Cover
Hopefully I’ll get good covers for the Shadow People books with my painting, but I’m losing too much time trying to tweak the picture I started for African Me into something good enough to use for its cover. I’ve only got a few weeks till D-Day, and I still have lots of tweaking to do all over the place. After quite a lot of bad language, and making things that look like this:
I got a tiny grip on how these things work now, and finally managed to make a cover I like.
It’s totally appropriate to the story, and I think it will translate well on the paper book. I hope so anyway. It’s amazing how much you learn as you cruise along the self-publishing road. When I think of my bright-eyed, bushy-tailed self a year ago, zooming around and just “doing stuff”, I really have a good laugh at my cheek. What I thought was really awesome back then, isn’t so much any more. Blush. Never mind. Learning all the time.
Till next time friends.
Jo Robinson 
July 18, 2013 at 11:46 am
HEY, the cover looks GREAT Jo, but what did you do with the cute little bird? 🙂
PS you’re still awesome 😀
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July 18, 2013 at 12:05 pm
Thanks Chris!! I was trying to figure out how to erase backgrounds with a picture of Jelly, and I ended up erasing most of him too, so I plonked him in some daisies. Ha haaaa! PS Thank you more! You’re the awesomest ape on the planet. 😀
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July 18, 2013 at 1:45 pm
Okay, I have to admit that I was very concerned at first because I thought your top picture WAS the cover. I was very relieved to see the second picture! 🙂
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July 22, 2013 at 12:17 pm
LOL! Imagine loading that one up – ha ha haaaa! 😀
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July 18, 2013 at 10:08 pm
Me too, Chris.
The real one is terrific. I like it very much.
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July 22, 2013 at 12:13 pm
Thanks Christine! Going to have to very carefully redo it to get the small lettering a bit bigger now – aaargh! 🙂 xxx
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July 18, 2013 at 10:18 pm
hiya,
ah crikey covers are the bane of my writing life, sigh, being very arty and creative i was excited when i first began writing thinking i could use my talents designing gorgeous covers , i was even going to fill my books with my artwork -i love books with pictures- but if there is one thing i have learned its that it can- and often does with me- take up far too much time getting what is a fab picture on paper or in my art programme to actually fit either on the book or as in 99% of my efforts finding what size and quality will pass the amazon acceptable jpeg limits oh i have lost count the amount of times i have finished a lovely looking picture only to have createspace shake their heads at me i now actively avoid all cover making until i am dragged kicking and screaming to the computer ^_^ ahh well like you say it is amazing the mountain of knowledge we aquire on the adventure of self publishing ^_^ loving your cover it looks fab! and you have given me a renewed sense of confidence i shall grit my teeth and try once again for the cover of my latest book, i shall resist pulling my hair out this time ^_^ have a super day my lovely xx
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July 22, 2013 at 12:12 pm
That you lovely Kizzy! I’d love to see your new cover art. It’s really hard getting the hang of these paint programmes. So far I’m finding the free one the easiest to understand – not by much though! I also find it hard to translate the painting to a decent computer pic – they come out all splotchy. Put a hair net on and bring on your lovely art – I’m really looking forward to seeing it. Love art and arty guys. 😀 xxx
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July 18, 2013 at 10:44 pm
Now I want a book about Jelly vanishing into some daisies! 😀 I am SO looking forward to African Me!
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July 22, 2013 at 12:08 pm
Jelly’s already got such a big head for such a little guy. 😀 I really am going to scribble a bird book for children one day though. Already got the cover here – LOL! I’ll send African Me to you hot off the press! 😀
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July 21, 2013 at 1:36 pm
I think the 2nd top photo looks amazing as a cover! It’s eye-catching. It’s stunning for me!
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July 22, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Thank you Donicia! 🙂
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July 23, 2013 at 1:14 pm
You’re most welcome! 🙂
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July 28, 2013 at 4:50 am
😀
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