Custom Cover Art Thread

[LordCrumb]

[dv8pdx]

Originally Posted by The Edge

Perhaps you misunderstood what I meant. Let me rephrase it:

Say someone comes to you and asks, "Would you please do a custom cover for '__________________'. You haven't seen that film before. Would you then go see the film (research) before deciding whether you liked it enough to attempt one? Or, would you have to be a big fan of it beforehand prior to attempting the job?

Can there be an area in between, or do you deal in absolutes?

Whether you like the movie or not, I do think you need to have at lease seen it when making a cover, otherwise your design might be so far off the concept of the movie that it just doesn't fit.

[Nissen]

Originally Posted by dv8pdx

Whether you like the movie or not, I do think you need to have at lease seen it when making a cover, otherwise your design might be so far off the concept of the movie that it just doesn't fit.

I do covers for films I haven't seen all the time. I was a bit hesitant about it at first but after having done it numerous times I am now perfectly comfortable with it. I am quite well-read in film, so I rarely come up against a film I am not at least peripherally aware of. As long as I am familiar with the genre I can get by with just reading the synopsis and looking at the pictures, like Westerns (High Noon f.ex.), Horror (Dawn of the Dead) or typical action films like Navy SEALS or Lone Wolf McQuade. When someone requests a special-interest title like a Wrestling cover or something for a Bike-Stunt compilation I have to do some deeper research, but that is pretty rare.

OTOH, when I was asked to do something for indie film The Way I quickly realised I had to see it to get a feel for the mood. Same thing with Farewell My Concubine.

In any case, I usually talk through the concept with my clients, so I seldom go far off the mark. Taking a film's key art as a starting point will usually set me off in the right direction anyway.

The only time I nearly missed the mark was Fiddler on the Roof, which I assumed was a feelgood/happy-go-lucky musical! My client set me straight on that one :-)

Funny thing, what eats into my "profits" is that many times I find myself purchasing a film after having done a cover for it. The research more often than not piques my interest, and usually when someone is passionate enough about a film to want a custom cover for it, that means it probably has something going for it. For me, doing customs is an extension of my love for film anyway, so channeling the money back into my film-buying habit makes for a perfectly sustainable eco-system :-)

[dv8pdx]

Had a request for a faux Criterion Blade Runner: The Final Cut cover. He wanted very simple and completely different than most of the cover art has used, while focusing on Roy's "Tears in the rain". He also wanted to include the book title under Blade Runner. I was a little lost at first as what to come up with based on his request, but I think the final design hit the mark. I think Im happy with it. It is very simple and different.

[skylog]

Originally Posted by dv8pdx

Had a request for a faux Criterion Blade Runner: The Final Cut cover. He wanted very simple and completely different than most of the cover art has used, while focusing on Roy's "Tears in the rain". He also wanted to include the book title under Blade Runner. I was a little lost at first as what to come up with based on his request, but I think the final design hit the mark. I think Im happy with it. It is very simple and different.

[Show spoiler]

great work! i like what you did with it. such a great moment in the film.

[tkdkid717]

I plan my next project to be collection of covers for the twilight movies using the artwork from the already existing blu rays altered to fit together better as a collection.

[se7endeadly]

Originally Posted by dv8pdx

Had a request for a faux Criterion Blade Runner: The Final Cut cover. He wanted very simple and completely different than most of the cover art has used, while focusing on Roy's "Tears in the rain". He also wanted to include the book title under Blade Runner. I was a little lost at first as what to come up with based on his request, but I think the final design hit the mark. I think Im happy with it. It is very simple and different.

Cool, although the actual book title is "do androids dream of electric sheep?"

[WhySoCereal]

Originally Posted by tkdkid717

I plan my next project to be collection of covers for the twilight movies using the artwork from the already existing blu rays altered to fit together better as a collection.

Sounds great, keep us updated

[dv8pdx]

Originally Posted by se7endeadly

Cool, although the actual book title is "do androids dream of electric sheep?"

nice catch, thanks!!

[DCW]

Very impressive work guys, always great work in here.

I'm currently looking for a Top Gun cover, custom or scan. Does anyone have any to share? Thanks!

[Nissen]

Originally Posted by dv8pdx

Had a request for a faux Criterion Blade Runner: The Final Cut cover. He wanted very simple and completely different than most of the cover art has used, while focusing on Roy's "Tears in the rain". He also wanted to include the book title under Blade Runner. I was a little lost at first as what to come up with based on his request, but I think the final design hit the mark. I think Im happy with it. It is very simple and different.

[Show spoiler]

Excellent work! The muted colours are what makes the design.
I'm sorry, I know this is such an a-hole comment, but when Batty was cradling the dove he was shirtless, so the illustration should have bare arms :-) Where did you get the illustration?

[LordCrumb]

Originally Posted by Nissen

Excellent work! The muted colours are what makes the design.
I'm sorry, I know this is such an a-hole comment, but when Batty was cradling the dove he was shirtless, so the illustration should have bare arms :-) Where did you get the illustration?

First image when searching "holding a dove" on Images.google.com

[DrrnHarr]

Work has started on "The Dirty Dozen":

Obviously its in the earliest of stages:



Kelly's Heroes


Force 10 From Navarone


The collection so far:


I finally learned about creating paths for text when it came time to do the back synoposis for "Kelly's Heroes" and then measures to alleviate what are referred to as text "rivers". The "Kelly's Heroes" custom also had me using the color replacement tool for the first time when it was impressed on me to change the TT colors from their original rainbow poster colors.

[dv8pdx]

Originally Posted by Nissen

Excellent work! The muted colours are what makes the design.
I'm sorry, I know this is such an a-hole comment, but when Batty was cradling the dove he was shirtless, so the illustration should have bare arms :-) Where did you get the illustration?

Its just abstract interpretation - if you recall, Roy also only held the dove with one had. So is it really Roy? Is it Deckard after Roy dies questioning his own identitiy? Is it Gaff, insinuating to Deckard with a dove he and Roy are not so different like he has through the whole movie? Its all about the questions Blade Runner leaves us.... Ive left it all in the imagination!

[Nissen]

Okay, I'm doing a series of Marvel covers apeing the "Reel Heroes" design. My client wants these to be available to all once they're finished, but for the moment I will just show you what I've done so far.




The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America and Avengers to come.

[UUUUGGGGHHHH]

Originally Posted by Nissen

Okay, I'm doing a series of Marvel covers apeing the "Reel Heroes" design. My client wants these to be available to all once they're finished, but for the moment I will just show you what I've done so far.




The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America and Avengers to come.

Awesome! It would be nice if somebody designed one for "Hellboy" to match the UK "Hellboy 2" that already exists. Can't wait to see these.

[lolwut]

Originally Posted by madridista8700

Working on this set right now.

[Show spoiler]

Love the first one. The bright green looks out of place on the second one.

[Hubunkey]

Originally Posted by UUUUGGGGHHHH

Awesome! It would be nice if somebody designed one for "Hellboy" to match the UK "Hellboy 2" that already exists. Can't wait to see these.

I will have him do one as soon as this Avengers project is complete

I was going to have him do a full on Comic Book Collection but decided against it

Nissen is the man and I usually keep him busy with cover work lol

[rybev]

Originally Posted by Hubunkey

I will have him do one as soon as this Avengers project is complete

I was going to have him do a full on Comic Book Collection but decided against it

Nissen is the man and I usually keep him busy with cover work lol

I like the "Reel Heroes" design even though it doesn't apply itself well to some of the titles Universal release under it.
Your collection should look great when all complete.

[DrrnHarr]

Work progressing on "The Dirty Dozen":



Imrahil brought up a good point regarding the black background to the TT appearing sloppy, but since this is precisely how it appears on pretty much every Dirty Dozen poster out there I am loathe to buck it...what do people think?

I felt able to make the change to the "Kelly's Heroes" TT because I noticed a poster that used red, white and black (instead of the "rainbow" colors used on the US poster)...and through the color replacement tool I was able to make the switch.

Incidentally I was ablr to locate a higher resolution Titlecard from a different poster for DD, but that was in yellow so I switched the spine TT to yellow.

Working the British Quad for "The Dirty Dozen" was a big challenge which I recounted over at EFX.