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Brandon Sanderson / Re: More Art for You to Digest
« on: November 10, 2007, 11:53:16 PM »
That's a pretty ostentatious dress for Vivenna!
(I assume it is Vivenna and not Siri given the sword.)
- I like the bold, colorful look of the concept -- it is eye-catching!
- I like the pose: the kneeling down, dress pooled, bloody sword...very dramatic.
- The simple composition does make the book look a little too simple, if you know what I mean: it is a complex book in terms of the multiple POVs, the mystery-driven plot, etc. I agree with pengwenn, some sort of background depth would be nice to see because the setting does play such an important role in the story. If Vivenna was just a bit smaller and further down on the cover, you could do something like have sketchy hints of the gray and drab slums over one of her shoulders and then the colorful, saturated Court of Gods over the other shoulder...kind of visually showing that Viv is the bridge between the two. Maybe have a shadowy figure with a sword in the background (which readers will assume is Denth). Just...something more, that conveys more about what kind of story it is and that gives a broader spectrum of readers something that may appeal to their sensibilities.
- Vivenna looks a little haughty, uncaring, unapproachable...which of course she is early in the book, but to have her in full SpoiledPrincess! mode on the cover may make the book itself seem unapproachable. Over the top "damsel in distress" is bad, but it wouldn't hurt if the dress was a little dirty or perhaps if some of the color had been drained from it -- if it looked used -- and if Viv looked a little more intent/determined/concerned rather than haughtily dismissive.
Just my $.02,
MattD
(I assume it is Vivenna and not Siri given the sword.)
- I like the bold, colorful look of the concept -- it is eye-catching!
- I like the pose: the kneeling down, dress pooled, bloody sword...very dramatic.
- The simple composition does make the book look a little too simple, if you know what I mean: it is a complex book in terms of the multiple POVs, the mystery-driven plot, etc. I agree with pengwenn, some sort of background depth would be nice to see because the setting does play such an important role in the story. If Vivenna was just a bit smaller and further down on the cover, you could do something like have sketchy hints of the gray and drab slums over one of her shoulders and then the colorful, saturated Court of Gods over the other shoulder...kind of visually showing that Viv is the bridge between the two. Maybe have a shadowy figure with a sword in the background (which readers will assume is Denth). Just...something more, that conveys more about what kind of story it is and that gives a broader spectrum of readers something that may appeal to their sensibilities.
- Vivenna looks a little haughty, uncaring, unapproachable...which of course she is early in the book, but to have her in full SpoiledPrincess! mode on the cover may make the book itself seem unapproachable. Over the top "damsel in distress" is bad, but it wouldn't hurt if the dress was a little dirty or perhaps if some of the color had been drained from it -- if it looked used -- and if Viv looked a little more intent/determined/concerned rather than haughtily dismissive.
Just my $.02,
MattD