[DL] Cover Art: A New Spin

[Martha Frey <natasha_corey@yahoo.com>]

--- The Baron Samedi <baron11@netmcr.com> wrote:
> I have mixed feelings on him. He has had some covers
> I really liked (Law 
> Dogs, Fire and Brimstone) and some crap (Last
> crusaders)
> 
> all IMHO
> 
> TBS

I think this is exactly the problem with selecting art
for any book - every person has their own opinions,
and it would, I imagine, boil down to trying to please
the largest number of people, while keeping the budget
in mind.  I can't say much for Hexarcana, I'm not
allowed in the book (yet!), but the cover was alright.
 I think it's pretty safe to say we all love Brom art
but I completely understand Pinnacle probably can't
afford to cover every book with his images, even if
they are recycled.

Maybe a more useful turn for this conversation to take
would be the feel you'd like conveyed with the art. 
Personally, I like the horror factor some of the older
books convey, Law Dogs especially.  Sure, it looks
like a normal ol' Sheriff, but take a good look at her
eyes or the "corpse" hangin' from the gallows, and you
get the feeling you're missing something here,
something important.  

Sure, eye candy is nice, but I would vote for the art
in future books to accomplish two things:

1.  Give me an emotional reaction in keeping with the
world.  If you want to uplift my spirits, give me
glowing halos around the heroes.  Patriotism?  Slap
that flag all over the place.  Want to scare me? 
Either show me something so mind-boggeling blatent I
can't help but metaphorically wet myself, or take a
seemingly regular picture and warp it in small, subtle
some way that catches my eye and leaves me feeling
both uneasy and intrigued.

2.  Don't spoil anything for me.  Yes, I know, I'm a
player and by definition I have less access to the
world's Deep Dark Secrets (tm) than the Marshall.  But
nothing spoils the turning point of a horrific
adventure like realizing I've seen that abomination
before in all it's four-color glory.  Obviously,
however, this can go both ways; maybe a cover picture
could be intentionally misleading for all those
munchkins out there.  "What do you mean my flaming
tomahawk won't kill the dinosaur???  The guy on the
cover did!!!"

Marguerite of EMGB, otherwise known as Maggie Jensen

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!
http://mail.yahoo.com/