Notlimah
patreon
Possibly a little too scary for a SSMM Book 3 cover
🕑 Added 2023-11-23 13:37:55 +0000 UTCTrying to communicate a cover idea to an artist is a skill all of its own.
I do not think that I necessarily succeeded here.
The Cephlapod is far more sinister-looking than I had intended.
Removing the head and leaving the tentacles I think might work better.
That being said I did pay for it with money earned from Patreon so felt it was only fair to share.
Thoughts?
Comments
Fortunis
I thought it was more squid like? 🐙
A disgruntled nondescript squirrel
um... why does he look like a Japanese peasant, just needs a conical straw hat. Also, I agree that remove the head leave the tentacles and you have an adventure story. Leave the head and you have a mythos story
lenkite
If this was an [Undead Cephalopod], it would fit perfectly. But right now it does not appear as a living marine monster.
Bettina
My favorite Kraken and pretty human picture is by NadegdaMihailova Kraken.
Catherine
Maybe just lower the head so that the eyes show but not the mouth? I think it’s the teeth that throw me off. But you need something in that spot be it the ship or a different head. I agree with another reviewer that Kai’s size took me by surprise the first time I saw him (more a 14 year old than 5) but I think that’s because there’s no one next to him for comparison. But generally I think it’s a cool cover :)
Bettina
It looks rather like the cover of a horror novel. The monster is quite horrific, the hero green looking. I wouldn't think him a child from that picture. I am much more likely to look at books with attractive heroes on the cover. The color of the water makes me think you'll need a bath after touching that murky brown brew. Reading about lagoons and beaches had me imagining tropical paradises so far. So something from a travel prospect with a dangerous but not disgusting creature. Ideas for communicating with artists: Show them pictures you like as a base. Looking at Kraken pictures I too thought the only tentacle ones best at being dangerous, but not offputting
Robert Hinshaw
So, I've written two books with fantasy covers and I'm gonna disagree with the consensus here. The scary face on the cover is the most attention grabbing part of it, and that's almost certainly a *good* thing. Don't underestimate how lucky you are to get a cover that actually pops and gets the reader's attention. Even if it doesn't fit the story in your head, it will get someone to check out your synopsis and possibly dive in. Just my two cents, good luck!
Bonobo
Maybe with the head beneath as it gets out of water, but add more color to the tentacles. Maybe more lighter palet of colors. I find it to much sorrow in this image. The trials and difficulties are not the only thing about the store(I tried to give a feed back😅)
Carl Mason
Definitely needs to not have that head there. Removing the head entirely would leave a void in the image and if it is intended to depict the slaying of the beast, rather than the exploiting of the beast against the slavers, then it would be better to shift perspective. A depiction of using the beast against the slaver ship would be easier to draw as far as filling the scene, but it would be more difficult to find a dramatic moment to pose.
Caleb Reusser
Remove the mouth and it would do wonders for making it less monstrous.
THUATSO TUMA
a bit creepy
Austin lloyd
I think you can have a head, just not that head. It looks like an undead/demonic abomination rather than a marine squid/kraken like predator.
Gabriel Grandjouan
Did you think about generating images with DALL-E
Notlimah
Chapter 177 for Slavers and feeding frenzy Or Chapter 185 for raising riches to the surface
Feibel Sebastian
Thanks. So it was when he was kidnapped.
J A.D
For sure remove the head. Then you could put the slaver ship where it was.
Notlimah
He dove into the water and enticed it into attacking his ship above then with the support of his sailors landed the final killing blow.
Feibel Sebastian
Yeah after looking at it again. It does't fit.
Feibel Sebastian
When did kai face that thing again? I forgot. 😅 But if he faced it i find it ok.
IAMather
I agree with you. The head just doesn’t fit.
