie." Are those fonts protected so you can't play around with them? Do people ever design their own creepy fonts? I still lean toward the barbed wire design, though the first one on the list has a neat comic book feel to it that I like, too. What a fun title. I will never think of sweet bunnies in the same way again. Sue, I like the first and third designs best. The third one appeals to me the most because it’s so dramatic and straightforward. The only thing that might be “barely” changed is the font. I love the blood-dripping, creepy nature of the font design, but it’s just a little bit hard to read. Are you able to manipulate the ascenders and descenders (the up things and the down things) in those letters and/or the spaces between them? The spaces between the a and m as well as the o and m feel crowded. and the o in Rio reads like an e as though it reads “Rie.” Are those fonts protected so you can’t play around with them? Do people ever design their own creepy fonts? I still lean toward the barbed wire design, though the first one on the list has a neat comic book feel to it that I like, too. What a fun title. I will never think of sweet bunnies in the same way again.

]]> Comment on This is not a post by Sue Campbell http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1074&cpage=1#comment-640 Sue Campbell Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:20:24 +0000 http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1074#comment-640 Thanks all. I think I'll continue, but only things that inspire me, and less often. Too much pressure! Thanks all. I think I’ll continue, but only things that inspire me, and less often. Too much pressure!

]]> Comment on This is not a post by Megs http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1074&cpage=1#comment-639 Megs Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:29:08 +0000 http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1074#comment-639 Seriously, don't do it if you don't love it. Write what inspires and motivates YOU, without thinking about who is and isn't reading. Your audience will find you. I blogged for a while to please and it ate into my time, so I quit. Now, I'm just focusing on doing what helps me do what I do best. And it's not blogging about writing; it's actually WRITING. And creating the world around those stories. If you don't want to do it, try not for a while and see if it really hurts any. People can sense when it's something you're passionate about. Seriously, don’t do it if you don’t love it. Write what inspires and motivates YOU, without thinking about who is and isn’t reading. Your audience will find you. I blogged for a while to please and it ate into my time, so I quit. Now, I’m just focusing on doing what helps me do what I do best. And it’s not blogging about writing; it’s actually WRITING. And creating the world around those stories. If you don’t want to do it, try not for a while and see if it really hurts any. People can sense when it’s something you’re passionate about.

]]> Comment on This is not a post by Missy http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1074&cpage=1#comment-636 Missy Thu, 26 Aug 2010 03:16:09 +0000 http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1074#comment-636 See, now you know why I confine myself to only one networking site. It's way too much of a hassle to update five different ones! See, now you know why I confine myself to only one networking site. It’s way too much of a hassle to update five different ones!

]]> Comment on This is not a post by Devin O'Branagan http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1074&cpage=1#comment-635 Devin O'Branagan Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:32:29 +0000 http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?p=1074#comment-635 Well, it is a dilemma. I also spend way too much time online and not enough time writing my books. And yes, real people are preferable to virtual people. But, virtual marketing to virtual people is a form of creativity, in many ways as stimulating as writing fiction about fictional people. ;-) I, too, enjoy reading your online work. So, I hope you don't pull the plug! Well, it is a dilemma. I also spend way too much time online and not enough time writing my books. And yes, real people are preferable to virtual people. But, virtual marketing to virtual people is a form of creativity, in many ways as stimulating as writing fiction about fictional people. ;-)

I, too, enjoy reading your online work. So, I hope you don’t pull the plug!

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