.png)
Don't go by the cover.
- drashishrastogi
- 16 hours ago
- 5 min read
Yeah, we have all heard this, but a book cover is what our eyes see first. A good cover makes a book stand out at a bookstore or book fair.
"Your cover only has around 3 seconds to catch a browsing reader’s attention. You want to stand out and make them pause and consider, and read the blurb.”
― Eeva Lancaster, Being Indie: A No Holds Barred, Self Publishing Guide for Indie Authors
Book covers are as varied as the genres and topics of the books they cover (pun intended). Of late, there has been a considerable debate in the reading community and publishing/author circles about “cartoon covers.” A sort of 'sarcastic punch' on illustrated covers. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its increasing use, the discussions have become shriller.
You only need to look at my books to know that I am a huge fan of illustrated covers. Illustrated characters grace the front of four of my five published works. Some may say my love for such covers stems from my writing and reading romance novels. But hold the pen for a minute while I show you some from other genres.
Aren't they all so pretty? Here, ogle some more.
As you see, these covers are just not a ‘me romance novel lover’ fetish. Illustrated covers are everywhere.
Why do I like them?
These capture the vibe, expressions and emotions of romance novels. In fantasy or sci-fi, they set the tone for the worlds in which the stories unfold. Sometimes, a photo of a model or location does not capture the essence of a story. Illustrated covers give you the freedom to bring those images to life.
Let us address the big question: How do you get an illustrated cover?
You could take one of the three paths.
1. Find and hire an artist.
2. If, like me, you are an artist, you could do them yourself.
3. Use readymade cover templates.
Not easy? I understand, so I put together an overview for each of these options.
a. Find and hire an artist.
i. Where to find them?
Social media and the internet are the best places to look for artists. Insta and Pinterest are great. Pitch events and Illustrator hashtags on social media are also good starting points. There are freelance work websites like Fiverr or Upwork.
ii. While you are doing your due diligence, here are some things to keep in mind-
1. Check their portfolio for styles. Match the artist's style with your story and the
concept of the cover you have in your mind.
2. Are they familiar with your genre and have done covers for any books?
3. What software do they use, and what file formats will they deliver the cover
in? (svg, png, pdf etc)
4. Will they be able to do ebook, paperback and hardback covers?
5. Who will hold the copyrights to the cover? Ideally, these should be with you.
This may mean an additional cost for you.
6. Check for the use of AI images (a big no-no).
Why no AI, you ask? It costs so much less, you say. Hear me out. Using AI for your book cover design is like saying, “I like roses, but they are costly and take effort to grow. It is cheaper to buy and gift plastic ones.”
Artists are our fellow creatives. Would you want them to write books with AI, then market them with self-designed, beautiful, eye-catching covers and illustrations?
If you have seen the recent deluge of AI-generated book covers, you will notice they all look similar in hues and texture. Plus, they are often error-prone. (misaligned body parts, wrong proportions, etc.) Worldwide, readers and the writing community are rejecting works that use AI.
7. Ask for timelines and deliverables for each milestone – concept design, first
draft, line art, colour and finished cover.
8. Number and type of revisions within the designated budget.
9. How will you communicate? It is preferable to have a short call at the start
of the project to align expectations.
What should you provide the illustrator?
You are the best person who knows the story, concept and characters. To bring your vision to life, the artist needs to understand all these aspects. At a minimum, you should provide the following information.
i. Outline of your book (synopsis). Main characters and their physical attributes. Best to get on a call to discuss and answer all the artists' questions.
ii. A basic concept of what you want using pics for characters, expressions and their world. Pinterest, Unsplash/Pexels, Pixabay, etc., are good sources. You could create a mood board for the artist to refer to.
iii. Your timelines and expected milestones.
All this sounds good, but the most critical factor is the cost involved. If you are a self-pub or indie author, then, I paraphrase the ABBA song, "Money." Money. Money. It's not so funny in your world.”
What kind of spending are you looking at? Illustrated book covers can cost between $200 -$1,500 on average. The final price will depend on the type of illustration, colour designs, detailing, and the copyright agreement.
You can learn more about the different types of cover design fees that an artist may charge in the resource provided at the end of this blog.
Way back in 2019, the cover of All the Lines to Cross cost me 5000 Indian Rs for the illustration and another 5000 for formatting the ebook and paperback covers.
b. The other way could be to draw it yourself.
I am a self-taught artist, and until about 4 years ago, I had not used any digital software in my art. Shy was published by a US-based small press in 2022. During the publishing phase, we hit a problem with the cover. We could not find a suitable photo for an Indian badminton player. (A big reason many BIPOC authors use illustrated covers)
Under time pressure, I decided to try my hand at digital software. First, I used Krita, then Inkscape, and a basic version of Xpen as the drawing tool. I have never looked back, designing the covers for The 5-Day Plan and Cleats, Corsets, and the Cutie myself. Professional illustrators use Procreate and Adobe on high-end tablets. (Apple iPads, etc.)
Irrespective of whether you hire or DIY, there are things you should be aware of-
i. Know the specifications - file size and file formats for ebook and paperback. Learn the specifications for image size and quality.
ii. For paperbacks, understand what trim sizes are and how the spine width depends on the number of pages.
c) Ready-to-use covers- If all this sounds like too much work (and cost), then you could find templates on Canva and other similar websites. Some illustrators also have premade covers. (which are cheaper than getting one custom-made). Getcovers has premade designs starting at US $10.
In the end, remember: your book cover is the reason most readers will reach for your book from a stack. Hence, give cover design a good deal of thought and time.
The greatest delight apart from writing the book is seeing the cover and sharing it with the world. If you hire an illustrator, you share that joy with them. Please remember to acknowledge the cover artist in your book, and the cover reveals. They could be incredible supporters in spreading the word about your book.
Helpful links
Understanding the illustration process from an illustrator's POV- https://www.wordybirdstudio.com/blog/2015/11/5/10-things-to-know-when-working-with-an-illustrator
Cover design costs –
Cover designs at reasonable costs-
Build your own at Canva- https://www.canva.com/
Comments