What makes cover art attractive?

General
23

I’d recommend you watch videogamedunkys video on the topic

1 Like
24

I was going through this thread, and I found myself so enthralled by the Mask of the Plague Doctor cover art, that I gave it a try. I was hesitant, as I had expected something very dour, but I was pleasantly surprised by the wit within the writing. Looking back at the art, I think I can see it there too, with Alice’s slight smile to the left.

I’m not an artist, but I’m sure cover art is hard to make, and you don’t want to throw in too many details that they get lost among each other and confuse your potential reader, but I appreciate being able to go back to the art after reading and having a new perspective on it. So, perhaps cover art can be considered attractive if it makes you think about what you’ve just read after the fact, not just before.

5 Likes
25

I think it’s important to remember for these covers in particular that they’re mostly going to be seen at a pretty small scale. Good colour contrast can help to catch a viewer’s eye, and if a cover has strong central elements it tends to look good at small or large scale

10 Likes
27

I always find detailed covers more attractive to the eye and it also makes you dwell on the art much longer while you inspect it. Symbolism is also appreciated, it’s great when an artist manages to seamlessly implement some symbolism or part of a story into the cover art without appearing too blunt, which is quite a talent. Other than that, it varies on the drawing style and such, usage of colours. I personally prefer more toned own colours over bright colours that stare you in the face

28

I’ve found that, the most appealing cover arts aren’t necessarily due to what they represent, but rather how good they do it in their own genre.
Tin Star is by far my favorite gamebook, and its simple cover (a simple marshal star) isnt too outstanding in the grand scheme of possibilities.
Why didnt they choose to picture a scene, like Vampire: the Masquerade? They certainly could have. But both are great, because they represented both styles perfectly.

As long as its style is done winth love and appreciation for what I wants to show, it’ll be appealing.
I dont think many people judge a book by its cover nowadays.

1 Like
29

I think a simple one is the best, it doesn’t need to have a lot of elements, it just needs to show some of the vibe of the book. The mask of the plague doctor is just like that, it’s beautiful and gives some of the vibe of the story

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