Anna Dressed In Blood - Interviewing the Cover Designer & Artist

Monday, September 19, 2011



Today I am SO excited to feature an amazing interview with the cover designer and the artist of Anna Dressed In Blood. The lovely ladies behind Kismet Book Touring have put together another incredible tour and coordinated with the too-awesome-for-words, Kendare Blake, to offer a fabulous giveaway for all of you, too! Be sure to read through the interview and find out how you can win the amazing prize! Also, my review for Anna Dressed In Blood will be up tomorrow with yet another giveaway for you guys because it is a must-read!

An Interview with Seth Lerner - Cover Designer

1. Can you give us some background on what your process is in designing a cover? Do you read a book first or do you work from notes and if so who makes the notes for you?

In most cases I work from the notes the editor puts together. In this case, a new series, and a new author, I felt I needed to read it. I also looked at the comparison titles the editor sent to get a feel for what it should look like. In the end I had a lot of help in putting it together. The editor’s ideas and take on what the cover should be really made the difference. As for the artist, I’ve known of Nekro’s work for a few years. I really didn’t have a project that spoke to what he was doing, until Anna came along. He really made it the success it is. My part was easy after that, don’t obstruct the really cool art with too much type, let it speak for itself. We haven’t posted it yet, but I can say the second cover in the series is just as wonderful as Anna is, and Anna is one of my favorites this year.

2. Do some books speak to you more than others or you have a favorite genre of books to design for?

Lately, I have really enjoyed working for the YA and Teen market. I don’t read a lot of it, but the books we’ve been doing are a lot of fun to design for. The market has changed over the years, and the consumer is really aware of bad design. I hope we’re putting out product that makes them take notice. I love to work with such talented artists and designers. It also doesn’t hurt that our editors are receptive to trying out new artists and ideas.

3. If you could design a cover for any book, published or unpublished, what would it be and why?

That’s an easy question to answer, the next big thing, whatever it may be. Why? Because if I’m successful, then I’ve helped launch it. It’s nice to be a part of something. I know it’s cliché, but it’s still true.

An Interview with Nekro - Cover Artist

1. Did you create the picture that was used for the cover of Anna Dressed In Blood specifically for that book or was it done before you'd even heard of that book?

Yes, it was made for the book.

2. If you created the artwork specifically for the book, do you do that often and what is your favorite part of working on a commission like that? 

Yes, usually, I receive a briefing with all the details to make the illustration. Although they use to be a very detailed commissions, my preferred part is the personal touch I can add to the image

3. Do you primarily do artwork for books or is that more of a side project for you?

At present, I mainly work making book covers but I also work in personal projects.

4. Who is your favorite artist and why?

I can’t say only one artist, I admire and look for inspiration in a lot of artists, like: HR Giger, Kris Kuksi, Brom, J.S. Rossbach, Aleksi Briclot or Jason Chan, among others. I specially admire their style and originality. 


Kismet Book Touring has put together an incredible giveaway for you guys, giving you the chance to win a Kindle 3 with the skin featured above, as well as the book pre-loaded on the device! Be sure to check out all the features at each of the tour dates listed below for your chance to win...Here's how the contest works:

Contest Info: Who is about to take on Anna next? Last week we met the ghost hunters and this week they reply!

Each day this week, each of the ghost fighters introduced last week will reply to Anna's challenge. Follow the tour for the next two weeks to find out who accepts the challenge, who does not and, ultimately, who among the five is the one who will enter Anna's house on the last day of the tour! A list of all the tour dates, including last week's dates where the ghost hunters were introduced, click here.

On the last day of the tour, a link will be provided where you can enter the ghost hunter's name for 15 entries into the contest to win a Anna Dressed In Blood skinned and loaded Kindle 3! Open US/Canada.

My Ghost Hunter - (Click to enlarge):


For an extra points in the meantime, you can gain +1 point a day by tweeting the following:

Who will make it to Thunder Bay? Join the contest to best Anna and win an Anna Dressed In Blood Kindle! Follow #ADIBtour @KendareBlake

Monday, September 12th - Rachel, Parajunkee
Tuesday, September 13th - Stacey, A Reader's Record
Wednesday, September 14th - Alyssa, Teens Read and Write
Thursday, September 15th - Heather, Buried In Books
Friday, September 16th - Jenny, Supernatural Snark


Monday, September 19th - Melissa, I Swim For Oceans
Tuesday, September 20th - Tawni, The Book Worms
Wednesday, September 21st - Alice, Alice Marvels
Thursday, September 22nd - Julie, That's Swell
Friday, September 23rd - Angela, The Reading Angel


Monday, September 26th - Julia, Rex Robot Reviews
Tuesday, September 27th - Ashley, Smash Attack Reads!
Wednesday, September 28th - Britta, I Like These Books
Thursday, September 29th - We Fancy Books
Friday, September 30th (Anna's 1 month birthday!) - Kristi, The Story Siren


Tuesday, October 4th: Announcement of the big prize winner on Kendare's Site!



Find Kendare on:

22 comments:

  1. I really like that Seth acknowledges that the YA audience is very critical of cover design. He knows his stuff! :P
    Great interviews! I always love hearing from the design team.

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  2. Great interviews. Who wouldn't want to be part of launching something made of AWESOME?!

    I love the cover of Anna. Love knowing it was designed specifically for the book.

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  3. Anna's cover is so striking. It is really interesting to hear about behind the cover.

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  4. I loved how the creation of this cover came from Seth's reading of the book. I was especially delighted by Anna's hair, which Blake described exactly the way it appears on the cover. It is amazing the work that actually goes into a cover's creation and fun to read all about it!

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  5. I love hearing cover stories! This was great. Thank you. Anna's cover is one of my favorites this year.

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  6. This is my favorite cover this year, and I'm glad to hear from the people behind it. Thank you! In general, I wonder why illustrated covers are the exception lately in the YA world, when they can be so expressive and intriguing relative to some of their photographic counterparts. I would be happy if I never saw another billowing gown on a headless body. I believe publishers think teens want photographs, but I wonder if anyone has done research to show that it's true -- it feels more like a sound bite everyone is passing around.

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  7. I'm always fascinated by the cover art on books. I know a lot of them are designed specifically for a book and some are created using stock. I do love the cover of Anna Dressed in Blood. After reading it, it is totally fitting. Loved this interview, Melissa. It's so interesting to hear from the designers. Especially since we don't get to hear from them often.

    Jen
    In the Closet With a Bibliophile

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  8. Loved this book! My husband loves to look at the cover art for the books. He is always interested in the design or technique used.

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  9. Designing book covers would be my ideal job I think. It combines both my favorite things (graphic design and books), and seriously, how much fun would it be to see your work on bookshelves! Seth has me really wanting to see the cover for book 2 now, I can't wait to see how if it relates to this one or is completely different!

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  10. How fun :D I never get to hear from those who design and make the covers. And I do love covers

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  11. I love the cover of this book so it's awesome to see more of the designers. Great questions (and answers)!

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  12. How interesting. It never occurred to me that the person who designs the book cover could be different from the artist. I wonder how often that is.

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  13. So cool. I tweeted - http://twitter.com/#!/ashleybookshelf/status/115849089190600704

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  14. Very interesting interview. I loved this book so this was really fun to read.

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  15. Such a great cover! I really do like YA covers lately--they've gotten so dramatic and beautiful. Great interviews!

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  16. I am so glad to see the cover artist featured because the cover is what caught my interest with this book. I read the blurb and that sealed my interest in it. The cover has that eerie, haunting quality to it that suits the story nicely.

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  17. This was such an awesome interview, thanks to you both)! <333

    Also, the cover is beautiful.

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  18. How cool-- I love getting a peek behind the scenes, whether it's the author, editor or designers. Thanks!

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  19. How fascinating to hear the story of the cover from the people who created it...especially since Anna's cover is amazing!

    Great Q & A :)

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  20. I always find it interesting to find out how the cover of the book is made. I love it most when it seems like the cover of the book actually portrays something that actually happens in the book or has some sense of meaning to the book.

    Heather

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  21. Awesome interview! This is the first one I've read featuring the cover designer and artist.

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