[algernoninc]

I know there must have been similar topics about the importance of a cover for the first impression about a novel, but I would like to see who would you choose to illustrate your novel [if you were a writer] and why? My proposals for the poll are : Michael Whelan, Keith Parkinson, Luis Royo, Boris Vallejo, Jim Burns, Rowena Morril, other.

I admit, I have [more than once] ordered a book because I liked the cover. The first examples that came to mind are:

- "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn" by Tad Williams- Michael Whelan's image from "To Green Angel Tower" has long stayed on my computer wallpaper, as has "The Dragons of Perth" series of illustrations.
- "Rhapsody of the Ages" - illustrations by Luis Royo - I didn't even know the name of the author, so I used a search engine to track them.
- The Assassin's Apprentice" and"The Liveship Traders" - although in the last case I also liked the blurbs on the back cover
- "Shannara" series - illustrations by Keith Parkinson - this series was a dissapointment, although "North Watch" by Parkinson is still one of my favorite wallpapers.

[Severance]

Geoff Taylor is a British artist, criminally ignored over the years, but who has produced hundreds of stunning covers over here for many years for authors such as Fritz Leiber, David Eddings, Raymond E. Feist, Robert Holdstock and most recently David Zindell.
Clyde Caldwell is an artist that also deserves to be on the above list.

[JJ_99uk]

My vote's for Geoff Taylor too - I always felt that most of the books he illustrated never lived up to the quality suggested by the cover art!
(Especially Eddings...)

No option for Darrell K. Sweet?

JJ

[Jay_T]

I really like Shelley Eshkar's work as well as Edward Miller 's.

[algernoninc]

was Geoff Taylor the illustrator for "Mythago Wood" - If he did it, than yes, he would be a top class illustrator, as is Clyde Caldwell . I was trying to keep the list of options small. Keith Parkinson and Michael Whelan have both very good homepages, so that is why I am more familiar with their work.

I think two illustrators contributed to "Lord of the Rings" the movie[ was it John Howe and Ted Naismith]

[Radthorne]

I know there must have been similar topics about the importance of a cover for the first impression about a novel, but I would like to see who would you choose to illustrate your novel [if you were a writer] and why?
Me! :D

Sorry, just couldn't resist, since I did do the cover illustrations for my books. I would certainly concur with the first impression thesis. I've been very fortunate that the cover art appears to work at drawing attention. My anecdotal evidence from watching what people do as they are browsing for books and seeing what they pick up, supports the idea that eye-catching art is the first hurdle to overcome in garnering attention.

Just FYI, the SFFWorld thread on my covers is over here. (http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9329) If anyone is interested in how they were created (using 3D computer tools), I have a link on my website (http://www.kevinradthorne.com) entitled "The Covers" that describes the process in some detail.

Of the folks in the poll, I rate Michael Whelan pretty highly. Another very good cover artist is Mark Ferarri, who did some of the Dragons of Pern covers for Anne McCaffery.

And yes, John Howe was one of the LOTR contributors.

[Rob B]

I like Michael Whelan quite a bit, so I chose him. I also clicked "other" as I really like what Todd Lockwood (http://www.toddlockwood.com) has been doing lately.

[Generalbassist]

Tim Burton

[Gary Wassner]

Hey, you didn't think you could get by with just those names, did you? I guess not, as the 'other' category has gotten the most votes and you put it there.

I vote for Robert Sammelin, the aritist who did the cover art for my first three books, and who just illustrated Steve Savile's The Fragrance of You.

(Sorry for the size of the image. I can't figure out how to make it smaller)


http://www.garywassner.com/book1.jpg

[Severance]

Originally posted by Rob B
I also clicked "other" as I really like what Todd Lockwood has been doing lately.

Wasn't it Todd Lockwood that did the art for the Memories of Ice cover that was pulled in the U.S.? - or am I thinking of Deadhouse Gates?