Cover Designing Tips from a Amateur

Hola!

Today, I'd like to talk about COVER DESIGN. One of my favorite creative hobbies. I'm learning new cover design skills everyday. But I'm still a amateur... So, today's post is all about cover design tips from yours truly!

1. Font's will make or break your cover

I couldn't stress this enough! The fonts you use on your cover set the mood. The way they look automatically make the viewer think of something. This happened to me the other day. I was designing a cover and picked this cool "handwritten" font. But as I looked at it, I kept thinking "crayon"  and that simply didn't fit the vibe that I was going for. It looked too childish, so I went with something more formal.

Also, don't overwhelm the cover with fonts. I typically use two fonts per cover (I like using one calligraphy font pared with a regular type font.) Three tops. It can get too crowded when there are lots of different fonts.

This might be the most crucial decision when you are designing a cover. And this is what most likely will take me the longest when designing. Such a agonizing decision (too many choices!) but SO worth it!

2. Go for coordinating colors

The colors you pull out really matter in your cover! If you are using two pictures that have way different color schemes, they aren't going to go well together. The colors you pick should match, coordinate, and flow well.

And obviously don't use red and green for a summer cover.

In my covers, I'm drawn to neutral, earthy colors. Though there is a place for bright and pastels as well. Again, setting the mood for the cover (and essentially the story inside.)

3. Use good quality pictures

Quality pictures.
Quality pictures.
Quality pictures.

Ok, yes. It's very important to have good quality pictures! And it's equally important to have the photos go with the story/book. If it's about a animal shelter, don't put a kid's playground on the cover. That would be random. If it's about Alaska, don't put a photo of the beach. Etc.

On a side note: I currently use free pictures from Canva. But eventually, I'd like to start taking a few of my own pictures for my covers. A personal touch is always neat.

4. Make sure everything is center (or off center if that's what you're going for) 

It bugs me when the title is off center. Especially when it's supposed to be center. Now, if it's supposed to be off center, go for it. But, please, be picky on what's center and what's off center. You'll save a lot of heartache from picky cover critiques like *looks around* (am I the only one?)

5. Have a clear focal point

What do you want to stand out? What is the "Point" of this cover? What message do you want to get across? What do you want potential readers to think of when they see this cover?

Make it clear your focal point. It's confusing when there is too much going on and none of it seems to go with each other.

6. Make sure the title and the picture complements each other

This is a key importance! First off, make sure your title goes with the cover. If the title is "Paper Airplane Letters," make the photos you use work for it. Don't confuse your viewers. Make sure to include airplanes, paper, kids arts and crafts, something to tie into the title. Secondly, if the title doesn't have a place to fit comfortably on the cover, something needs to change. You can't just slap a title over your picture, not caring what the words are covering up. Make sure there is a clear area to put the title so it won't get "lost" in the cover picture. I see this happen a lot. You don't want your future readers to have to squint hard in order to read the title of the book. So definitely make sure the title is clear and readable!

7. Don't make it too complicated, but don't make it simple

I'm confusing you, sorry. Let me explain. If your cover is super simple, it won't look professional. But on the other hand, if it's "too much razzle" (lol, I'm quoting Yogi Bear. If you know, you know) Anyway, if it's too much... Well, it also won't be professional. There is a fine line that cover designers walk.

8. Make sure the cover fits the genre 

Yes! Do your research! Observe other covers in the correct genre. If you're working on a fantasy cover, your aren't going to be looking for soft and whimsical. If your working on a Historical cover, you aren't going to be looking for modern pictures. If your working on suspense, you want to look for something bold. Etc. Go with your gut. And try to customize the cover to the story as best you can. I always love it when there is something on the cover that ties really well with the story inside...

9. If it's in a series, be thinking of ways to "match" it with all the books in the series

I love it when series have similarly designed covers! They match and fit, and it just makes me smile. (I especially love it when the spines of the covers match and look nice together.) But this is something to think about when designing covers for a series.

10. Think professional 

This is so important, guys! Everyone judges a book by it's cover. You want the cover you design to make a good first impression. I always show my designs to my sister and if they don't work, she will be honest (Sometimes brutally honest) but 99% of the time, she's right! And I hear this a lot: "this one looks too self published." No offensive to self published books, but I have to say, a LOT of self published books have covers that aren't professional at all. The self publishing industry has come a LONG way, but yeah, the goal is for covers to look like there was a lot of time invested in their design. Time and thought, not something just haphazardly put together on a whim. That's the goal anyway!

Are you interested in Cover Design? 

If so, what's one of your tips? What did you think of theses tips? 
Comment Below!

If you're interested in seeing any of my designs, make sure to visit my Design Portfolio page!!

Many Blessings,

Brooklyne Elysse