Tickety Boo Covers Feedback Forum...

[HareBrain]

I wouldn't be the pedant I am if I didn't point out that you have conflicting light sources again. But since it's likely that NO ONE ELSE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD will notice that, or care if they do, you're probably safe to ignore it.

Otherwise I like it, and it completes the trio nicely, but the fact that the thrusters aren't "on" makes the main ship look static, to me, rather than moving (ominously or otherwise). I know the ship on the AH cover wasn't showing its engines either, but it did look a bit like it was descending, which gave it a dynamic feel. Is there another way to suggest movement on the Not-stromo?

 

[Gary Compton]

Are you talking about the little ship attached to the space dock? I am working on that HB. This was a draft and may not be the finished article.

EDIT

I am trying engine thrusters. Wait

 

[HareBrain]

Are you talking about the little ship attached to the space dock?

No, it's more that the main ship is lit from off to the right, and pretty much everything else (planet, distant ship on the left and the station) seems lit from behind us and left.

 

[Gary Compton]

Try that.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I like it better with the thrusters* and it takes away a lot of what made it Nostromo-like.

*But I would.

 

[Gary Compton]

It's the Not-stromo HB said!

 

[SilentRoamer]

I like the consistency between the Abendau covers - non matching book covers are a real bane for me. The colour difference accentuating each novel is a nice touch.

 

[Kylara]

I love the colours. From a design point though the lighting on the main ship seems at odds with the rest and the planet. I also agree that a slight horizontal tilt may add something.

A personal point from someone who sees a lot of generated things is the the edges of the ships (especially the tall skinny one) are too sharp and clean. Pulls out of them being part of the same thing, a simple enough thing to fix and I live the glow from the planet, that works beautifully.

ETA: just discovered that by the time my post was finished a new version had popped up so some points seem odd now!

 

[Parson]

Thanks Gary for the cover only version. That does help me to see it better. I maintain where I started. I like the cover a lot.

I was surprised at the difference in feel lighting the thrusters makes. Without them lit I get a kind of peaceful glorious out in space vibe. With the thrusters lit the vibe changes to a kinda "on a mission, got to go" vibe. I like both of them. Probably the decision should be determined by what fits the direction of the story better.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Thanks Gary for the cover only version. That does help me to see it better. I maintain where I started. I like the cover a lot.

I was surprised at the difference in feel lighting the thrusters makes. Without them lit I get a kind of peaceful glorious out in space vibe. With the thrusters lit the vibe changes to a kinda "on a mission, got to go" vibe. I like both of them. Probably the decision should be determined by what fits the direction of the story better.

On a mission, gotta go, for sure.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Well, if I had known the thrusters could emit a blueish light, then of course! Really nice, Gary.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I like it better with the thrusters, but I preferred it before you put in the tilt. For me, the tilted ship spoils the balance and suddenly everything looks cluttered.

 

[Gary Compton]

Here you go.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

Was thinking about this cover overnight, and while I like the thrusters on, decided I don't think they're enough to overcome the static nature of the image. My thought, and it is a bit left field and might entailsome artistic licence, would be a fire trail. Fire's dynamic, the colour would help the cover pop through contrast, and you could even if you made it big enough fill the entire bottom fourth of the front cover and have Jo's name in a contrasting colour. But you might have to reposition the ship. I also preferred the steeper angle of the ship.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

One problem with tilting the ship is that you had to make it smaller. In the original it looked like a looming, threatening presence.