seascapes The Book continued .........



2 further versions of the cover here - which one? would you vote for me? which do you prefer? (the white line is merely to show where the spine is, it isn't white on the cover and the white background is simply to make the black book show up)

Maggie suggested making the text to my name all the same height - which dealt with the niggly dissatisfaction I had about it - which made me decide to go for lower case letters only (sorry Casey, who didn't like that idea - I rather do like it!)

All this feedback is really helpful - so please, let me know which cover design you preer and why?

Casey pointed out that black may show finger marks, a good point - I like it though so I'll risk it! I'll know when I see the proof whether it will work long term.

I've decided to give it a subtitle - Casey I think you are right and it needs one. This may be a fragment of poetry or may simply be Cornwall or West Coast for one book and East Coast for the other (I may split the images into 2 books) - any suggestions for suitable fragments of poems? I've stuck 'I must go down to the sea again ..' on as a working title at the moment but I'd like something more atmospheric.

Help????

plus I've struck a problem this morning and blurb is misbehaving and won't open :>(

.

Comments

Hi
Personal preference - I like the second one best. The strip images look better spread out across the whole back rather than in the centre. Black suits them better than white. Small case letters work for your name.
Have you thought of writing your own poetry words? I did that for a piece I made with text on it - then it was totally mine. They only have to portray how you feel about the subject and the paintings that ensued.
Good luck with it all
Cheers
Shirley
sionwyn said…
I like the bottom one. The white behind the images on the top version's back looks bitty somehow.
Jeanette Jobson said…
Vivien, this is coming along nicely. Its good to play with a variety of setups before you make a final decision and a cover really does sell the contents quite often.

I like the second version here. The coloured strips on the black provide impact. The lettering works for me too.

As for ocean/sea poetry, try my favourite poet, Pablo Neruda. He did a number of poems about the sea. You can google his name and find any number of resources. A book of his sea poems was produced called 'On the Blue Shore of Silence' and you might find something interesting there. here's a sample from 'It is Born'.

Here I came to the very edge
where nothing at all needs saying,
everything is absorbed through weather and the sea,
and the moon swam back,
its rays all silvered,
and time and again the darkness would be broken
by the crash of a wave,
and every day on the balcony of the sea,
wings open, fire is born,
and everything is blue again like morning.
vivien said…
oh this is all so helpful :>)

You've all chosen my preference which is great :>)

Jeanette I really love poetry that and will definitely look up Pablo Neruda - I'd never heard of him. Thank you.

Sionwyn - Hi and thank you for the feedback :>)
I, too, like the second one. The larger slices on black are stunning---the small ones on white, not so much ;D.
I would make the subtitle informative and brief---an amplification of the scope of the book: Cornwall, etc. You can have a poetic preface. You want the title of your book to be easily reached by google searchers.
Can't wait to have my very own copy!
vivien said…
good points :>)

I'll keep thinking
Lindsay said…
I like the bottom back cover better. It also has a certain look that matches your blog (I'm sure this is not all that important but it looks consisitant) I also like the idea of your name lettering being all the same size. The dots on the "i's" distract a bit. I like laura's comment on a brief sub title. This is looking very good. I can't wait to have it in my hands.
Billie Crain said…
i love the second cover with the black bg, Vivien. seems to be the popular choice and it really showcases your artwork best. the choice of lettering is also excellent. even though you used lower case letters for your name the size paired with the bold script of the title works as well.

if you have a poetic side i'd definitely suggest you create your own words. i did find a poem by Lucy Maud Montgomery called The Sea Spirit. i borrowed the last line of the first verse:

"And the sea is a beautiful, sinuous thing."

short and sweet but i think it says it all.:D
vivien said…
I thought it had a 'corporate identity' with the blog Lyndsay :>) - or I just like black!

Billie I searched and searched for an apt bit of poetry out of copyright but couldn't find quite the right thing - I've stuck with the 'or I must go down to the sea again' for the prototype that's for me - that's how I so often feel! There was lots of great poetry to find but it needed the whole poem and no particular fragement worked - and there are copyright issues if it's contemporary and I just couldn't wait for permission - I want to SEE the book!
dinahmow said…
Definitely black! (Otherwise, it's a bit like setting canapes on a busily-patterned plate)
Of course, the final choice must "speak" to you, but perhaps stay with an English poet, since the paintings are of England's coastline?
Whatever you decide, I think you will have a lovely book. Sod the fingerprints!
vivien said…
Dinah you put it so much better - but that's what I thought!

I think I may leave the poetry - not sure.

This book will give me an idea of how my stuff works out (Tina's book is gorgeous) and if ok then I've got plans for more :>)
vivien said…
Dinah you put it so much better - but that's what I thought!

I think I may leave the poetry - not sure.

This book will give me an idea of how my stuff works out (Tina's book is gorgeous) and if ok then I've got plans for more :>)
lmp said…
I like them both but the second one is more elegant looking. I love the small case letters in your name. Love the way you inserted it vertically. Cool. You could use quotes about the ocean as well as snippets of poetry. Are you selling the book? Thanks for sharing the process with us.
vivien said…
Thanks Lisa :>)

I am planning to sell it if it has worked out ok I'm just hoping the colour repro is good.
Tina Mammoser said…
I like the strips version too. :)

As for subtitles, I've actually had an afternoon reading sea poetry. Here's some of my favourites, maybe one will inspire you!
(these are all just shortened links to poems online)
http://tinyurl.com/44dpoq
http://tinyurl.com/3nnh3r
http://tinyurl.com/3l9kfs
http://tinyurl.com/3bmh5e
http://tinyurl.com/fcjx
vivien said…
Thanks for those Tina :>)

I particularly like this one

Once by the Pacific

The shattered water made a misty din.
Great waves looked over others coming in,
And thought of doing something to the shore
That water never did to land before.
The clouds were low and hairy in the skies,
Like locks blown forward in the gleam of eyes.
You could not tell, and yet it looked as if
The shore was lucky in being backed by cliff,
The cliff in being backed by continent;
It looked as if a night of dark intent
Was coming, and not only a night, an age.
Someone had better be prepared for rage.
There would be more than ocean-water broken
Before God's last 'Put out the Light' was spoken.

-- Robert Frost

this is so suited to the wild Atlantic shores of Cornwall

and I like the second half of the quote I used

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

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