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Monday, August 20, 2007

Vote for Your Favourite Cover

Thank you, thank you for helping choose a cover for Magical MousePainting™ - A Tool for Creativity!!! There are 6 designs posted below. I'm too close to this project and like them all for one reason or another: I'm confused and can't decide.

I'm looking for something that is striking, clean, gives a hint as to what's between the book covers. It should inspire someone to pick it up and flip through the pages.

What do you think about these? (Double-click on any one to see it close up, or increase the size by clicking on the "plus" icon at the bottom right on your screen.)
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I really liked these first three draft covers (all below were created by graphic artist Cindy Cake of Heidy Lawrance Associates):













This is #1.
















This is #2.



















This is #3.



........................................
Some people, however, suggested these first three covers don't really represent my artwork and what's inside the book. So, I gave Cindy a DVD with dozens of my mousepaintings.

She chose to incorporate two paintings into three new designs. Here they are....









This is #4.















This is #5.

















This is #6.




What do you think? Which is/are your favourite(s)? What are your suggestions for ways to improve or change any of them?

Leave a comment on this site. Please use the cover number(s) you are referring to ...


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Results...

Within a minute of sending my email plea to you, a friend phoned in her vote; all she said was, "Number 1, hands down." If only it was so easy to choose....Read on....

Your votes and suggestions are continuing to come in by email. You definitely have your opinions - which are amazing - and sometimes confusing.

For example, some people voted for more than one design as first choice!! Also, at one point, while responding to someone who'd urged me not to choose # 6, I received another email from another respondant who was absolutely adament that #6 is the very best choice.

Unless you indicate otherwise or send a comment via this site, I'm anonymously posting your comments and decisions below as they arrive. To find out what other people think, read the comments below. They're a fascinating study, don't you think?

I may be ever so slowly creeping towards a decision ....maybe...perhaps... I'm not sure...I think so...

So far, out of replies posted below, the score is...

Design .................# Points
#1............18 (1-2nd choice, 1-4th choice)
#2.............0 (1-5th choice)
#3.............3 (1-6th choice)
#4............18 (3-2nd choice)
#5............13 (1-2nd choice)
#6.............7 (1-2nd choice, 1-3rd choice)

50 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know nothing about the book but I am drawn to cover #1. If that was on a book shelf I would pull it and investigate. Less is more. The bottom three are too much for my eyes.

Anonymous said...

I Really like number 4. The word magical blends nicely and the words Mouse Painting "pop" which I think is importan,t as it is the "tool". It is also simple, clean and easy to read.
That is my vote.
Good luck
Lorna

Unknown said...

Hi Nellie - I like #5. Its very eye catching and also highlights your name.

Anonymous said...

For some reason I like #4.

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie,

Congrats on the book! My votes is for cover #1. Runner up: cover #4. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

I like #4. I'm always drawn to color, and #4 is colorful without losing the title or the message. Personally, I would not pick up the first three. They just don't draw my eye.

Anonymous said...

Hi! I like 1, 3 & 4. In my opinion, any of these would be a good choice.

Anonymous said...

I am going with 4 & 6 nells.

Anonymous said...

I like # 1 and 3 with the addition of the paintings put under the mouse..as if the mouse was dragging along the art.....

Anonymous said...

Nellie....YOU GO GRLL! You are soooooooclever

favorite is 5 for me and 4 is ok too

Anonymous said...

I love both #1 & #6. I think each one is eye-catching in a different way. I’m not sure I’m being very helpful as I can’t pinpoint which one I prefer.

Anonymous said...

I like #1 (it looks very clean and stands out) and also number 4 (because it shows the art you’ve done, which is very important).

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie
I checked out the cover images and my favourite is number 6. I think that the combination of colours and
the mouse image are the most eye catching in this one.

Hope that helps.

Anonymous said...

I like # 1 & #3 best. Good luck choosing!

Anonymous said...

I really liked #5 which has a background of blue behind the mouse. I find that as the mouse is clear and the background was white for # 4 it does not stand out as nicely as # 5. I like the colours and actual "paintings" which show the reader potentially what one can do with the mouse to create art. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!

Anonymous said...

I like cover #4 and cover #6.

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie,

I'm leaning towards number 4 or 5......they are much more magical looking and would lure me to look inside the book. I'm leaning a teensy bit more towards 5!

Good luck! I'll bet your book is going to rock!

Anonymous said...

#1 for certain.

Anonymous said...

[We] both took a look and we like #3 the best.

Hope this helps and good luck with your book!

Anonymous said...

me and my friend like #1 and #4

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie,

#4 really stood out for me. It's very eye catching. I think it's a good idea to show some attractive art on the cover.

Good luck. I'm sure you will make the right choice for you in the end.

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie,

I like # 5 at first glance….colourful and jumps off the shelf, so to speak. But the mouse could be better (I like #1 mouse)…some of the mice look like sperm!!!! No more time but, I will look again later. Just a by the way….Mouse can look like House, which also goes with painting, depending on the font….look from far away and see what happens. Good luck,

Anonymous said...

Nellie,

My first choice would be #5, then #4, #6, #1, #2 and #3.

I like your name, etc. on the mouse itself.

Anonymous said...

OK, I'll weigh in.

I love the cleanliness of #1. I like that the mouse feels a bit more like a mouse and it has a very Mac feeling to it (which I think makes it more desirable). I also like the white cover...a clean slate (which the others don't seem to have).

Now, having said that, I'd love to see what a couple of your "drawings" might do for that cover. They might be overkill, but the idea of seeing some finished product that is way more impressive than your basic A-B-C kind of drawing is intriguing to me.

One more thing...I like the typeface in your first three much, much better than the typefaces in the last three. And, although I am never one to want multiple typefaces, I wonder if the subhead should be a different typeface from the headline. Once you've got the final design together, I might just be open to exploring 2 or 3 other typefaces overall. Maybe there is something that is even more Magical and works better with the final design.

Aren't you glad you asked?

____

Don't be more confused about the covers. You are probably 80% there already. I just really like the cleanliness of #1 and thought it might be enhanced with some of the drawings from the latter sets. It might be overkill that way too.

Anonymous said...

I like #6 of the cover. It is very colourful and catches the eye without blurring the information on the cover like #5 which I liked initially but looked at it again and found it distracting.

Anonymous said...

OK - I have two favorites, but I think I've decided which I would pick.

I like number 1 for it's simplicity. The colours are great (can't go wrong with red and white(and a bit of blue)) and it has a "crispness" to it which I always like, BUT, it's a photograph.

So, given that it really should reflect what's inside as you and others have said, my final choice would be #4. The colours are lovely and I like the way the text pops out (white on the colours and blue on the white). I think that you artwork gets a bit lost in #5.

So, my choice would be number 4.

Please don't pick #6!!!! I really don't like that one :)

Anonymous said...

Definitely #1!!

Anonymous said...

I'm attracted to #1 because of it's simplicity, lettering and starkness. Go Nellie. I hope you sell a million copies and become famous.
All the best of luck,
anonymous. (ha)

Anonymous said...

Nellie,

All of the covers ‘speak to me’. Although #1, and #5, definitaely drew my attention, more than the others did.

#2: The light blue – too pale.

#3: Similar to #1 but sober.

#4: This one is good too but does not enhance your paintings as well as #5. Besides, I like the color purple.

#6: I’m not crazy about the green – too pale – stands apart from the other colors which are very lively.

I wish you all the very best Nellie!

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie,

I like Number 5. It's clean, clear and very inviting and calming,
somehow. It's simple and strong and graphically, the elements seem to work best. I love the purple. What I particularly like about number 5 is the simplicity of the design, the slightly brighter purple around the base of the mouse and no lines or borders. It's beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie,

Visually/artistically I really like #5, but #6 communicates better/clearer what the book is all about (i.e. the secondary title is larger, and in the middle).

My preference would be to use #6, with the blue background of #5, and to lengthen the cord of the mouse - like in #4.

Best of luck, Nellie!

Anonymous said...

HI Nellie:
I like the colours and layout of #4, but the way the mouse is angled, in my mind it
looks like a large sperm heading for its target. I bet no one else has said that.
Somehow that long tail.......

Anonymous said...

I like #1 best personally but for sales I would pick #5 and change the purple to Macdonald's archs yellow. Reasons? #1 is beautiful once you've bought the book. Too many covers are white and not distinctive enough when seen against other covers. That shade of yellow is seen best by most people all the way from just in front of them to their periferal vision, therefore, more people likely to pick it up. It is important to show some of your artwork on the cover, as well, to let those who have not seen it get a taste for what they can do too! Good luck in chosing!!

Anonymous said...

My favorite cover is No. 5.

I like its coordinated appearance and the colors reflect interestingly on your work. I also think the thumbprint on the mouse adds an amusing fillip.

Anonymous said...

Upon consultation with my wife, #1 stands out as the winner.

Anonymous said...

What fun to be a part of this choice.....which to coose.

I prefer #6.

To me it mingles the creative with the technology of the computer and mouse.I have rambled to back this choice up, but I do feel silly about it , so, suffice it to say that I think #6 combines the world's well and is easy for the potential purchaser to see and be enticed.

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie!

They are look good but I would choose number 1 because of its simplicity and it gives a rich look to the cover. The last one is intersting too with its rich colour but I feel the simplicity makes it more appealing. Like a woman who dresses in a simple dress with a few accessories can be noticed on the street.
Hope that helps.

Let me know which one is chosen.

Anonymous said...

Nellie, I like #4 design-wise, but I think the mouse in #6 is better because the typical two button mouse is more universally recognizable than the clear mac mouse.

Good luck

Sho

Anonymous said...

Dear Nellie-

Number one is my favorite, hands down! I love the white space which allows the title and mouse to really pop. If I saw this cover in a bookstore I would definitely feel compelled to pick it up and see what it is about.

Best of luck,

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie,

I vote for # 4 because it seems the most balanced to me in terms of colour and also I like the mouse to appear as it is - as a mouse - and I like the white in the middle. I just find the whole thing very, very clear. Number five is also very, very pretty but I find the writing on the mouse doesn’t exactly give that sense of what it is: it looks like a microphone. I find the earlier ones - like number 1 number - really don’t express your creativity.

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie

My definite favourite tonight is #5 because it captures your essence and it is clear as to intention-!

Anonymous said...

I don't see why there is any debate on this...#4 is the obvious correct choice...colourful, clean, crisp!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie:)

They are all really nice. However, if I HAD to choose, #1 would me my 1st choice, with #4 coming a close 2nd. I am looking forward to reading your book.

Milana

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie:

Thank you for the opportunity to express my opinion for your new book cover.
I definitely liked number 6 above all because it is so colourful. I believe it would be the most eye-catching on the bookstore shelves as well.

Best of luck with your new book.

Anonymous said...

About your covers...not to confuse you but would it be possible to work on cover 1 which is really clean and crisp but does not get across the point of the book?

...anyway would it be possible to have the shrunkin image of someone from the back sitting at a desk with the computer screen showing 1 of your pictures...
like a picture within a picture?

Norman Rockwell was famous for that.

I do like the 1st and the last and everyone in between. But I think having your paintings on the cover tells more of what you will find within the book and would attract the person interested in opening up their creative artisitc side.

I think you said you might have the book published with a couple of covers..that would be great too!

Anonymous said...

I like the first cover, cover #1. It strikes me as artistic, clean yet holds to the idea of a computer in the creation of the image.

It's the first one that caught my eye and I think you should always go with your first impressions.

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie,

You have certainly generated a lot of interest in your project which is great.

I haven't changed my mind about #4, but as I said before, any one would be a good choice. Keep me posted as to your final selection.

Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie, Tali picked number 5 and Elan picked number 4. Tali is the artist in the house so I would go on her recommendation. They are all neat! Love, Ruthie

Anonymous said...

They are all beautiful, but I cannot take my eyes out of #1 :) That would be my choice.

Anonymous said...

I prefer #4. It shows your artistic side as well as your literary side. At the same time it is eye-catching and vibrant. The readers will be intrigued by the cover design.

Good luck!!

Vivian Jeanette Kaplan