a critique site for book lovers, hosted by author Jude Hardin
Friday, January 27, 2012
Carrie and Hope by Joy Argento
What's the genre? What is it you like or don't like about this cover?
Does it make you want to know more about the book? Does it make you want
to BUY the book? Discuss.
Oh boy...now this is a very "homemade" cover and I actually tend to try to be a little less acerbic when I think the cover is totally amateur done, because I know someone has tried their best.
But, um, hmmmm. What to say. I do like the blue color scheme of the background. I'd guess it's lesbian romance? Maybe? The typeface for the author name isn't too bad, though it's very small. The title font? It's so close to Comic Sans it hurts; very cartooney and childlike; not, I think, what the cover was supposed to convey. Our model is, like, uber muscled in the arms there, almost looking like a transvestite? Maybe? But the cut out of her/him just does not work.
Honestly, I'd keep the background blue and get rid of the rest, perhaps start over.
I like the colour scheme. The blue appeals to me. The soft warm yellow of the title goes well with it, creating both harmony and contrast, and it picks up the colour of the brushes.
What doesn't work for me is the border design. The broad blue textured border around this reminds me of the 1980s (I think it was the 80s, not sure) when people had just discovered that they could use desktop publishing software for design. Those were the days when everyone inserted images into other images and into textured borders and thought it great. It looks rather dated now.
Suggested solution: Get rid of the blue textured border. Instead, scale the image of the model to full cover size. Then change the background colour to blue.
The model's gender confuzzles me. At first, I thought it was a woman. When I looked more, I was sure it was a man. Now I wonder if it's any human at all.
The shoulders and upper back are distinctly female, and the hairstyle and pose support this. But the upper arms and abs are distinctly male.
Of course, the chest and loins are hidden, so I can't be sure. Maybe this is intentional? A story about a hermaphrodite, perhaps? If so, I recommend a picture where the discrepancies are more blatant, so the viewer sees them at a glance, not just after careful scrutiny.
If it's not meant to be a hermaphrodite, I recommend choosing a different picture.
I hope this helps a bit. If not, just ignore my comment.
Oh boy...now this is a very "homemade" cover and I actually tend to try to be a little less acerbic when I think the cover is totally amateur done, because I know someone has tried their best.
ReplyDeleteBut, um, hmmmm. What to say. I do like the blue color scheme of the background. I'd guess it's lesbian romance? Maybe? The typeface for the author name isn't too bad, though it's very small. The title font? It's so close to Comic Sans it hurts; very cartooney and childlike; not, I think, what the cover was supposed to convey. Our model is, like, uber muscled in the arms there, almost looking like a transvestite? Maybe? But the cut out of her/him just does not work.
Honestly, I'd keep the background blue and get rid of the rest, perhaps start over.
I like the colour scheme. The blue appeals to me. The soft warm yellow of the title goes well with it, creating both harmony and contrast, and it picks up the colour of the brushes.
ReplyDeleteWhat doesn't work for me is the border design. The broad blue textured border around this reminds me of the 1980s (I think it was the 80s, not sure) when people had just discovered that they could use desktop publishing software for design. Those were the days when everyone inserted images into other images and into textured borders and thought it great. It looks rather dated now.
Suggested solution: Get rid of the blue textured border. Instead, scale the image of the model to full cover size. Then change the background colour to blue.
The model's gender confuzzles me. At first, I thought it was a woman. When I looked more, I was sure it was a man. Now I wonder if it's any human at all.
The shoulders and upper back are distinctly female, and the hairstyle and pose support this. But the upper arms and abs are distinctly male.
Of course, the chest and loins are hidden, so I can't be sure. Maybe this is intentional? A story about a hermaphrodite, perhaps? If so, I recommend a picture where the discrepancies are more blatant, so the viewer sees them at a glance, not just after careful scrutiny.
If it's not meant to be a hermaphrodite, I recommend choosing a different picture.
I hope this helps a bit. If not, just ignore my comment.
Rayne
I would guess that his is a romance between an artist and a model?
ReplyDeleteI would agree with what has also been said. I would suggest that changing the text to another font.
I understand that the blue border is suppose to be a frame, but it doesn't work. It might be stronger with a real frame.
The model image in the center is not very strong based on pose and other factors. Another image would work better.