Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

Even More Cover Fun

September 1, 2019 /

Ramping Back Up Smith’s Monthly…

So as I learned InDesign again, I not only had to do short story covers, but I had to also do the far more complex covers and interior of Smith’s Monthly, since that magazine is finally ready to return in a few months.

So in Issue #1 of Smith’s Monthly, way back, I put a book that became a prequel in my Seeder’s Universe. It had a pretty bad cover on it and I used the same awful artwork for the first issue of Smith’s Monthly.

So practicing now, I wanted to start working my way through all the back issues of the magazine, using the art from the new covers of the books included, using the new short story art I am doing (I put each cover inside each magazine with the story or with the novel.)

So Allyson designed a new cover for the novel Dust and Kisses, a prequel to my Seeder’s Universe.

Then I used the art from the cover for my first attempt at redoing an issue of Smith’s Monthly. Here it is with the new art, spread, meaning back, spine, and front cover. (It still has the old cover for #2 on the back, but I will switch that out when I get #2 done.)

I am learning. Slowly it feels, but learning. Smith’s Monthly subscribers and Patreon folks, almost there. Hang on just a tab bit longer.

3 Comments

  • Amity

    September 1, 2019 at 4:32 pm

    I’m loving how these are turning out. Very sharp. Out of curiosity, about how long is it taking for you to do one cover? I know you’re still in learning mode, but you’ve done some design before–in the end, there’s no way to translate your learning time to anyone else’s learning time, just too many factors. But I’m still curious:)

    And where do you go for your artwork?

    • dwsmith

      September 1, 2019 at 9:59 pm

      Amity, we go to a number of places for royalty free art. DepositPhotos is one. Reasonable and good licenses.

      I don’t know yet on timing since still in the learning curve. I will time it on covers 15-20 which should give me a better idea. And for those, I am using the art I used when I did the first covers all those years ago. Just rebranding. Book covers have almost all been redone over the years, so the Smith’s Monthly covers using the new art will all have to be redone.

      So still ramping up, but starting to have a blast as the learning curve starts to flatten.