More Art for You to Digest

[dreamking47]

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

[Shi]

Ok, time to throw in my opinion. I've been contemplating how I feel on the cover, and that's why it's taken me so long to post (or maybe I was just really busy the past two days....)

Ok, this is Dan Dos Santos, right? I know some people were wondering about the style, and DDS always has clean, gorgeously detailed illistrations.

This image is very alluring. I especially love the strong contrast of light and dark, it immediately pulls your eye to the character. And I have to disagree about it being to 'girly'. I think that's a rather sexist comment. If there was a book with only a man on the cover (of wich there are thousands), it wouldn't make me less inclined to read it. There's a woman kneeling in a gown, with a bloody sword in her lap, now how can you tell me that doesn't make you want to read it?

I also have to disagree that it would be better if it depicted a scene. It would be different, but not better. A covers job is to get you to look at the book, and hopefully once you look at the book you'll buy it. There are plenty of books out there that have just character covers, and are very affective. Dan Dos Santos' stuff always makes me stop in my tracks and turn to the book. Even BEFORE I know who he was. This image gives you teasers, really, as to what the books about. Who's that girl? Why's she holding a bloody sword? Why is there a ranbow coming out of her mouth (and that's not one that gets asked very often)?

But I'll agree, the 'breath' would look like a weird tongue, if you didn't know what it was. But some slight ajusting would fix that. And the arms are a little off, but remember this is a concept sketch, those kind of descrepancies will most likely be fixed in the final image.

[Eudaimoniac]

Initially i would like to state that i have not read Warbreaker yet. I have downloaded it, and am currently debating with myself weather to read it now, or wait till it gets published...

Then being said - on the the cover-art

Realising it is only a sketch i have a few comments (and some are repeats of what other have already written)...

1) If you cut the picture in half horizontally, it could be seen as if she way lying down. That coupled with the beginning colour of that thing out of her mouth is red if think it looks like blood and she is defeated in some way - she has also lost grip of her weapon

2) The 'k' in warbreaker really annoys me. I'm not sure if it's a strange 'k', 'r' or 'h'. I would rather that the title was written using the font of the 2. 'w'

3) Does the 'w' impart some significance, since it is represented 3 times on the cover alone. The 2 are in connection with the title, and there is a 'w' hidden in the thing coming out of her mouth

4) what is the thing coming out of her mouth ?  - if i were to analyze it, i would say she's dead (the red beginning) and then the colour changes to that of the rainbow (happiness, afterlife ?) which is kinda happy... So perhaps her death accomplished something ?

5) the string of rope tied to the hilt of the sword gives me an Asian/samurai impression...

6) As others have stated, it does bear a tone of femininity. Of being targeted more towards the female half of the population. 


That was my off-the-top-of-my-head impressions


Would it make me buy it ? - No
Would it make me read the synopsis - Maybe. The femininity of the cover-art would mean that i should have the time and be in a 'browsing-mood' To flip to the synopsis and read it. If i was just quickly browsing to see if something would pop out - this wouldn't

[Rain_Storm]

I always thought the breath was more iridescent, the concept looks like she spat out a bolt of lightning.

I also have a suggestion to make the cover less pretty-girly. With her eyes shut it’s very dreamy, if they were open, and looked like they were staring directly at you it would be much less so.

Overall it’s beautiful!

[Shuez]

As posted on LJ:

I like it with two exceptions: first, the title needs to be bigger (it is a necessity for the readability of the font used). Secondly, I peronally would like to see the character appear just a little more voluptuous. I am not necessarily referring to an increased bosom, but rather a woman that does not appear so thin in her dress; more buxom overall. Basically, the difference between a woman that is size 0 or 2 and and woman that is size 6 or 8.

Just my 2 cents,

R. Schuyler Devin a.k.a Shuez

In addendum, I do agree with Ookla The Mok's comment about the kerning between the r and e being too wide and Eudaimoniac's comments about the 'k'.

[achren99]

One of the first things I thought when looking at it is how distant she looks with her eyes closed.  I think she would look more approachable and powerful and draw people into the book more if she had her eyes open.  This just seems to make her look...weak...which Vivenna isn't.  The picture is really pretty, but I don't think it really represents what the book is about.  A few changes could fix that, though.

[Queen Mother]

Here's another 2 cents worth of opinion...
1. I agree arms are too long. Bugs me.
2. Hair not gorgeous messy, just messy.
3. Hair and skin coloration are not enough for a good contrast to find appealing.
4. The neckline of the dress looks like the type to have some man be painted in to be leaning over her to be kissing her on the neck type of art.  I'd pass over that book.  Sell it to Harlequin Romance books...
5. Swords with blood on them aren't my thing, but I think it does tell a story by depicting it in the picture.  I think it needs more in the picture to depict more of the story to grab me to pick it up to wonder about it.
6. I like the cover of Mistborn I as Vin has movement, action.  She seems wholesome in a tough situation with that inquisitor below.  This pictures seems a little stagnant.  I like strong good women depicted even if that isn't who they are in the beginning of a book and they become this later.
7. I like the lettering to the title.  I just think it needs to be way bigger.

..only opinions...good luck with whatever you choose.

[EUOL]

Newest versions of this:


They still haven't fixed the 'tongue' but there are some other interesting changes.

[Tage]

Wow, that white dress makes a huge difference. I like it a lot more. I'd still like the color trail to be more whispy and her eyes to be open, but I really like the white dress.

[Sigyn]

I don't know, I like the warmth of the orange dress.  It also has greater contrast with the sword and hair, but the white dress has greater contrast with the breath.

[CtrlZed]

This picture is growing on me a lot...especially now that it's getting more refined.  The white dress makes a huge difference.  There's still resonance of romance, but as a piece of artwork, I'm enjoying seeing how the artist is refining it.

So, overall, my opinion is changing.  I'm beginning to think that this could be the most-striking cover for any of your books.  The simplicity paired with the intense colors and black to white contrast will draw people's eyes.  A cover like this may very well help the book sell more successfully.  Who is the artist?

[42]

I like the white dress a lot. Its more how I imagined the book as I read it. Intense colors overwhelming duller colors.

Still not a fan of the tongue thing. Also, I'm not a fan of the typography by a long shot.

The more I look at both pictures, I think I'd prefer her to have a slightly darker skin-tone. It'd help the viewer to see the human form a little more clearly.

To me. the dress does appear to be rather southwestern native american, though it doesn't appear to be intentional.

[VegasDev]

I like the white dress better, but I just don't really like the way the breath is done.

Others have commented that it looks like a long tongue, but to me it almost looks like a ribbon flying away as her hair comes undone. If you put your thumb over the breath the picture almost looks better.

[Archon]

I think the yellow dress is too distracting. The white dress provides a much better contrast for the breath.

I don't like that the breath seems to fade into her hair. I like how the hair fades, and I like the look of the breath, I just don't like that point where you can't tell them apart. You might want to try putting a different color there. Since there are already a lot of cooler colors, I think that a bright red would look good. There is already a bit of red around her mouth, I know, but I still think it would look good.

I'm with pengwenn on the double "w." Fade in the larger one, and get rid of the smaller one. On the other hand, I did like how in the original cover, the lettering cast a shadow over her dress.

I know I am against the group on this one, but I think that she looks better with her eyes closed. Granted, I haven't read the book, but I can't imagine that it would give a different impression of this woman's character just by having her eyes open.

Overall: If I let myself buy books based on the cover, I would have way too many of them by now. However, I would pick this one up and look at the teaser based on the cover.

[Rain_Storm]

I think the matching blue eyeshadow is a little too much...I'm still for open eyes too.