# Could I have a career in eBook cover design? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 30, 2014, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403 "2014-07-30T06:06:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/21 "2014-07-30T14:22:16Z")
It’s not just indie authors doing their own publications, it’s most small/indie/not so very small presses. I have friends who are well-known names in their genre and publish most of their new stuff through the middle tier of indie houses… and I practically have to drape cloth over that section of the bookcase. The cover art, cover layouts, interior layouts and just plain reading block layouts are so godawful it’s a struggle to read them. Yes, I’m much more sensitive to such things than many, but we’re not talking about subtle mistakes or faint esthetic arguments - we’re talking about books by name authors from (small) name presses that look like they’re selfie’d by a clueless newbie author. Just no excuse. None. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/22 "2014-07-30T14:24:38Z")
> [@LibrarySpy](#): > > Can you deal with someone else’s vision? What about someone else’s constant corrections? I found even designing an invitation for someone else’s party maddening and frustrating. Can you put up with crap when financial stakes are involved? > > Are you familiar with Illustrator? What about QuarkPress? > > Can you be reliable and have a quick turnaround time? > > Are you an artist in your own right? Can you design logos, banners, business cards, etc? I can mostly deal with someone else’s vision. I have had to do that when website designing. I’m certainly reliable and have quick turnaround time. Those sample images, each trilogy set took me about three hours. And I am an artist, though I don’t have any real experience with vector apps like Illustrator. I think going the full-on graphic designer route is more than I can commit to, though. ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/23 "2014-07-30T14:52:51Z")
> [@LibrarySpy](#): > > What about QuarkPress? Ugh, do people seriously still use Quark? I’ve been a pro for a decade and I’ve never touched it…I use Adobe InDesign all the way for page layout stuff. My only experience getting anywhere close to Quark is using a plugin to open old Quark files in InDesign from really old jobs, and I haven’t even done THAT in 7 or 8 years. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/24 "2014-07-30T17:30:23Z")
> [@SpeedwayRyan](#): > > Ugh, do people seriously still use Quark? I’ve been a pro for a decade and I’ve never touched it…I use Adobe InDesign all the way for page layout stuff. My only experience getting anywhere close to Quark is using a plugin to open old Quark files in InDesign from really old jobs, and I haven’t even done THAT in 7 or 8 years. This. I didn’t want to divert the thread by saying so, but SR took the words from my fingers. I’ve been in publication design so long my experience predates computers, and like him, my only direct experience with Quirk is to import it to a more useful platform. I’ve used just about every tool there is for page layout and publication design, and QXP falls somewhere below PageMaker and CorelDRAW in document mode. I do see references to it in job listings, mostly from things like sign shops and spats-and-gaslight companies whose “communications department” is one elderly secretary who learned to lay out flyers. I’d consider it a job asset about on a level with Turbo Pascal. I can’t imagine what could or will ever replace InDesign, especially with Adobe’s emphasis on making multi-platform development integral. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/25 "2014-07-30T17:46:31Z")
How’s the InDesign learning curve? I’ve had a few failed attempts. Should I take a class? I pay someone to do layout, and she prefers QuarkXPress, and I don’t care, I pay by the page either way, and our it works well with our print shop, but I know nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/26 "2014-07-30T17:55:19Z")
> [@LibrarySpy](#): > > How’s the InDesign learning curve? I’ve had a few failed attempts. Should I take a class? The basic curve is not too steep, but its approach is a meld of prior ones (maybe 75% PageMaker, 20% Ventura Publisher and the rest general Adobe practice. The nice thing is that it may be “the last interface you ever need to learn” because it’s so highly optimized on Adobe’s overall creative interface. I’d say the chances of a radical revision (like PM to QXP or VP, through their evolutions, through things like FrameMaker, to it) are slim to none. It’s very much the Photoshop of publication design, in every way. If classes work for you, yes, that might be a good start. [Lynda.com](http://Lynda.com) is very heavy on ID stuff from beginner through master-class. I find working through self-tutorials with provided bits and pieces to be the most effective learning process. > [@](#): > > I pay someone to do layout, and she prefers QuarkXPress, and I don’t care, I pay by the page either way, and our it works well with our print shop, but I know nothing. It is a very dated package and implies very dated skills and vision - at least, looking at it from an employer view. Any tool can turn out great work in skilled hands, though. My concern would be how well her provided materials are matching with modern print processes, and to what extent your printers are using equally elderly prepress steps to accommodate it. If she’s providing PDFs for print, it doesn’t matter. If she’s providing live files… you’re in a real minefield of potential hassles. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/27 "2014-07-30T18:01:18Z")
Oh, PDFs, definitely. Thanks for such a thoughtful response! ---
**Author:** ![Timetrvlr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Timetrvlr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timetrvlr)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/28 "2014-07-30T19:23:10Z")
Great artwork! I’m an avid reader of e-Books and my favorite site is [Smashwords](https://www.smashwords.com/)They cater to new authors and many publish with plain covers which I find a bit of a turnoff. Perhaps you could contact those authors and provide samples of your work. Of course you would have to sell them on the idea that you would be adding value to their books. The other idea: perhaps you can write your own books and do the cover art too. An artist in one field often has multiple talents. At least, check out the site and perhaps other ideas will occur to you.😃 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/29 "2014-07-31T01:12:28Z")
> [@Timetrvlr](#): > > The other idea: perhaps you can write your own books and do the cover art too. Easier said than done, of course, but I do have an idea I’m saving for NaNoWriMo this year. I’ve written lots of things, but never dedicated time to a novel before. Thanks for the suggestion, that’s exactly the kind of community I hope to influence. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/30 "2014-07-31T03:21:47Z")
I really liked the trees that screamed cover. it’s engaging and creates interest in the work. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/31 "2014-07-31T04:33:19Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > I really liked the trees that screamed cover. it’s engaging and creates interest in the work. Thanks. I was channelling some of the horror novel covers I used to see a lot of in the late 80s. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/32 "2014-07-31T05:11:44Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Thanks. I was channelling some of the horror novel covers I used to see a lot of in the late 80s. Where do you get your images? How much do you create yourself? How much is from stock or other sources? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/33 "2014-07-31T05:30:35Z")
These samples are all stock, I haven’t done a real cover for anyone yet, so don’t know what I’d need to source to achieve what they’d want. But [here are some examples](http://guanolad.com/showreel/) of other work I’ve done, and those are all images I’ve either rendered in 3D or gathered from film shoots I was on. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/34 "2014-07-31T05:56:12Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > These samples are all stock, I haven’t done a real cover for anyone yet, so don’t know what I’d need to source to achieve what they’d want. > > But [here are some examples](http://guanolad.com/showreel/) of other work I’ve done, and those are all images I’ve either rendered in 3D or gathered from film shoots I was on. 1- I like your storyboards, they are engaging, perhaps you could put more of that mentality into your covers? 2- So I guess you pass the cost of the stock photos onto the customer? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/35 "2014-07-31T06:10:11Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > 2- So I guess you pass the cost of the stock photos onto the customer? That would be the plan. Many are free, though there might be a monthly subscription to those sites which I could absorb. But the ones that are commissioned or have expensive licenses would have to be added to the invoice. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/36 "2014-07-31T06:13:24Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > That would be the plan. Many are free, though there might be a monthly subscription to those sites which I could absorb. But the ones that are commissioned or have expensive licenses would have to be added to the invoice. yeah, i’m intimidated by how much there is to learn in digital 2D and 3D art and rendering. i’d prefer to stick with the pencil and paintbrush i think. i used to think i wanted to do exactly what you are doing but i think i’d rather paint portraits instead. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403/37 "2014-07-31T12:55:48Z")
The quality of the artwork is not the issue (it does look very good). Ebooks tend to fall into these categories: 1. An electronic version of a print book, in which case the original print cover is used. 2. Public domain works, which usually don’t bother with a cover. 3. Small press works. You might be able to find a small press willing to work with you. Payment will probably be minimal. 4. Self-published works. The authors will be very unwilling to pay you what you’re worth. My advice is that you’re thinking too small. Create a portfolio and send it out to art directors of the major publishers. Yes, they have artists they regularly use, but there are times when they need something quick and no one is available or where their regular artists are busy on assignments. If given an assignment, get it done before any deadlines and develop your portfolio. The hurdle is a big one, but you can make real money if you get over it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-have-a-career-in-ebook-cover-design/694403.md?page=1)