Custom Cover Art Thread

[Cactus]

Originally Posted by ChrisOz

First of all, that video was fantastic.

About the Struzan documentary. I haven't seen it, so I don't have a ton of room to talk. I don't know if the doc touches on this at all, but I like to tell people whenever I can that while Struzan painted many of the great movie posters of yesteryear, he did not design many of them (if any).

Studios would hire (and may still, I don't know) artists to design movie posters and then once they found a poster they liked, they'd bring in Struzan to repaint it with the actor's faces and possibly make small tweaks.

I know this because a friend of mine, Wayne Coe, designed the posters for a number of Universal films in the 80s: Back to the Future, Brazil, Dune, Out of Africa, The Fly, Weird Science, and a few others. And yet, Struzan gets all the credit for something like Back to the Future. The only thing different in Wayne's poster is that Michael J. Fox's face wasn't on it (it was the face of a friend/model of Wayne's posing in the McFly costume). Universal liked it, obviously, handed the design to Struzan who basically repainted it with Fox's face and got all the credit.

And that really makes me mad.

Well, then tell mr Coe from me that I love what he has done!

[Spooked]

Originally Posted by ChrisOz

Didn't want to do it if other people thought it was a dumb idea to make covers for films that are only on DVD though.

I don't think that other people's opinions should in any way stop you if you think it's a good idea.

I've often thought about making Blu-ray covers for many of my DVD's - either to complete movie sets or just because they're films that might never make the jump to Blu and I can be a stickler for uniformity.

It's a bit ironic, because I still find the Blu-ray case design and color a bit offensive as well as hard to work with in regards to some cover designs, but I try not to let it get under my skin too much. The cases are merely a representation of the media type, that's all. (Which is rendered irrelevant if I put DVD's into Blu cases, but I digress, lol.)

Thanks on the info on Wayne Coe as well. Like everything in Hollywood, it's not always quite what it looks like.

[jimjimmyjones85]

Originally Posted by ChrisOz

First of all, that video was fantastic.

About the Struzan documentary. I haven't seen it, so I don't have a ton of room to talk. I don't know if the doc touches on this at all, but I like to tell people whenever I can that while Struzan painted many of the great movie posters of yesteryear, he did not design many of them (if any).

Studios would hire (and may still, I don't know) artists to design movie posters and then once they found a poster they liked, they'd bring in Struzan to repaint it with the actor's faces and possibly make small tweaks.

I know this because a friend of mine, Wayne Coe, designed the posters for a number of Universal films in the 80s: Back to the Future, Brazil, Dune, Out of Africa, The Fly, Weird Science, and a few others. And yet, Struzan gets all the credit for something like Back to the Future. The only thing different in Wayne's poster is that Michael J. Fox's face wasn't on it (it was the face of a friend/model of Wayne's posing in the McFly costume). Universal liked it, obviously, handed the design to Struzan who basically repainted it with Fox's face and got all the credit.

And that really makes me mad.

This is interesting. Cause they interviewed Michael J Fox and he said how he was there and posed for Drew and Drew had him move in certain ways.

Everyone knows the studio gives the word on what they want. They want specifics. they want a mood, a feel a look. Then the artist interprets it.

Some of his best Record Album covers stemmed from an idea alone. And they are also amazing.

Drew plainly states that the the Police Academy pieces were all him. Free reign.

Then there were items done at the request of Darabont and Toro that they gave him the ideas and he gave them what they wanted. Many times they weren't used but were made as special edition posters.

The lighting, the approach to creating the poster is amazing in my eyes. The look of the brush stroke. The feel of real art and not photoshop computer imagery.

In the end you work for the studio and what they want is what they get.

[Nissen]

Originally Posted by ChrisOz

Also, question: Why would a client want those made? Those films aren't even on Blu in the US, and I wasn't aware the UK versions were separate discs. Does he/she want them for novelty's sake? Is he just repackaging his DVDs? Not that you necessarily KNOW, but why do you suppose? (This question is open to anyone by the way.)

I know that these are meant to replace the UK Blu-ray box. My client is from Europe where the box set is readily available, and the Police Academy films ARE on separate discs. So no, they're no meant for repackaging of DVDs.

I always know WHY my clients want what they want. I wouldn't be able to meet their needs otherwise. It is part of the process that they tell me what the cover is for. That way I can get the specs right. As for the Warner layout, nostalgia for that vintage layout (specifically the old UK tapes), coupled with an affinity for the original poster artwork, is also the WHY.

But to answer your question, it is not uncommon to do Blu-ray covers for DVD-only releases, just for the uniformity of packaging you mention. I've done quite a few for people over the years, even single-movie covers where two films share the same disc. So don't be afraid to do your own, and show them off here when you do.

I'd also like to add that your question seems very American-centric. Didn't it occur to you that my client might not be American? That I might not be an American? Are you an American? I think you'll find that the Blu-ray.com forum is quite an international community.

[ChrisOz]

Originally Posted by Nissen

I always know WHY my clients want what they want. I wouldn't be able to meet their needs otherwise. It is part of the process that they tell me what the cover is for. That way I can get the specs right. As for the Warner layout, nostalgia for that vintage layout (specifically the old UK tapes), coupled with an affinity for the original poster artwork, is also the WHY.

I guess that was kind of a dumb question on my part. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Nissen

I've done quite a few for people over the years, even single-movie covers where two films share the same disc.

Thanks for mentioning this…this was another question I've had for a while. Got some Miramax double packs that I only really want for one film and have been considering making a single cover.

Originally Posted by Nissen

I'd also like to add that your question seems very American-centric. Didn't it occur to you that my client might not be American? That I might not be an American? Are you an American? I think you'll find that the Blu-ray.com forum is quite an international community.

I guess it was a little American-centric. One because, yes, I am American, and two because I was under the impression the UK set did not have separate discs (though you addressed that above too). If I offended anyone by being over American, I apologize.

I am aware of the internationality here…it burns me up when I am looking for a film on blu-ray and the blu-ray.com search bar gives me some version in a distant, region-locked land but nothing in the US or pretty easily accessible UK.

[jaws3dfan]

Originally Posted by Nissen

I know that these are meant to replace the UK Blu-ray box. My client is from Europe where the box set is readily available, and the Police Academy films ARE on separate discs. So no, they're no meant for repackaging of DVDs.

I always know WHY my clients want what they want. I wouldn't be able to meet their needs otherwise. It is part of the process that they tell me what the cover is for. That way I can get the specs right. As for the Warner layout, nostalgia for that vintage layout (specifically the old UK tapes), coupled with an affinity for the original poster artwork, is also the WHY.

But to answer your question, it is not uncommon to do Blu-ray covers for DVD-only releases, just for the uniformity of packaging you mention. I've done quite a few for people over the years, even single-movie covers where two films share the same disc. So don't be afraid to do your own, and show them off here when you do.

I'd also like to add that your question seems very American-centric. Didn't it occur to you that my client might not be American? That I might not be an American? Are you an American? I think you'll find that the Blu-ray.com forum is quite an international community.

Nissen has made me several covers for films that have not even had a DVD release, let alone a Blu-Ray release (Like Treasure of the Four Crowns and House of the Long Shadows) and they currently sit in empty cases on my shelf, they are a fun novelty item and the art work is AMAZING, there is a lot of talent in this forum.

[ChrisOz]

Originally Posted by jaws3dfan

Nissen has made me several covers for films that have not even had a DVD release, let alone a Blu-Ray release (Like Treasure of the Four Crowns and House of the Long Shadows) and they currently sit in empty cases on my shelf, they are a fun novelty item and the art work is AMAZING, there is a lot of talent in this forum.

That is cool. I looked up those films…both of which I now want to see.

I only asked because I've wondered about doing some covers simply for novelty value and/or uniformity. Wanted to make sure I wasn't the only nut out there who wanted to do something like this.

Apparently not!

Be patient with me guys…I'm a newbie.

[Nissen]

Originally Posted by ChrisOz

Be patient with me guys…I'm a newbie.

You're right. My sincerest apologies for the snarky tone in my reply to you. That was uncalled for.

[Nissen]

Remember that King Kong cover I uploaded a few days ago? That came out of me being asked to make a custom Blu-ray template for a client, but it evolved into an Art Deco piece instead. Now, I finally had the discipline to make a more generic template, and took it for a test drive with one of my favourites, Lost in Translation.

Anyone who wants a copy can PM me for links.

[WorkShed]

Originally Posted by ChrisOz

And yet, Struzan gets all the credit for something like Back to the Future. The only thing different in Wayne's poster is that Michael J. Fox's face wasn't on it (it was the face of a friend/model of Wayne's posing in the McFly costume). Universal liked it, obviously, handed the design to Struzan who basically repainted it with Fox's face and got all the credit.

And that really makes me mad.

Struzan did a lot more than just painting Fox's face on an existing painting. Coe did come up with the beginnings of a striking idea with his version.



However, the detail in Struzan's original took the concepts of Coe and pushed it in new areas. Coe had a great starting point, but Struzan still deserves the respect he gets for his final work.



That said, it's unfortunate that Coe doesn't receive any notice for his original design. However, that's creative work for you and as long as he got paid by the studio for it, there should be no hard feelings.

[ChrisOz]

Originally Posted by WorkShed

Struzan did a lot more than just painting Fox's face on an existing painting.**Coe did come up with the beginnings of a striking idea with his version.

However, the detail in Struzan's original took the concepts of Coe and pushed it in new areas.**Coe had a great starting point, but Struzan still deserves the respect he gets for his final work.

That said, it's unfortunate that Coe doesn't receive any notice for his original design.**However, that's creative work for you and as long as he got paid by the studio for it, there should be no hard feelings.

I never said Struzan just painted the face in (though that does happen and there's a term for it...it escapes me right now though). I said he reprinted it and tweaked it some. And I think Struzan did a great job in the final version.

There's no denying he's a fantastic artist.

I just don't like that he also tends to be billed as such a big creative force.

Yes, the star is more prominent in the frame, and there's the blue and orange sky. But what is so iconic about the poster is the DeLorean door open with light pouring out and Marty McFly checking his watch with his sunglasses up. That's what's iconic. And Struzan didn't come up with it.

Wayne's got no hard feelings. And it's not just this one incident that irks me. It's representative of all the artists out there who came up with iconic poster designs, or designs for anything really, and lose credit to the finishing artist like Drew Struzan.

[Imrahil2001]

Originally Posted by Nissen

But to answer your question, it is not uncommon to do Blu-ray covers for DVD-only releases, just for the uniformity of packaging you mention. I've done quite a few for people over the years, even single-movie covers where two films share the same disc. So don't be afraid to do your own, and show them off here when you do.

I have done DVD customs for blu-ray cases--mostly TV shows for which they switch formats and don't appear likely to reissue the early stuff on BD (Futurama, Simpsons).

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by ChrisOz

There's no denying he's a fantastic artist.

I just don't like that he also tends to be billed as such a big creative force.

I agree and as I just said in the Star Wars thread think Struzan gets way too much credit for what he does: copy publicity stills in paint and collage them together like a human version of Photoshop. There doesn't seem to be much originality in his work. (I get killed online for saying this, but I feel strongly about it).

[lateralspin]

Custom artwork for the Canadian blu-ray cover. The current commercial release mashes up two different clashing designs, which does not work. In terms of design, aesthetic elements must have balance. The yang elements have to support the yin elements, and vice versa. To correct the aesthetic imbalance, we have to really restrain the dominant disco design and allow the cartoon artwork of the orange DVD digipack design to dominate. This creates balance in design.


Unfortunately, I am still not completely happy with the typesetting. I am very pedantic with typesetting. The body text comprises of three different typefaces because it is actually a made up font, not really URW California Grotesk. I have to work on it a bit more.

[lateralspin]

Custom replacement cover for my French edition of Vertical Limit.


There are some subtle differences from other editions. The point is that the casual person won't know the difference.

[jetthead]

Originally Posted by Nissen

[Show spoiler]

These are really terrific!

Those covers would be perfect in white Blu-ray cases to emmulate the old VHS clamshell releases. Too bad there are no such white cases available.

[darmar106]

Can anybody help with the printing of covers? I tried using the instructions in the first post but the dimensions are always off...i couldnt find the right paper...tried going to FedEx they had no idea what I was talking about or wouldn't let me do it. I'm also looking for covers for Star Trek (2009), Back to the Future, and Jurassic Park trilogies...I need to find those specific cases as well

[The Edge]

Originally Posted by darmar106

Can anybody help with the printing of covers? I tried using the instructions in the first post but the dimensions are always off...i couldnt find the right paper...tried going to FedEx they had no idea what I was talking about or wouldn't let me do it. I'm also looking for covers for Star Trek (2009), Back to the Future, and Jurassic Park trilogies...I need to find those specific cases as well

Ive got covers for BTTF, done in the style of the original VHS boxes, if you would like those. If so, PM me.

[jlk155]

Originally Posted by akapainkiller

Breaking Bad 1-4

[Show spoiler]

Love your Seasons 1-4 covers! Is Season 5 in the works? BTW, I'm hoping you'll have just one cover encompassing the two parts (4 discs) of S5.

[akapainkiller]

Originally Posted by jlk155

[/SPOILER]
Love your Seasons 1-4 covers! Is Season 5 in the works? BTW, I'm hoping you'll have just one cover encompassing the two parts (4 discs) of S5.

Actually I decided to do two. I saw it as another opportunity to make a breaking bad case!