Slightly OT: Cover Art for the Wall

[FatherRob]

My wife and I are in the process of planning out the decor in the new home we are building. I have an office in the house and would really like to have some cover art from some of my favorite books on the wall in either lithograph or other form.

Do book manufacturers ever offer cover art in a decent size (I'm thinking about 20 or 30 inches tall) for purchase?

I know I want the cover from Clarke's "Songs of Distant Earth" as the centerpiece of the collection, as well as the original cover art from Hogan's "Inherit the Stars". Definately want to pick out a Trek cover or two (not sure which one yet, though... and do one entire wall in cover art.

Rob+

 

[Jim Johnson]

I don't think book publishers often offer cover art for sale. You might have better luck tracking down the artists who did the cover art and find out of they're selling prints of their artwork.

I know once upon a time Michael Whelan sold prints of some of his art that was used for book covers (I have a nice print of the artwork used on The White Dragon).

Maybe try allposters.com and go from there.

 

[KRAD]

If you want a print of a work of art that's been used for a cover -- or the original, in some cases -- you need to go to the artist in question. As an example, there are four paintings in TerriO's and my living room that were book covers -- two by Sonia Hillios (Diplomatic Implausibility and A Hard Rain), one by Gary Lippincott (for an annotated edition of The Phantom of the Opera), and one by Pat Morrissey (Triumph of the Dragon) -- and in each case, the painting was purchased directly from the artist.

 

[tenmei]

Oh, I would love some of the art that's been used as covers - especially the Avatar two parter put together - to go on my walls. I'll have to look into that.

 

[ronny]

If you want a print of a work of art that's been used for a cover -- or the original, in some cases -- you need to go to the artist in question. As an example, there are four paintings in TerriO's and my living room that were book covers -- two by Sonia Hillios (Diplomatic Implausibility and A Hard Rain), one by Gary Lippincott (for an annotated edition of The Phantom of the Opera), and one by Pat Morrissey (Triumph of the Dragon) -- and in each case, the painting was purchased directly from the artist.

You've got the original artwork for Diplomatic Implausibility in your living room?!?! NICE!!!!!!

 

[KRAD]

^ Yup!

 

[ATimson]

Oh, I would love some of the art that's been used as covers - especially the Avatar two parter put together - to go on my walls. I'll have to look into that.

With some of the newer pieces--especially anything by Cliff Nielsen--there may not be an original piece outside the digital realm.

Of course, that doesn't stop the artist from offering prints.

 

[JD]

If you look around on Google, and Memory Beta you can find the names and websites of alot of the different cover artists. I've checked out the sites for most of the cover artists for next year's books.

 

[Amy Sisson]

I know I want the cover from Clarke's "Songs of Distant Earth" as the centerpiece of the collection, as well as the original cover art from Hogan's "Inherit the Stars". Definately want to pick out a Trek cover or two (not sure which one yet, though... and do one entire wall in cover art.

Rob+

I believe the cover artist for "Songs of Distant Earth" is Michael Whelan, and I do have a print of that painting without the book cover/author's name -- my husband found it for me at a fantasy art gallery. Unfortunately, you would most likely consider it too small to serve as a centerpiece of an art collection, and it's likely that was the only size Whelan reproduced it at. A quick search of his website (google "Michael Whelan" and it's the first hit) doesn't show any available. But you never know when/where you can find these things -- setting up an ebay alert might be useful. (It sounds, though, as if you want the actual cover -- complete with title and author's name, etc.)

Good luck!

 

[FatherRob]

I believe the cover artist for "Songs of Distant Earth" is Michael Whelan, and I do have a print of that painting without the book cover/author's name -- my husband found it for me at a fantasy art gallery. Unfortunately, you would most likely consider it too small to serve as a centerpiece of an art collection, and it's likely that was the only size Whelan reproduced it at. A quick search of his website (google "Michael Whelan" and it's the first hit) doesn't show any available. But you never know when/where you can find these things -- setting up an ebay alert might be useful. (It sounds, though, as if you want the actual cover -- complete with title and author's name, etc.)

I've located a few cover-art artist sites and have dispached messages to see what comes of that.

I guess, failing that... is it legal to take a cover to Kinkos and ask them to enlarge it?

Rob+

 

[Ktrek]

I guess, failing that... is it legal to take a cover to Kinkos and ask them to enlarge it?

Rob+

Isn't that kind of like "don't ask, don't tell" or "no harm no foul"? I really don't see why anyone would care that you took a copy of a book you loved and enlarged the cover so you could put it on your wall. Ideally I think you would want to have an original lithograph but if one is not available what would stop you?

Kevin

 

[Therin of Andor]

what would stop you?

Diligent Kinko's staff?

 

[Surak]

Jacek Yerka offers some posters, as well as some originals, for sale here: http://morpheusgallery.com/SelectedWorks/index.jsp;jsessionid=a5Z3ELctdbw6

One can order a poster of the cover art from his book with Harlan Ellison.

AFAIK, Barclay Shaw never offered prints of his Ellison covers. Ellison owns many of the originals.

 

[Amy Sisson]

I guess, failing that... is it legal to take a cover to Kinkos and ask them to enlarge it?

Rob+

Alas, Kinko's is pretty well aware of copyright issues. They've been sued before. I think over university coursepacks, but I could be wrong about that.

I couldn't even get a bakery to put one of the SNW cover images on a cake. I mean, we were just going to eat it!

On another note... lucky Keith, with original art from some of his covers! I've wondered how often an artist gives an author first dibs, and whether they give them a price break versus what they would try to sell for at a convention art show, for example. I imagine that varies widely from artist to artist.

Someday....