Recovering From Chronic Disease - cover

[redehlert]

not to copy jason manley with his recent book cover post, but figured i'd throw out a recent cover project myself!
there's a first for everything, and this is my first book cover deal.
it's all about reversing chronic disease by simply not using amalgam (mercury) fillings - they corrupt ya i tell ya!
at any rate...here's the pic....it's a manipulated photo and then some. minimal illustration, but heavy visual manipulation.

hell...it's dark enough...why not?
comments always welcome!
d

http://www.redehlert.com/conceptart/rcd_cover_sm.jpg

[mtw]

I'd try going for a lighter mood. The dark mood might turn away potential customers.

For some reason a quick glance of the cover also makes me think that it's about religion. It's mainly because of the R and the word revelation comes to mind if I don't pay attention to the letters.

EDIT: the skull stands out more than the teeth, which makes me think of problems with the brain.

[Grooveholmes]

I like it. The only thing thats 'off' about it is the authors picture on the back. Maybe it would fit better on the inside flap or something.

[tyboogie]

well first off i think the design is really cool. I do agree that it may be a little "dark" for a mainstream audience--but if your art director approves then fuck it--might as well enjoy your illustration oppurtunities right? also that pic on the back is humurous compared to the rest--could you place it somewhere else? good job ! keep it up ty

[redehlert]

Thanks for your thoughts mtw!
Yeah, I had another concept that used an hourglass with the sands of time (pardon the pun) going in the reverse direction against gravity conveying the sense of reversal.
The problems are indeed with the brain. Good for you for picking up on that! Mercury fillings are not stable and emit as a gas over time and lead to brain diseases much like Alzheimer's. Fascinating stuff.
The client showed the two concepts to several panels of publishers and potential buyers with resounding approval of the concept you are viewing. I agree with you completely....I was going for dark and disastrous in hopes of striking fear into potential readers - it has been a hit.
; )
Again - thank you for your opinion! It's wonderful to get thoughts like this!

Cheers!
d


Originally posted by mtw
I'd try going for a lighter mood. The dark mood might turn away potential customers.

For some reason a quick glance of the cover also makes me think that it's about religion. It's mainly because of the R and the word revelation comes to mind if I don't pay attention to the letters.

EDIT: the skull stands out more than the teeth, which makes me think of problems with the brain.

[redehlert]

Thanks Grooveholmes!
This book is a soft cover so there is no hope of inclusion on an inside flap. Plus, he wanted his picture on the back so as to convey to people that he isn't dead. Weird sense of humor this guy has. But fyi - he had Alzheimer's and had several mercury fillings at the time. He had the fillings removed and was able to return to an almost completely normal lifestyle. Wild, eh?
Cheers!
D

Originally posted by Grooveholmes
I like it. The only thing thats 'off' about it is the authors picture on the back. Maybe it would fit better on the inside flap or something.

[redehlert]

Hey Ty,

Yup....darkola....I'll post my other concept for you guys tomorrow morning whilst I'm at the slave ship. I don't get much op for doing this sorta stuff since I am predominantly a medical illustrator. The art director was my manager, but she's pretty loose on the subject of creativity. The client and those that reviewed the concepts were more of the art director than I could have ever guessed! That pic of the client is a bit odd with the placement, but read the response to Grooveholmes to get the reasoning for this.
I'm a bit gun shy posting stuff here since I think all y'all friggin' rule! So thanks for the kudos...and I'll definitely keep trudgin' along.
Stay tuned to this thread for the other concept.

Cheers!
D

Originally posted by tyboogie
well first off i think the design is really cool. I do agree that it may be a little "dark" for a mainstream audience--but if your art director approves then fuck it--might as well enjoy your illustration oppurtunities right? also that pic on the back is humurous compared to the rest--could you place it somewhere else? good job ! keep it up ty

[Snowfly]

hey with your knowledge of medical anatomy, you could've illustrated the whole thing. ;)

mood-wise, it is kind of frightening. I don't know how it could've improved as a piece of art, but it doesn't seem at all appropriate for the subject.

You've heard these comments before, so out I go. Good job!

[redehlert]

Hi Snowfly!

Yes...frightening. That was the tone the client wanted because it is frightening. You should have seen the first version of this guy....something out of Halloween on acid. You see, this is stuff the ADA (American Dental Association) hides from the public, but the word is out regarding the enormous amount of diseases intimately related with mercury fillings. It sounds kind of nutty, but there is too much fact for it to be fiction.
As for illustration versus photo manipulation - it's all in the budget, my friend. How I would have loved to have illustrated this bad boy....but you need to know when to put the creative thinking in a different venue.
I'm going to be posting the other concept that was also chosen but lost the battle in the user group testing.
Thank you for your comments! Graciously appreciated!

Cheers!
D

Originally posted by Snowfly
hey with your knowledge of medical anatomy, you could've illustrated the whole thing. ;)

mood-wise, it is kind of frightening. I don't know how it could've improved as a piece of art, but it doesn't seem at all appropriate for the subject.

You've heard these comments before, so out I go. Good job!

[redehlert]

Hey all...
Here's my 'other' concept. This one was designed to be tame and more mainstream. To be a catchy visual image, yet make you think 'what's wrong with this picture?'
The color scheme is cooler and more sedate and allows for more time to take the image in and be interested in what this book is all about.
Originally, this was the 'chosen' concept. The client really liked both ideas, but also felt more connected to this one for it's ambiguity. Then the client gave the go ahead to take this concept to final and THEN he showed both concepts to publishers and possible buyers of the book (unbeknownst to us) and asked all which one they felt more drawn too and would be more readily interested in purchasing - thus the other concpet (first image posted) was the victor.
Personally, I still really like the cool crisp color and light feeling of this one in comparison to the chosen layout. Yes...I did some illustration in this one - hehehe...mercury fillings in the teeth of the inset skull and the sand in motion within the hourglass. Wooo....fascinating.
; )

Comments welcome!
Cheers!
D
http://www.redehlert.com/conceptart/rcd_cover2_sm.jpg

[MindCandyMan]

I like them both. I have to say though that I like the darker one better. It has more of a sense of urgency...it screams, "read this book or you will die!" I like the other design as well. But the darker one is my favorite of the two. Maybe you should give the guy horns and a pointy beard or something...or put an xray of him up there. Great job though man!

[redehlert]

LOL MCM - totally cracked me up.
Yeah, that's exactly what the publishers and user groups thought of the darker concept. The hourglass has a YA-YA! attitude that is like....time keeps on tickin' tickin' tickin' into the futurrrrrreeee....so do something if you want to or just like the sands of time...so are the brain cells in our head.
[ i know it's slipping cubed, work with me here ]

geez...i need to get some coffee.

At any rate...thanks for the kudos - means alot to me on this stage.

Cheers!
d


Originally posted by MindCandyMan
I like them both. I have to say though that I like the darker one better. It has more of a sense of urgency...it screams, "read this book or you will die!" I like the other design as well. But the darker one is my favorite of the two. Maybe you should give the guy horns and a pointy beard or something...or put an xray of him up there. Great job though man!

[I.was.ink]

I also like them both. Artistically i like the first one. But in my opinion the second one might appeal to the audience a bit more. Or maybe because the other one is so dark. that might interest them because of that dark composition. Very tough choice, why don't they just print them both, naa... that just probably costs to much money. good luck, and "choose, and choose wisely":p

[redehlert]

Hello Iwasink!
Thanks! Perhaps a future printing will use the other concept....
Congrats on heading for the Art Center! One of my mentor's, Don Barnett and friend Nathan Campbell went there.
Visit Don's site sometime - http://www.donbarnett.com
I would love to go to this program....hell...I'd just love to be drawing on a regular basis again.
; )

Cheers!
D

Originally posted by iwasink
I also like them both. Artistically i like the first one. But in my opinion the second one might appeal to the audience a bit more. Or maybe because the other one is so dark. that might interest them because of that dark composition. Very tough choice, why don't they just print them both, naa... that just probably costs to much money. good luck, and "choose, and choose wisely":p