OLD POST ALERT! This is an older post and although you might find some useful tips, any technical or publishing information is likely to be out of date. Please click on Start Here on the menu bar above to find links to my most useful articles, videos and podcast. Thanks and happy writing! – Joanna Penn
With the explosion of creativity that is the indie publishing revolution, you may have noticed the array of book covers that use similar stock photos in their designs.
Some authors these days have private photo shoots to ensure their cover images are unique, but what about if you have a smaller budget, or you want something uniquely special in terms of an illustration?
This type of approach can also work for art that relates to your book, e.g. world building and maps, or artwork for marketing purposes
Using 99 Designs to get a custom illustration
Full disclosure here. 99 Designs now sponsor 50% of my podcast, so I was encouraged to try them out. After hearing great things from other authors, I thought I would do something a little different.
I already have a book cover designer in the wonderful Derek Murphy from Creativindie, so I decided to get an image done for my next book, Gates of Hell. I'm just heading towards the end of the first draft and the book features a hunt for the Key to the Gates of Hell. It should be out before Christmas if you're interested!
My original brief: Create a key to the Gates of Hell. Let your creative darkness loose!
I wanted to be quite open with the brief, as at that point I hadn't decided what the key would look like. Here's what I wrote:
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I want an illustration of a key to the Gates of Hell – with the aim that the image is used on the book cover of the book, titled “Gates of Hell,” and also in promotional material.
And also that I can use the illustration to get a pattern made to actually 3D print the key.
I have visions of screaming open mouths and mis-shapen deformities and demons and oozing blackness – but basically, I want a creative image that is still recognizably a key and I want you to use any images that conjure up hell. I am using a group called the Misshapen in the book, so that word may also help. The book is a thriller with a supernatural edge, so dark/scary is good – edge of horror is fine. I don't mind black & white or color.
Changing my mind based on the designs
As the designs started to come in, I realized that I was confusing the issue by saying I wanted to turn the image into a 3D printed design as well as a book cover. The two are quite different, and the book cover was always the most important thing, so I narrowed down the requirements as the competition progressed. I also created a Gates of Hell pinboard on Pinterest for the book to give another flavor to the design.
I had 125 entries from 48 designers in the end, ranging from some really amazing elaborate designs to some striking images.
You get to rate the images as they come in, and that helps the designers consider another iteration. You can also engage in private or public conversations which helps everyone move closer to the desired result.
With 99 Designs, you only pay if you are happy with the design, so there is no risk. Of course, guaranteeing the payment may make the competition more attractive 🙂
You can also do Polls by selecting the images and then enabling a shareable link for email and social media so people can vote on the designs. I sent the link out to my J.F.Penn fiction newsletter subscribers, as well as sharing on social media and had several hundred votes on the final Poll.
The Key to the Gates of Hell
And here's the final design, which I love!
It looks like a real key but also captures the desperation of a soul in Hell (in my mind at least) and it came out top of the final poll as well.
Next, I need to finish the book and we'll work on the full cover design. Since it will be ARKANE Book 6, there are elements of the cover that are fixed. This illustration will just add another dimension, and in fact, provided a story twist that I'm currently writing!
It was an added bonus to have other creative minds that jump-started my own thoughts as I wrote! I just LOVE collaboration with other artists – it's so rewarding.
I asked the fantastic designer of the winning illustration, Danniel Soares, a couple of questions:
How did you come up with the design based on the (very loose) brief?
I particularly like this sort of brief, giving enough direction ideas, while not being strictly defined. The downside is that you'll probably need to narrow down on one or two ideas relatively fast, in this contest scheme, so you can present something that already have a reasonably good rendering. Other important consideration is the time it will take to develop it.
Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to do a 3D sculpture in the foreseeable time (I'm not really “fluent” with the 3D software I have, and I'm not sure my current hardware would be powerful enough for this sort of thing as the 3D mesh grows in complexity), even though this consideration also had some influence on that particular idea, which is relatively simpler, while still at least just as good. The other idea, actually came first, and morphed more or less gradually into the final one.
What are your tips for authors who want to get designs for their books?
An important thing to have in mind before anything are the different sub-domains of graphic artists. In an ideal world people wouldn't take jobs they don't really feel ready to do, but that can happen, and the final product will probably suffer as a result.
The main distinctions among professionals who would do the final work are perhaps “illustrator” and “designer” (who will often have their sub-specialties, based on genre, technique, and intended use). The latter deals more with the overall layout and structure of the whole, while the former is more concerned with “isolated” details, even though it's helpful to have a notion of the planned design, to make it match appropriately — but perhaps some designers would prefer to have the illustrations roughs to see how to layout things around it! The specialty of one will tend to be the weakness of the other, even though there will be some people who do both equally well.
The best way to proceed then is to take some time to look through several artists' portfolios, trying to find a few who work in styles that match the book.
Maybe while still writing the book, perhaps it could turn out to be a form of inspiration. And make some inquiries along the way, or at some allotted time.
Established professionals, whether they're solo, a team, or subcontractors of an agency, will likely have a well defined process, describing their obligations and conditions in a more or less standardized contract. With people who are just starting out things can be probably be somewhat more complicated and insecure, due to inexperience, and a natural lack of expertise in the business and administrative side. But that probably can be dealt with some precautions from the author, like coming up with a reasonable contract beforehand, to be filled in eventually. That's definitely somewhat more complicated, but may worth the extra work.
Services like 99designs can be seen as an intermediate way, since they're literally being the intermediaries between the artists and the client, offering some aspects of “insurance”, even though I'm not totally sure about the details. I hope it didn't sound too much like some sort of infomercial, because I'm not being paid to make this sort of advertisement. But even with this sort of backing it's perhaps interesting to study how to do a briefing that is specific enough and clear in scope, in order to avoid misunderstandings and frustrations from both sides.
What else can you use 99 Designs for?
- Book cover design and custom artwork and illustrations
- Logos and business cards
- Web page and mobile apps as well as banner ads
- T-shirts (I am seriously considering this at some point!)
You can get a PowerPack upgrade if you use my sponsorship link: 99Designs.com/joanna which will supercharge your contest by highlighting your listing, bolding its font, and bumping it to the top of the page. Basically, you can get more entries from better designers.
I found the whole process pretty addictive and since I love collaboration, it's definitely on my list to do again.
OK, I'd love to know what you think of 99 Designs, or if you have used custom designs/illustrations from other designers.Please leave a comment below and join the conversation.
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1 2 Next »Thanks for the post, and 99Designs is a source I have had in mind, but you confused me a tad towards the end, because you did not mention 99Designs in the caption for the winning image (but you have done so for the other images): the immediate impression I had was that you had given up on 99Designs and moved elsewhere.
I don't have the rights to the other images, so I referenced them within 99 Designs - whereas the final image rights are now with me
>>... whereas the final image rights are now with me<<
Joanna, I think that need to be more specified. :-) The final image rights you cite are actually the final 'usage rights' for this image, which can be seen as an exclusive license. Nothing more. :-) The 'final image right' could be interpreted as the copyright, but that stays with the designer.
You can read the legal stuff on the Design Transfer Agreement here: http://99designs.co.uk/legal/design-transfer-agreement
99designs is awesome, there are some designers on there who are way undervalued.
As far as illustration, in my experience (designing over 1000 book covers) it's fine for some non-fiction, children's fiction, and a few genres like chic-lit.
For most books, it doesn't work - because it doesn't have that immediate emotional punch you can get with photography.
The key you got done is more 3D/realistic than what most people would consider 'illustration' - you could easily turn it into an actual object with a 3D printer; and you could put it on top of a photographic scene and it wouldn't look out of place.
So if you need an object like this, it's a great idea, but if you need a scene sketched out, photomanipulation in photoshop may work better. (Unless you need those really high quality digital art like the photo-realistic angels or DeviantArt - but most of that stuff is still starting from stock photography and using a Wacom tablet to 'draw' or enhance the photo with illustrative elements.
I agree Derek, and the main reason I did this was because I knew we'd struggle to find stock art for a Key to the Gates of Hell :) I think illustrations can also work for book interiors for fantasy e.g. maps etc and also for character sketches if people want them.
Thanks for the post. Informative as ever. Question: do you get to keep the final source files for future use and/or future tweaking?
Yes, the final step is a file handover process - and of course, you can get to know your designer personally too!
Interesting post! Being a writer though, and pretty firm about getting paid for my job, I'm not too keen on the idea of having a competition where I require artists to do designs for free and only actually pay one of them. Normally in the corporate world where I work, we ask various studios to make designs concepts for us, and then we choose which one to proceed further with. But we always pay them for making the initial design concept (and then of course more to the one we continue working with).
Or did I misunderstand how 99Designs works?
That is right, Selene - but of course, the designers are willingly doing the work upfront in a marketplace environment. Like those of us who give books away for free to attract readers who will buy other work, we all need to get attention somehow.
I agree with Selene, I can't imagine working on someone's design, who doesn't really know what they want on spec, meaning for free. I can't imagine anyone thinking this is a decent way for illustrators to make living, it's more like taking advantage of them.
And it doesn't help them get started if they don't have much a portfolio yet, it actually ends up discouraging them. It's purely advantageous for you and not for the artist.
Thanks for your comment - I appreciate this is one point of view.
I would just say that from my perspective, I am thrilled by the chance to work with Danniel and I will be promoting his work and his site in my book as well as on my sites - for some, this might be considered a marketing opportunity ...
Being a cover designer, and one with years of experience, I would never work in this sort of environment. It is basically the equivalent of a sweatshop for artists. The fact that you don't have to pay unless you "like" the work means that the artist doesn't get paid, either. No professional would work for spec like that.
Wow, you got some great designs for the key. Love the one you chose, very creepy!
Thanks - I love it too!
Actually I'm with Selene on this one. 99 Designs and other crowdsourcing design sites have a bad rap within the design community, because they encourage spec work. Some artists working on the site were found to be paid barely $5 per hour, which can encourage shortcuts and recycling of imagery. I'm certainly not making any accusations against the artist featured above, but the lesson was caveat emptor. YMMV.
Thanks - that's a good perspective to have. Perhaps it helps people get started if they don't have much of a portfolio yet?
Interesting. I have to say though, the prices are pretty high.
You end up with a single image/design for at *least* $299, but if you want better artists, it's going to add up quickly.
If you're loaded and have lots of money to spare, then it makes sense to pay that much for a custom job.
If I'm going to pay that kind of money, I'd rather seek out an artist for the kind of work I want, check out what they are capable of and see their styles, then work with them on a custom solution.
Still, nice key!
Interesting to compare your comment to others here - it sounds too expensive to some, and yet designers are saying it is way too cheap! I guess any kind of marketplace has these issues.
Just wanted to clarify my statement above, I believe the $5/hr was an average of competitions an artist did and didn't win, and it may have been even less. I'd have to try and dig up the link to be sure. Also, the artist doesn't get the whole fee, 99 Designs takes a commission which can be up to 40%.
Exactly. Like I said, sweatshop-type atmosphere. Much better to get an artist you like and trust, and pay them what they are worth. The saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover" never actually applies to books. Your cover is your first impression for potential readers. Pay your artist in line with that.
Just like any other "service" out there, I think that there are good people and bad people on certain sites. For example, I use freelancer.com and while that might be a site people look down upon, I think Freelancer.com has it's good apples and bad apples as well as certain industries that work better with Freelancer.com. A few years ago when I was looking for writers for my writing business, I went to Freelancer.com looking for writers. Big mistake.
But, recently when I was publishing The Nine Of Hearts and wanted to do something different than just a stock photo, I hired someone on Freelancer.com and they did an amazing job. It cost about $140. But, it came out fantastic. The guy I worked with had good communication, even though his English wasn't so great lol. He gave me sketches, soft sketches, draft 1, 2 and 3 etc. He was very proud of his work and so was I.
You can see the design here (http://kristiambrose.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/watermarked-The-Nine-Of-Hearts-Final-Edition-Cover.jpg) that's the edition, watermarked for my site). Its all hand drawn and digital and (yes, I am biased) Amazingggg!
My point: Shop around. Look at people's reviews, past work experience, testimonials, etc. It took me almost a month to choose the guy I did. But, I am glad I took my time in finding him, checking his reviews, references, website, facebook fanpage, etc.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Kristi!
Hi all,
I understand all the different opinions and agree and disagree to some of the points.
I am an artist, singer and writer and have worked for free and for money. So I know how difficult it can be to get your name out there.
If these artists like designing and competing for jobs isn't that that same as we as writer's do. We give away our books. We get pittance even when published.
We are always fighting the flow of new and old creators to get our work seen and purchased. So what is the difference?
It would be wonderful if the world rewarded the arts the same as sports in a monetary way. But that is no realistic.
So if these artists want to work this way that is okay. At least some of them are getting paid for their hard and beautiful work.
I love the key design Joanna and I think you did well using this service. xx
Thanks for your support Bibi, and yes, the designer must make their own choice. Perhaps it's the same as giving thousands of books away for free, as many authors do, in order to find the few people who are happy to pay for future books. I'm glad you like the design!
I've used 99designs for a logo, though I do have mixed feelings about spec work. I found the process to be incredibly time consuming. I had over 400 entries and spent over 2 hours each day for a week reviewing and giving feedback. It was way more time than I'd expected. Plus, I didn't like how many designers would copy higher rated designs leaving me with a lot of very similar designs. It was quite overwhelming.
Now, I'm working with a single designer for my book cover and it's a much more sane experience. I don't think I'd do a design contest again.