Pictures on covers

[dispatcher812]

For the cover art, example Losing the Peace, do the actors do a special photo session or is it just stock photos that are found?

Also it has been mentioned before that the cover of Losing The Peace shows what looks like a nacelle but from what I recall, no ship was lost in the present setting of the book. Can anyone help with that?

 

[Trent Roman]

^ Stock photos, when photography is used instead of painting. And, as I recall, Leisner has said that the cover was to be taken metaphorically, not literally.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[dispatcher812]

Trent Roman,

Thanks.

 

[William Leisner]

Also it has been mentioned before that the cover of Losing The Peace shows what looks like a nacelle but from what I recall, no ship was lost in the present setting of the book. Can anyone help with that?

Oh, yes, that most certainly has been mentioned before.

And thank all the deities heaven that the artist added combadges to the uniforms for the final cover...

 

[Jbarney]

I like the post but would like to frame it in a different way.... Does the cover art really matter? How important is it? I can understand the publishers wanting to make sure there are good visuals on their product, but even then most of the time the books are on shelves, so the cover art really isn't part of the advertising, is it?

I do think there have been some great covers in the past, but I am one of those people who is going to go ahead and buy the trek books anyway, regardless of the cover art.

It doesn't so much happen any more, but I used to hate it when a book would come out with the wrong period uniform on the characters.

 

[Trent Roman]

I'll admit it tweaks me when the cover seems to imply something--like Beverly Crusher on the cover of First Virtue--that turns out not to be in the book itself. But it's a minor annoyance.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[Paris]

For Mr.Leisner (or anyone who may know) concerning Losing the Peace:
Was there any significance by having the rank pips on the wrong side of Worf and Picard's collars?...or was this just an error on the cover artist's part?

 

[William Leisner]

For Mr.Leisner (or anyone who may know) concerning Losing the Peace:
Was there any significance by having the rank pips on the wrong side of Worf and Picard's collars?...or was this just an error on the cover artist's part?

I assume it's a case where the photo images were flipped, and the pips just didn't get moved to the other side.

 

[Section 31]

I like the post but would like to frame it in a different way.... Does the cover art really matter? How important is it? I can understand the publishers wanting to make sure there are good visuals on their product, but even then most of the time the books are on shelves, so the cover art really isn't part of the advertising, is it?

I do think there have been some great covers in the past, but I am one of those people who is going to go ahead and buy the trek books anyway, regardless of the cover art.

Same here. I generally buy any and all treklit, but a good cover makes me more excited about reading it, whether that's rational or not. I think a good cover gives a book or series more appeal.

It doesn't so much happen any more, but I used to hate it when a book would come out with the wrong period uniform on the characters.

Ditto.

 

[JD]

I'm with you guys on the cover art thing. I love good cover art, but it's not really gonna have any impact on what I buy. Now I have another question, sorry but I've wondering this for a while and this seems like an approrpiate place to ask. For the photo covers with new characters on them, are models specifically hired for that specific character on that specific cover or are there cover art stock photos that are used for different things?

 

[Section 31]

I'm with you guys on the cover art thing. I love good cover art, but it's not really gonna have any impact on what I buy. Now I have another question, sorry but I've wondering this for a while and this seems like an approrpiate place to ask. For the photo covers with new characters on them, are models specifically hired for that specific character on that specific cover or are there cover art stock photos that are used for different things?

And speaking of, any chance we could see Vale, Choudhury, or some of the other original characters on a cover in the not-too-distant future?

 

[Thrawn]

I'm with you guys on the cover art thing. I love good cover art, but it's not really gonna have any impact on what I buy. Now I have another question, sorry but I've wondering this for a while and this seems like an approrpiate place to ask. For the photo covers with new characters on them, are models specifically hired for that specific character on that specific cover or are there cover art stock photos that are used for different things?

And speaking of, any chance we could see Vale, Choudhury, or some of the other original characters on a cover in the not-too-distant future?

We did with the DS9 relaunch right away, but the TNG covers do seem to be a bit more photo-based. I do hope so, though.

 

[AN_D_K]

The cover isn't going to stop me buying the books but it would be nice if they looked good. At the moment, all the ones with characters on the front look really poor. Surely a better job could be done?

 

[Therin of Andor]

do the actors do a special photo session or is it just stock photos that are found?

Artist Keith Birdsong asked a neighbor of his to pose for photos as Captain Calhoun, and these reference pics have been used by other NF cover artists.

Models were employed to portray DS9's Shar, Tenmei and Vaughn. They don't have to keep inviting them back, as a batch of different pics were taken at the original shoots.

But for most canonical characters, very obvious publicity pics are easy to spot!

 

[Man of Steel]

I'm with you guys on the cover art thing. I love good cover art, but it's not really gonna have any impact on what I buy. Now I have another question, sorry but I've wondering this for a while and this seems like an approrpiate place to ask. For the photo covers with new characters on them, are models specifically hired for that specific character on that specific cover or are there cover art stock photos that are used for different things?

And speaking of, any chance we could see Vale, Choudhury, or some of the other original characters on a cover in the not-too-distant future?

Actually Section 31, we have seen a picture of Vale. She was on the cover of Have Tech Will Travel. Granted, it was a drawing but we still got to see her.

http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/27330000/27337134.JPG

 

[captcalhoun]

that's not Vale. that's Domenica Corsi, Soloman and Sonya Gomez. and that illustration's for a story Vale's not even IN...

 

[Man of Steel]

that's not Vale. that's Domenica Corsi, Soloman and Sonya Gomez. and that illustration's for a story Vale's not even IN...

Oh..

Well then, I was given misinformation. I posted this based on information I was given a long time ago.

I apologize.

Thanks for clearing that up Cap.

 

[Rosalind]

Actually Section 31, we have seen a picture of Vale. She was on the cover of Have Tech Will Travel. Granted, it was a drawing but we still got to see her.

http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/27330000/27337134.JPG

Marc, you were told in mid-March that hotlink to images are not allowed on this site, so unless you own the barns and nobles site, you have received a warning for it. Comment to PM, please.

 

[Jbarney]

I like the post but would like to frame it in a different way.... Does the cover art really matter? How important is it? I can understand the publishers wanting to make sure there are good visuals on their product, but even then most of the time the books are on shelves, so the cover art really isn't part of the advertising, is it?

I do think there have been some great covers in the past, but I am one of those people who is going to go ahead and buy the trek books anyway, regardless of the cover art.

Same here. I generally buy any and all treklit, but a good cover makes me more excited about reading it, whether that's rational or not. I think a good cover gives a book or series more appeal.

It doesn't so much happen any more, but I used to hate it when a book would come out with the wrong period uniform on the characters.

Ditto.

I am with you on this. Does the artwork really matter? Think of how most of the books are sold on the shelves. They are slotted into the shelf with the artwork hidden. Very few of the ones sold are the ones on display, with the cover art out for all to see, but I wonder if it has an impact on sales. Also, anyone into trek lit and buying the books on line isn't going to care about the art work either.

Is it an expense that really doesn't matter?

 

[JarodRussell]

Do you as an author have any influence on how the cover should look?