|
CLICK COVER TO SEE FULL SPREAD 
|
|
|
|
CLICK COVER TO SEE FULL SPREAD
|
You don't have to worry about unexpected costs with Image 101 Design because we charge a flat rate for all of our services. You'll receive top-quality work from experienced book cover designers
who have decades of experience working with self-publishing, independent authors and large corporations alike. Whether you're printing offset or digital
(called POD or print-on-demand), we have
the design skills you need to produce a book cover that will ace the "glance test," even if you're
printing with free-to-print services such as Lulu or CreateSpace. Our book cover design team has created approximately 1000 covers in the last 10 years.
We've produced hundreds of covers that have been printed through LigtningSource, alone. So, you
can relax, we know our stuff.
|
|
1. We will discuss your publishing project via eMail, and you can send us your ideas, a synopsis of the book and any links to book cover designs you like and don't like, so we
have an idea of what you're looking for and your tastes.
2. You pay a $200 non-refundable deposit and eMail or fax a signed copy of our contract (see bottom of page for link to PDF contract). 3. You send us the information for the book cover (title, sub-title, author name and any other text you would like to see on the front cover), along with any images or logos you want us to use. There is a list of image sites below (it usually cost $20 or less to license an image in your name). Please read the image licenses very carefully, we are not lawyers. Watch for things like: a) Print run maximums. b) How many projects you can use the image for (if you are printing a book and CD for instance, it might be necessary to license the image twice with some agencies). c) Do they require a copyright notice on the book? This is common these days, and you'll need to note how it is to be worded and credited. d) Is it permittable to use the image with your project? Some agencies do not permit their images to be used in connection with explicit sexual content or they have other usage restrictions. If you can't decide what images might work, we can help you and we can create the initial proofs using comps, so you will have to buy the images only after you decide you like them on the cover. We can also create a cover without an image, using abstract colors or blocks of color to add interest. At this stage we are only dealing with the front cover. The spine and back will come later. 4. Within 10 business days you will receive 2 proofs of the front cover. Once you decide which proof to go with, you can have two rounds of tweaks for an additional two proofs (so, that's four proofs total). Additional proofs (more than the 2 initial proofs and 2 rounds of tweaks) are US $50 each. 5. When we receive the instructions from your printer (either a template customized for your book and page count or with paperbacks, the numbers for the spine width and trim size), we will begin the full spread. We cannot begin this without these numbers, as there is no way to create the layout to fit the book without them. We will eMail you a proof of the full spread within 10 business days. You will be allowed two rounds of minor changes for a total of 2 additional proofs. So, that is a maximum of 3 proofs of the full spread. Additional proofs are $50.Just edit your copy prior to sending it to us and you'll be fine, there should never been any need for additional proofs. 6. Once you have approved the full spread, and we have recieved payment, then you will be supplied with: a) a PDF of your book cover file to send to the printer. b)two large images of the front cover, one for online use and one for print c)two thumbnails of the front cover, one for online use and one for print d)a 3d image of your book, for online use: Please note: WE DO NOT PROVIDE OR SELL OUR APPLICATION FILES. If you require application files, please contact us and we can explain our other services to you. WE CAN DO RUSH ORDERS FOR AN ADDITIONAL FEE. |
|
All Image 101 Design covers are created using industry-standard software. We use Photoshop for the images and some text work, and Adobe InDesign or Adobe Illustrator for the full spread.
We do not use free software or short-cut the process using Photoshop for the full layout. We have commercial licenses for all of the software and fonts. You won't be left wondering if
you're book is infringing any copyright laws.
We only use licensed, high-resolution images. We do not use images with identifiable people on them, unless you supply them, along with a signed model release. We do not use questionable free fonts, that could be pirated or could cause problems when printed. There are many ways to design a cover and if you study sites such as Barnes and Noble or the New York Times' Bestsellers' Lists, you'll soon discover there is no one formula, although there are industry standards and norms. Generally, there are three types of cover designs created by Image 101: Text-only; abstract backgrounds or covers that use licensed images. The latter are by far the most common. The good thing about publishing in this day and age is that the same images used by publishing giants such as Simon and Schuster, Penguin Putnam and Random House, are available to everyone. They really do license images from the same online stock art agencies where we all search for photos and illustrations. |
 Click to view larger. |
This cover is a collage of images from many different sources: The door is a photograph I took of a medeival
building in San Gimignano, Italy; The skull and the sword are from image CDs, licensed for commercial use and
the ribbon at the bottom and the swirling background and fleurons were created freehand
using both Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. The text was then "battered" a bit, to make it look
as if it had been cut by a sword.
Most front covers are created in Adobe Photoshop, then imported into Adobe Illustrator or InDesign, where they are laid out on the template and the back and spine created. |
|
There are many places you can find stock images, and even illustrations for your book cover. Image 101 does not
endorse any particular company and we are not lawyers. Before licensing images, please
read the agreements carefully and make sure the terms are suitable for your project.
Since most image licenses cannot be legally transferred, it is necessary for you to license the image yourself, in your name. That way, if you want to use the image for another project or have any questions, you can deal directly with the agency where it was obtained. You will not be forced to deal with me or any other third party in the future. BigStockPhoto.com (Inexpensive. Popular). istockphoto.com (Very inexpensive. Quite popular. Excellent selection). VectorStock.com (Plenty of vector illustrations and very low prices). Photos.com (Reasonably priced. Very good licensing terms for self-publishers). Corbis.com (One of the most respected agencies of its kind). YouSendIt.com (Free. Excellent service that I use frequently). |