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"Dinoworld"

Ammonite HerpsAmmonite Herps Posts: 0
edited December 1969 in Art Studio

Okay, so its been a VERY long time since I've been on the boards. Anyway, I'm starting to get my Dinoworld project going. It will start out with a trilogy called the "Dawn of Scars." Deciding to publish digitally and I remembered I had some 3D software so instead of paying someone to do the art for me I decided to make my own. Here's some concept art for the covers for the first book. Hopefully its up to par. Everyone seems to like the third image best. Don't have all kinds of pieces to give the characters the type of clothing I wanted (namely the Rangers) but I don't think that really matters too much.

Not for any story in particular but here's another one I made:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/971700_475456939206006_1766227289_n.jpg


Cover art concepts for first book:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/945615_475456942539339_1980133098_n.jpg

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/970887_475456962539337_484160439_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/954781_475456982539335_1815723335_n.jpg

So anyway.... I'd like to know what everyone thinks. Feels good to get back into the digital world but won't be able to get all the pieces I want for a while.

Comments

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited December 1969

    Welcome back :)
    I like the energy in the renders, the anticipation of what's coming next. In the first one, I'd personally prefer illumination on the person's face, to me it's too dark. Perhaps a dim spotlight or even a dim point light raised parallel to the face (I do better with spots.) This is just my preference of course. Also, what are those light black shadow squares on the first one? (Above the dinosaur)

  • Ammonite HerpsAmmonite Herps Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    First picture is not my best I admit but I put the distance light behind him so the shadows would match the background. I used the multiplane background for this and I am not sure what you mean by the black boxes above the pterosaur. Nothing I put there but probably something with the shadows on the background image.

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    Novica said:
    Welcome back :)
    I like the energy in the renders, the anticipation of what's coming next. In the first one, I'd personally prefer illumination on the person's face, to me it's too dark. Perhaps a dim spotlight or even a dim point light raised parallel to the face (I do better with spots.) This is just my preference of course. Also, what are those light black shadow squares on the first one? (Above the dinosaur)

    Looks like reflections in the water to me

  • Scott LivingstonScott Livingston Posts: 4,340
    edited December 1969

    Nice work! I think the poses and general mood of the images are just right. The lighting isn't bad, but there is room for improvement. Do you use DAZ Studio or Poser (or something else)?

    The other thing I think could use some work--and keep in mind this is something I'm not good at myself--is making the text stand out. The text should be very obvious and legible...yours blends in somewhat, despite the color contrast (think about a reader who is red-green colorblind, and view the images in greyscale as that's how they would appear on some e-readers). Look at printed book covers for inspiration (some e-book covers are well-designed, but often they aren't).

  • Ammonite HerpsAmmonite Herps Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    I use Daze Studio. The text was an experiment really. I tried two layers in photoshop and blurred the lower one. Maybe a different Color on the lower layer would be better.

    Thanks for the input. Good to know I am at least doing decent images. Will try the one I wanted for the actual cover with a couple different texts and see if it improves.

  • Dino GrampsDino Gramps Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    I agree about the text. My eyesight is not what it used to be. Only the third one was passable for me but I wish was even higher contrast.

    Somewhat OT but related: One of my pet peeves is low contrast text e.g. light gray on white. Why is this necessary? I'm too old to put up with that (not really THAT old). I even gave up and got one of those ugly yellow keyed high contrast computer keyboards. Best purchase of last month for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm a musician by trade, so I definitely understand doing things for art sake, but function must come first.

  • Ammonite HerpsAmmonite Herps Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Did a couple of concepts for another part of the world for future stories in an area called the Forest of Night. Basically its an area of the world where the trees have grown so thick that no light penetrates them and the floor is always in darkness. The life there has developed bioluminescence.

    Conceptual cover
    https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/971087_479050392179994_1160395281_n.jpg

    Conceptual picture (37 point lights)
    https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/969204_479050365513330_263902366_n.jpg

    Working on getting that other picture's text better, I'll post the updated version later.

    I'd love input on suggestions for the Forest of Night pictures. They're mostly difficult due to the nature of that part of the world so any help or suggestions there would be greatly appreciated.

  • SassanikSassanik Posts: 340
    edited December 1969

    They are nice, but if you are going to use them as ebook covers, you need to remember that most people are going to view them at a much smaller size, so your book title needs to be larger so that in theory it can be read even at a smaller size. I would also think about lightening up the colors a bit, for those with ebook readers that use e-ink the image will be displayed in black and white, so keep that in mind as well.

    Congrats on taking this exciting step into the wonderful world of books!

    Amy

  • Ammonite HerpsAmmonite Herps Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Good point on the e-ink. Forgot about that since I got my Kindle. Like I said these are mostly concepts so your input is most helpful.

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