[Capes] New Cover, complete rework

[timfire]

I wonder if I'm the only person who recognized that it is a cape from the first.  I wonder if the picture really is that obtuse, or if its one of those fun perception games where because someone early on mentioned wings and angels that it colored everyone elses perception.

I looked at the picture before reading the thread, and I thought the cape looked like wings. What it is the cape is nearly symetrical, and the cape is... umm, wider the farther out you go, and skinny where it "connects" to the body.

[timfire]

Tony, what are you trying to communicate with your cover? The first one was very basic comic book stuff. Superhero trying to save the girl from Robo-man with pet lasershark.

Your second cover emphasized conflict between PCs, and made "saving the world" feel secondary.

This draft... it seems to emphasize emotional, moralistic stuff. It looks like a mother saving her child from something tragic... yeah that's it, it almost looks tragic to me. Like the mother is trying to flee with her child... but maybe I'm reading more into it than I should.

Anyway, forget actual images for a moment -- what are you trying to communicate with the cover?

[Andrew Morris]

Even more importantly, are you still looking for feedback, Tony? Or have you gotten what you need from this thread?

[TonyLB]

I don't want to be flippant, but I think the answer here is always going to be "That which sells copies."  I've pretty much given up on the notion of conveying the soul of an RPG through visual art.  It seems to be the same sort of apples-and-oranges endeavour as trying to convey the plot of Casablanca in soup.  You can make a morroccan soup with a hint of sauerkraut and serve it with weak french wine, but it's really not the same.

EDIT:  Crossposted... but yeah, I've probably gotten all the feedback I can use on this draft.  It's done, and at Kinkos to make up a table-poster for use at DexCon, so that'll give me plenty of time staring at it to figure out what I want to do differently.  Thanks everyone!  Particularly for your patience with my pre-con-jittery self.

[Ria]

Dear Tony;

I am sorry if I hurt your feelings. I gave you the same kind of advice I give my husband, but he's a professional artist and can't afford to take feedback personally. He decides to use or discard advice. He has the final say. He's the artist.

As are you. As my husband said about you, "He's obviously got some talent." His advice? Keep doing art!

Always remember, art is a craft as well as a passion. Like any craft, no matter if you just started or are at the top of your field, there is room for improvement, and no picture will be perfect. NO MATTER WHAT! The masters are masters because they're dead, and they can't get any better. So don't take what people say personally, that's just their opinion and you can take it or leave it.

The last thing I want to say, is that art is subjective. So don't be upset if people don't see what you see in your art. This goes for me, a critic, a  gamer, or anyone else. Never change unless you think that's what is needed. Just because I say something, doesn't mean it's true or right. You have to decide for yourself what works for you. This experience is something you can learn from in the future, even if it was painful at times.

Always remember, you're the artist and you have the final say. Good luck in all your endeavours and hang in there. I look forward to seeing this latest version in color. It's very dynamic. Consider what people said on this thread, and accept or reject it. Do you think it is valuable advice? Do you think it's true? Make improvements or not -- it's all up to you. That is the ultimate power and responsibility of the artist.