Making a cover design fit the book AND the author... ~by Linda Boulanger



For this blog post, once again I went to my author group to see what they might be interested in. The majority of them know me as a cover designer as well, so I wasn’t surprised when Chris asked about that. She wanted to know how I come up with my cover designs for different authors and their books, and how I mesh the story line with the book and also the author’s personality or preferences.


The basics of cover design are pretty much the same each and every time.
The process consists of:
1. Gathering information about the story
2. Searching for images that might work (often the longest part of the process)
3. Designing the cover

One thing that I feel makes me different as a designer is that I am what I consider an inspired designer… meaning I have to be inspired to create the piece, just like I do with writing or any other form of artwork. Some designers have their formula and can sit down … 1, 2, 3 … and they have their cover. It’s still work and can be just as time-consuming. I just can’t do it that way, even if I wish sometimes I could.

My process starts by gathering information about the story. I have a questionnaire that I will send an author, though oftentimes I just ask the questions via email. I like having a more informal working relationship because, to me, it’s the best way I know to really dig down and find out what the author wants to see in his or her book cover. That lack of formality also lets me get to know the author and what he/she wants. It creates a friendly atmosphere so that he/she feels comfortable telling me they don’t like something or that they love something, and when they say they love it, I know they really do and we have a cover that is headed in the right direction.


I get a lot of my inspiration from searching through images. I don’t see an image as a whole, but as bits and pieces. It’s kind of like working a puzzle… my mind is constantly taking these bits and trying them this way and that to see how they fit into the creation of a whole new image. Only each piece also has to fit with the information I have gleaned about the story. I think this is what Chris was asking about. How do I gather the information that I use to pull those tiny pieces of the puzzle out to create something that fits together, fits the story, AND fits the author?

 
The answer goes back to that initial email I send back that is filled with … QUESTIONS. Lots and lots of questions. I ask about the book’s characters: hair color and length, eye color, build… anything you can think of about a character, I want to know. I ask about the genre, and also the overall tone of the book. I also want to know if there are any particular scenes that stand out in an author’s mind that would make a reader feel connected. I ask for the blurb, and on occasion (but not often because I am super busy and not a fast reader), I will actually read the book to get a better feel for what the cover needs to convey.

I don’t usually have to read the book. Talking it out (preferably via email so that I have a written copy to look back through for details) is usually all I need and I often start to get a basic cover idea from that very first email. I’ve even conceived a couple of covers in dreams that have ended up being spot on. I love that and say it’s magic. My favorite thing is when an author tells me it’s like I could see the picture they had in their mind.

So, I guess the answer to how I get my cover designs to fit the book AND the author is that every cover I create is inspired by the information I get from each author. Talking a lot with the author, getting a feel for his/her likes and dislikes, and even their personality, or at the least, the tone of the book so that I can grab those bits and pieces of images to put back together in just the right way, is how I make the covers unique for each and every author I work with.

Next month I will continue with the part of Chris’ question where she wanted to know if I had a favorite cover and why. That, along with who is my favorite author, has to be one of the toughest questions I ever have to answer, but you can find out May 5th, right here on Originality by Design.

9 comments:

  1. Linda, you amaze me! Your covers are unique and bring to life the stories behind them. I'm the proud owner of several and receive so many comments at how perfect they are for the stories. Thank you for the process, and for putting so much of yourself into your work.

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  2. Linda, this is such an amazing talent that you have. A true gift...and a lot of work, I'm sure! Thank you for sharing how you go about creating your beautiful works of art!

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    1. I really love creating covers, Marj. Sometimes that "need to be inspired" can get in the way, but once it hits I feel like the creations have a mind of their own. I'm happy to get to be a part of the process.

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  3. Thank you, Grace. And THANK YOU for trusting me with your babies. I truly do put my heart into each and every cover I design and, as you know, we don't stop until it is something both of us are satisfied with.

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    1. Oops! Put this as a comment instead of reply! For someone who works on the computer, you would think I would be less challenged with these things. lol

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  4. Linda, you are amazing! You always see my vision of what I want. You have a gift!

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  5. We work well together. Don't ever change who you are, Linda.

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  6. I'm in awe of Linda's work. She makes such amazing covers and has such a talent for it. Her covers always attracts the eye and makes you want to read the book. Linda, you know I love your work and always have.

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