Cover Art and Computer Graphics

**Radthorne** · April 25th, 2005, 12:46 AM

Hmm, for a horror book you're probably right about the green and pink flecks; but I think just from an image standpoint they probably need to be there (or something like them) to give the picture some feeling of action or movement, and to tie the angel figure to the open doorway below.

Much of the credit for how these things turn out comes down to the tools, which are quite easy to learn. Also, in most of these cases I am using either pre-built models with minor tweaks, or character texture sets that other artists have created for use on the models. For instance, the Asian woman is a texture set one can purchase to use on the base female model. In the close up shot, I basically added the hair model (made by an excellent Japanese modeler), applied the light set (made by the same fellow who created the Asian character), and then posed her head a bit. It's a matter of applying all of these components, and then customizing them where necessary. I suppose having the "eye" for putting it all together does help. Much like writing, I guess; most everybody can write in some manner or another, but we authors "put the words together" with a bit more dramatic flair...

As for your old man, well here's what you get on short notice. He's not the best, but it was a sunny day and the wife and I went out for a nice long bike ride for most of it. The screen resolution isn't showing up his age as much as I'd like - he mostly just looks ugly! And I can't age the hands in the program - I'd have to do that in a post-render. (Of course, one can also purchase "old man" textures for the base male model, which would make these things a tad easier...)

**KatG** · April 26th, 2005, 01:03 PM

He's a little older looking than I want actually, but lovely. Thanks for being so nice.

**Radthorne** · April 26th, 2005, 02:03 PM

Ah! I perhaps misread your request. Did you actually mean "older distinguished looking fellow", something in the Sean Connery vein? (Rather than "older than dirt" which is what I actually did...) I can certainly do that. Let me ponder that one and see what comes to mind...

**Radthorne** · April 27th, 2005, 12:01 AM

Here's a better one for you, Kat. Hopefully a little closer to what you had in mind...

**KatG** · April 27th, 2005, 09:07 PM

Perfect, except we need to lose the beard.

**Radthorne** · April 27th, 2005, 10:44 PM

Ok, all done!

**Radthorne** · April 30th, 2005, 12:28 AM

Here's another one. I suppose this one might be considered "Horror-Romance."

**KatG** · May 3rd, 2005, 12:19 PM

It's called Gothic Romance.

You do have an eye for image setting, Kev. Have you offered Windstorm your services?

**Radthorne** · May 3rd, 2005, 01:20 PM

Thanks! Windstorm hasn't shown much interest thus far, based on the "real" covers I already did for my own books. I'm having a hard enough time just getting them to market the books! But you've got me to thinking about talking to some other small presses, to see if anyone might bite.

**KatG** · May 5th, 2005, 09:26 PM

Talk to Gary's cover artist. You get some artists together, have a graphics art collective, go to small presses that don't have real art departments and they might bite. Of course, that's assuming you don't have anything else to do.

But thank you for my pictures.

**Radthorne** · May 5th, 2005, 10:51 PM

You're quite welcome! I don't know that I did yours real justice, though.

I think Gary's artist is in Scandanavia, but I'll check with him and see. I'll keep posting some more covers as ideas come to me. Once I have a batch, I'll approach a few of the small press folks I know and see if they might be interested in some commissioned artwork.

**Gary Wassner** · May 6th, 2005, 08:07 AM

Yes, Robert Sammelin is in Norway. But he might be interested anyway. Just don't mention Windstorm to him. His experience with them was not what he would have hoped for. He and I, on the other hand, have a wonderful rapor.

**Radthorne** · May 8th, 2005, 11:19 PM

And for the really "commercial" cover, we have this...

Pardon the skimpy outfits, but I wanted to show off how well these programs mimic human musculature. Which is pretty darn good, I think. (And it would undoubtedly also sell a lot of books, regardless of what the story was about...)