Hi Everyone!!! :-)
We have a very special guest here with us today. Erin Dameron-Hill is an indie author, but
what she's most known for are her beautiful amazing book cover designs (like
the stunning cover of Taken By The Huntsman ;-) )!! I know a lot of you write, are writing, or want to write your own
novels, and Erin is a truly gifted artist to work with when it comes time for
that all important marketing tool: The
Cover! ;-) So listen to her, she's
really amazing at what she does and she helped me (a totally clueless newbie) a
lot! Sprinkled through this post will
be some examples of her work. Feel free
to drool, I do. ;-)
Erin, thank you so much for coming today! Will you tell us how long you've been a
cover artist and what made you decide to start creating book covers? :-)
Erin: I've been a
cover artist for several years and have been involved in self-publishing since
2004. Yeah, that's before
self-publishing changed the world of reading as we know it. I became enthralled with the industry in
2003--I tried to be an author. I wanted
to write a vampire thriller so I did. I
wrote for an underground group. The
story was awful. I'm a terrible
author. Anyway, someone actually
decided to publish my story. That's
where I met several talented authors.
The publishing company we were contracted with treated us all like crap
(which is one of the reasons self-publishing became big--authors were upset at
how they were being treated and rightly so).
My fellow authors and I decided to go elsewhere--self-publishing. Our experience with publishers had put a
nasty taste in our mouth and we all thought we might try self-publishing. This was in 2006. Well, we looked for artists who created covers and at that time,
there was no one who created covers who weren't associated with
publishers. This put us all in a
pickle. We racked our brains and by
unanimous vote, my fellow authors decided I should create our covers because of
my artistic background. I knew nothing
about creating covers. I had classes in
digital art and all things art but creating covers seemed foreign to me. My first cover was terrible. I admit it--it was tragically awful. But I had enjoyed the process immensely so I
took classes about cover art, marketing, advertising. I did research on covers that were always on the bestseller
lists. I found great stock sites. I learned how to digitally paint. I loved the process so much that I stopped
writing--I'm a terrible author anyway, I know where my strengths lie LOL--and
continued to improve my craft and knowledge of cover art. Now, I am an Award-Winning Cover Artist who
absolutely loves her job.
Me: Wow! You were
one of the pioneers!! Congratulations on your awards, I'm know they are
well-deserved. :-) What are the things
you like most and least about creating covers?
Erin: The best thing
I like about creating covers is the freedom to create. I know that sounds weird, but being able to
create something unique and eye-catching just makes my day. I absolutely love it when the author is
pleased as a pig in mud because they've let me experiment and create something
original. The worst thing about
creating covers is searching for stock images.
I know, I should love it because I get to look at semi-naked models all
the time but it gets boring after awhile.
The models all start to look the same.
Me: I can definitely
relate about needing a creative outlet, though I have no talent when it comes
to visual design. :-) So, from what
you've said about stock images, I'm guessing you'd say one of the biggest
challenges when it comes to cover design would have to do with selecting a
model, can you tell us about that?
Erin: The biggest
challenge is finding a stock image that doesn't scream "posing". So many models, females especially and the
photographers who aren't great, decide that the poses need to be for
Playboy. A cover is not a porno. When it comes to romance covers or erotica
covers, emotion is the key factor. Not
showing body parts. I don't choose images
where the butt or boobs are prominent--I'm looking for passion, desire, and as
I mentioned before, emotion. Regardless
of the genre, if a model is on the cover, that model has to portray
emotion. It can't be just a simple pose
or sexy pose--it has to grip a potential reader by the short hairs. The look on the model or how he/she is
holding a sword/weapon/gun/flowers is key.
So many models and photographers just don't understand this. So, I spend HOURS searching stock sites for
just the right look. That's the biggest
challenge. It gets frustrating to see
so many unusable images. But when I do
stumble upon the right image, I literally squee and jump for joy :-)
Me: Ha! Well, I
don't know how long it took to find it, but the image you used for my cover is
perfect!! You really do have a very good eye. :-) When designing a cover, what's the first thing you have to do and
why?
Erin: The first
thing I do when designing a cover is to choose the fonts and their
placement. I am a font snob. A cover can look truly amazing but if an
amateur adds a Microsoft Word font or some other common font, the cover can
then turn blah. Fonts are important for
establishing genre, feel, and balance.
Of course, I change the fonts throughout the process but I first start
with fonts so I know which direction I'm going.
Me: See that! You
learn something new everyday! I never would have guessed you start with the
font, but your reasoning does make sense. :-) What's the most important thing a
person who wants to hire you can do?
Erin: The most
important thing a person can do is to keep an open mind. Don't have a preset cover in mind. Authors are very close to their work--as
they should be--but this can hurt a cover.
The author wants everything in the book on a cover and a cover just
can't hold all that awesomeness. It
needs to have focus--just a few important objects, nothing more. Otherwise the cover can become chaotic and
potentially repel potential readers.
Let the cover artist do his or her thing. Before hiring a cover artist, don't look at pricing. Look at their portfolio. Choose a few artists whose work you
absolutely love. Then look at
pricing. Choosing an artist because he
or she is cheap will hurt you in the long run if you hate their work.
Me: Hey! I resemble
that remark! The one about wanting to include everything. ;-) I have to say, the
less-is-more concept is not always an easy one to embrace, but you are
definitely correct. :-) And you're also
right about needing to appreciate an artist's work. Not every work of art will appeal to everyone, just like not
everyone will like our books; that doesn't mean the work is bad, it just
doesn't appeal to your taste. Find one
that does. :-) Otherwise no one will be
happy. If there was one thing you wish
that the people who hire you understood, what would that thing be?
Erin: That I have
loads of experience in this field. If I
offer advice, please listen to it.
Don't disregard it. I only have
the author's best interest in mind. I
create covers that sell books--that's my goal, that's my job. So if I feel something requested would
potentially harm sales, don't ignore me.
I want only the best for your book.
Me: And I can say
from personal experience that your advice is spot-on! :-) How long does it normally take for you to
complete a cover, start to finish?
Erin: That
depends. Some covers require less work
than others. The process generally
takes anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks.
Me: Well it's
obvious you put a lot of heart and soul into your work as well as elbow grease.
:-) I know we've posted a few samples
of your work here today, but just so these lovely people can find more of it to
admire, or hire, are there any links you'd like to post?
Erin:
My website: http://edhgraphics.blogspot.com/
My ello page: https://ello.co/edhgraphics
Deviant Art: http://edameronhill.deviantart.com/
I don't have any favorite covers--they're all my
favorites! But attached are the most
recent covers so you can get an idea of where my style is at the moment. Thank you so much for inviting me to be on
your blog!
Me: You're welcome, Erin, I was thrilled to have you! Thank you for telling us all a bit about your process and how to make sure we get the best cover for our books! :-) Everyone else, thank you for joining us today, and please check back often for the latest news, updates, and interviews! :-)
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