Quote:
Originally Posted by Nissen
Great cover, and the GIF makes me appreciate it even more. Seeing all the layers of the finished work is really educational and it showcases the artistry involved. It does not show the experimenting, the trial and error, the massaging of the elements and everything involved in gathering resources so it is still only the tip of the iceberg ! :-)
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Thanks buddy, glad you liked it Nissen! Yea, if I had made a video of all that from start to end it would take a full day just to watch, haha! I like showing the layers of my cover, so others can see the depth of the design, and what elements can be placed on and around each other to create certain effects.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nissen
Glad you chimed in on this, BPM. I see your viewpoints on subjective ownership of one's work aligns with mine.
I admit am curious about the business model of cover sites. Would you say it is par for the course that none of them make any profit?
I don't begrudge them any profit, but after contributing to such sites for a while it left a sour taste in my mouth. The fact that other's had to pay to get access to my covers didn't sit right with me. Also, the minimal feedback from downloaders and other designers made the whole thing very impersonal and not as fulfilling as showing off a cover here in this very active cover thread.
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I believe that all the existing sites operate on the same principle, and the ones that weren't were quickly shut down by the studios. As long as they can show they are a non-profit fan art site, then I think they are safe. I don't mind members paying, because they are essentially paying for the ability to access thousands of designs from around the world in one place. As a member, they are free to view and use any covers they wish.
As for the part about feedback, I have found the WIP forums useful in the past... But you are right, this thread is very active. It's just on those sites they have a whole bunch of custom cover related threads, whereas here there is just the one. Those sites bring together designers from everywhere, with skills of all sorts of degree... A community where everyone there has the same interests: Movies, TV, Graphic Design and Covers. I also like the other aspects that the cover sites bring like contests; They are a fun way to engage with other designers in a spirited battle.
This forum is where I began my cover journey so very long ago. I come here seeking scans of US covers to replace my bilingual ones found in Canada. That's when I discovered custom sites, and the rest is history. I credit every ounce of my Photoshop and Illustrator knowledge to my custom covers and the sites I'm a member of. It's something I've become very proud of... Something I show people when they come to my house. It's a hobby that very few even know exists outside of our small community of sites and this forum. I usually have to explain to my visitors what it actually is, and why it's something we even feel compelled to do. But very quickly I've seen many of my friends take great interest in my designs, and the designs of my friends' that I've printed over the years. They find the hobby fascinating, and my passion for covers inspiring. I have even used my designs as showcases for job interviews, and gotten them signed at Comic Expos from Actors and Actresses in the movies... Custom covers is very much an important part of my life. So anyone who discredits it or considers it simple or worthless, clearly doesn't have something they are passionate about in their life.
Yes, I do share the same views as you with my covers. I have always known my designs are just edited and altered recreations of existing and copy-written artwork. But I also know that when I design, I try to create something more unique that makes me feel like it's more of a form of art than just mashing together studio images. I am not an artist per say, but I have an artistic mind, and can see the potential in other things such as posters.
Fun Fact 1: I do however, have one cover I've made over the years that is free of any studio copywriter images (with the exception of a few logos I guess)... The cover uses entirely stock photos and hand-made artwork, with no screens or posters used on the entire cover. The cover design is based off the opening title sequence for the film.
[Show spoiler]
Fun Fact 2: Another cover I made utilizes only vector images that were manually re-created from original studio artwork (kinda of like how an artist draws his own Superman based off an image of another).
[Show spoiler]
Each cover designer utilizes a different degree of skill, creativity and originality... And that's what I love about it all! Some designers like to stick more with studio templates to more closely resemble the original packaging... While others create completely new and unique designs. I find most however, fall somewhere in between!
What I truly think is that unless someone has ever put in the work we do when making covers, they will never understand the pride we have in our creations. None of us ever claim that we own the underlying rights to the images used in our covers. But in the sake of moral creative property, we do believe that something we put tireless hours into should hold a fair level of merit as belonging to us.
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Outstanding work!
Jurassic World - NEW Design
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