Author Topic: Irene Gallo Discusses Mistborn Art *New MB paperback artwork*  (Read 21253 times)

Fellfrosch

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Re: Irene Gallo Discusses Mistborn Art *New MB paperback artwork*
« Reply #75 on: December 18, 2006, 05:25:03 PM »
I actually like the PB1 cover much better than the MB2 cover. It has a lot of weird crap, but the colors are better and the background is more dynamic.
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Bookstore Guy

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Re: Irene Gallo Discusses Mistborn Art *New MB paperback artwork*
« Reply #76 on: December 21, 2006, 09:27:54 PM »
Like I said in a previous post, I really like MB2's cover - I think it really sets the tone for how the last part of the novel is.  It feels very stylized and gritty.  It will stand out in a good way on the book shelves next to MB1 hardcover (because the pb1 cover will be spined out).

I actually think it may have been cool to leave pb1 cover in black & white like the concept sketches, and have the figure in the backround be an inquistor.  I like a lot of Jon Foster's B&W sketches.
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Lightningfall

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Re: Irene Gallo Discusses Mistborn Art *New MB paperback artwork*
« Reply #77 on: January 03, 2007, 07:20:29 PM »
Well, I'm pretty new here but, here it goes anyway.  I've been a fan since Elantris came out.  I loved that cover, that was what made me pick it up.  I bought Mistborn because I liked Elantris, and the cover was very interesting.
I, now, have to say that, just as an explanation, I hate inaccuracies on book covers.  So, there you have it.
First, I think the Grim Reaper should be an inquisitor or some other character that was actually in the book.  Next, the crows should go, replace them with something else, arrows or some other projectile.  Now, I was under the impression that the majority of a Mistborn's wanderings was at night, where's the night?  Also, I think the mist should be a bit more defined.  I agree with many of you said that the place should be more dirty.  I don't know that this is really covered in the book but, I know in places that get a lot of snow the buildings have steeply pitched roofs, not flat most of the time, so that it will slid off and not accumulate, because if the load get to be too much the building will colapse unless you shovel it off often.  Now, that one was just a little something from my own experience.  I was also under the impression that the mistcloak was an actual cloak not a skirt.  I should cover the entire body in my opinion.  I think the face needs some work too.  And last, I think the dagger in Vin's hand should at least look like obsidian or glass.
Now, some of the good.  Although the color scheme doesn't really pop it seems to be fairly accurate to me.  I also like the metal lines.  I know they're supposed to be straight but this makes it much more visually appealing.  I think, other than the reaper and the crows, that the more I look at it the more I like it.  Just not for the cover of Mistborn.

Shuez

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Re: Irene Gallo Discusses Mistborn Art *New MB paperback artwork*
« Reply #78 on: January 10, 2007, 10:18:08 PM »
Brandon wanted our opinions, well the short answer is that I detest this Mistborn paperback cover! I'm sorry, but covers DO sell books to the naif consumer. Every so often I like to randomly purchase a book from an author that I know nothing about. The criteria I use is:

1) Book cover (I know don't judge a book by it's cover).
2) I read the first page.
3) I open it to the middle of the book and read another page.

If the cover impresses me AND I like the prose and stye of the writer, then a purchase is made.

----------

I find the Mistborn Hardcover resplendent. My wife loves it, my baby girl stares at it everyday - wide-eyed and fascinated. The Mistborn 2 HB is wonderful as well.

But...

Things I hate about the paperback cover:

1) Vin is flat-out ugly. Very peculiar angles and dimensions.
2) Crows? Cliche. "Oh nooo, it the crows!!!"
3) Reaper = cliche x 2. What chapter was the grim reaper in again?
4) The lines (in my opinion) should be long waves, not jagged lines like lightning.

I don't know if Tor know this, but Mistborn is NOTHING like Harry Potter in style. Lets not disguise it with a poor knock-off HP cover. It will only misrepresent and depreciate Brandon's hard work.

Well, that's my 2 & 1/2 cents worth.

Shuez
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Re: Irene Gallo Discusses Mistborn Art *New MB paperback artwork*
« Reply #79 on: January 10, 2007, 11:06:24 PM »
I'm hesitant to post this just because I don't want fans going to this forum just to post what you don't like about the cover nor do we want to seem like that's the purpose of any of this but Jon Foster posted in an art forum concept designs for the MB paperback cover and I'm loving the last one (scroll down to the end of the post).

http://conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1113215&postcount=88
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Skar

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Re: Irene Gallo Discusses Mistborn Art *New MB paperback artwork*
« Reply #80 on: January 10, 2007, 11:12:34 PM »
Oh, wow.  You're right Sprig.  The last one is much better than the one they went with.  Lose the stupid sickles and it would be perfect.  Well, except for the little details as well, like the skirt instead of mist cloak. But the look is a thousand times better.

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« Last Edit: January 10, 2007, 11:14:52 PM by Skangle Bells »
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Re: Irene Gallo Discusses Mistborn Art *New MB paperback artwork*
« Reply #81 on: January 10, 2007, 11:14:24 PM »
I've asked EUOL to see if we can use it on the new website.
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Re: Irene Gallo Discusses Mistborn Art *New MB paperback artwork*
« Reply #82 on: January 11, 2007, 01:13:36 AM »
Oh, I like that one so much better. I am in total agreement about the look of the picture, and it is actually a scene that I can think of in the book, minus the sickles that is. I wonder why this one was left on the shelf, so to speak, or if maybe the decision isn't final yet. I know it is kind of monochromatic, but I think that is part of the appeal, for me, as the hb cover is very monochromatic as well. I know there are shades, and that sort of thing, but the majority of the picture is one base color. Much better on the bottom picture, I think.

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Re: Irene Gallo Discusses Mistborn Art *New MB paperback artwork*
« Reply #83 on: January 11, 2007, 02:39:15 AM »
I think a reason for not using the other image was it's not very cover friendly, if you look at elantris' PB cover almost half of it is text so I'm sure MB will be the same.  I just don't think this cover would have worked as well but I'm sure if that was a reason there were many more.

But in the end we have to remember that decisions being made is by someone who's not only been doing this for a long time (choosing covers that is) and is quite successful at it and she has access to data on top of experience that non of us have in knowing what's right for the market.
« Last Edit: January 11, 2007, 02:41:35 AM by Spriggan »
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Re: Irene Gallo Discusses Mistborn Art *New MB paperback artwork*
« Reply #84 on: January 11, 2007, 08:40:59 PM »
I love the last one and it while monochromatic it leaps out at you.  It fits the book though the cloak lacks and the scythes are wrong but the impact is much better overall a real improvement.  Vin could be prettier again but this ia a grat improvement overall.

Kel