Bob’s Feedback

I have one overarching thought: the title is important, and should be prominent. Title should be at the top, since it can display behind other books. Go to any online bookshelf, what jumps out are titles. Big titles. You have a good title. I do think the title is fairly prominent in all of these. The “Blue Sand” cover literally illustrates what i’m talking about; it skirts the abstract, is heavily reliant on typgoraphy and color—and yet there’s enough ‘watermark tide’ in the textural background to reference the title and concept.

Original Cover with 3 dogs

PROS

  • Tells/teases something about the story/characters
  • Title is big; easy to see. The title is the most important element; as or more important than the imagery
  • Intriguing with the dogs looking at viewer; protagonist looking away
  • Ambiguity of protagonist allows for relatability; ‘that could be me’
  • Watermarks in sand relate to title

CONS

  • Image is dark; feels contemplative, but also a little somber
  • Compositionally, it would be better if there was more sky, so the title didn’t intersect the landscape
  • The composition flattens out – if you squint your eyes, there’s no focal point; the background-landscape has as much visual emphasis as the foreground figures
  • There’s no illustrative focal point—although the title is evident
  • Its a cool image, but still feels a little AI

Modified Cover – Just Beach

PROS

  • Non-specific Space and ambiguity create intrigue.
  • Title is big; easy to see
  • Feels calm

CONS

  • Feels thoughtful/meditative – I don’t know if that’s a con
  • There’s no illustrative focal point—although the title is evident

Blue Sand

PROS

  • Abstract yet literal: conveys the title
  • Modern / feels adult
  • It doesn’t convey any specific person/character; leaves room for imagination
  • Focus on and easy to see Title
  • Lack of specififity creates intrigue

CONS

  • Too highbrow?/abstract?
  • If you want, of feel that a place or character or setting needs to convey narrative or is what attracts readers: this does not have that

3 Dogs running on the beach w/footprints

PROS

  • has feeling; winds; surf; spacious;
  • non-specific to humans or character, although character is suggested by footprints
  • everybody can relate to dogs running free like maniacs with no care
  • tells something of the story, but not much, so creates intrigue
  • footprints could be protagonist? or anybody’s? random?
  • Title is prominent

CONS

  • Too abstract? too far away from the narrative?
  • If it suggests a particular feeling that the manuscript doesn’t contain, then this would not be it.

Woman w/3 Dogs Misty Beach

PROS

  • My version of Patricia’s version, included in this group of covers
  • has feeling; Light; winds; surf; spacious;
  • Simple composition / not a lot of competing visual elements
  • There is interaction with the figure and the far-left dog
  • Non-specific back of person
  • Natural elements/water/light are nice
  • tells something of the story, but not much, so creates intrigue
  • Leaves enough to the imagination, to find out more
  • Feels clean/simple/modern
  • Title is prominent

CONS

  • If it suggests a particular feeling that the manuscript doesn’t contain, then this would not be it.

Woman w/3 Dogs California/Patricia

PROS

  • similar narrative as the one Bob Created: woman on beach with 3 dogs
  • has feeling; Light; winds; surf; spacious;
  • There is interaction with the figure and the far-left dog
  • Non-specific back of person
  • Natural elements/water/light are nice
  • tells something of the story, but not much, so creates intrigue
  • Leaves enough to the imagination, to find out more
  • I feel like this is the setting Patricia envisions, because Patricia created it!
  • Title is prominent

CONS

  • Compositionally, it would be nice if the woman’s head did not intersect with the skyline
  • Compositionally; I would like to see the figure above the skyline, (skyline/horizon moved down) so the figures are more visually prominent/in the foreground
  • I think its a little too detailed; maybe a little too muted in color;
  • I think it could either be more photorealistic rendered, or some stylization to suggest it is hand-rendered/painted

Solitary Figure Low Tide

PROS

  • Simple/modern/spacious/easy-to-see title
  • bright/daytime
  • Relatable by figure is ambiguous/non-specific; looks like a woman, but could be a man
  • I think there’s a specific feeling of being out on the flats when the tide is super-low; and its when you really see all the impressions/watermarks
  • I like the bars at top and bottom; it feels branded; contained/framed; gives “a Novel” and author name a similar space – apart from the image
  • Big title

CONS

  • Doesn’t tell enough?
  • needs dogs?
  • Or is not the mood
  • Isn’t the right style…