[Custom Covers] Blanks, Templates - get them, share them, help to modify and create

[MiniMouse]

Originally Posted by glos

Uhuu your last 4 are really good (I especially like the last one)!
I've tried a few and I noticed that I'll have to use only those with light/pale colors because even a blue one I thought wasn't dark is too dark on my b/w reader and I can't see the title/author/etc (though I'll try to use a white bold text to see if it changes, but on my calibre library it was great!).

Thanks for your feedback too.
It feels great to know that people like my covers.

Sefiriot indicated the problem with the antique covers too (because of the more fine texture and the black and white showing on the reader). I will also keep the dark and pale color in mind from now on. I will try to give you more versions of a cover in the future. So it should work for everyone, I hope.

To know these thinks is exactly why I need feedback.

MiniMouse

[Sefiriot]

Ah, actually I read on my phone, and the colours show up nicely. Just that I use Calibre Companion and hardly look too closely at covers (but I do still find books look wrong without proper covers). The finer details are mostly lost because of the smaller size image in CC and my phone. The e-reader issues do still stand however. XD

[MiniMouse]

Originally Posted by Sefiriot

Ah, actually I read on my phone, and the colours show up nicely. Just that I use Calibre Companion and hardly look too closely at covers (but I do still find books look wrong without proper covers). The finer details are mostly lost because of the smaller size image in CC and my phone. The e-reader issues do still stand however. XD

I see, another thing that is good to know and I will keep in mind when I make my covers.

MiniMouse

[theducks]

Please do not reuse file names (inside the zip too), some of your older covers (those are 'keepers' also) will get over written if care is not used.

BTW
These are really neat

My first test case, using the Generate Cover PI:

[MiniMouse]

Originally Posted by theducks

Please do not reuse file names (inside the zip too), some of your older covers (those are 'keepers' also) will get over written if care is not used.

Sorry, if I used a doppled file name. I normally don't use these generic covers myslef, just make them for fun but I will be more careful with the file names.

My first test case, using the Generate Cover PI:

This looks great! Share the zip file for the Generate Cover PI if you want.

And thanks for your feedback!!!!

MiniMouse

[theducks]

Originally Posted by MiniMouse

Sorry, if I used a doppled file name. I normally don't use these generic covers myslef, just make them for fun but I will be more careful with the file names.




This looks great! Share the zip file for the Generate Cover PI if you want.

And thanks for your feedback!!!!

MiniMouse

The PI is listed in the Preferences: Get Plugins

More about this one in the Index of PI: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=124219

[MiniMouse]

Originally Posted by theducks

The PI is listed in the Preferences: Get Plugins

More about this one in the Index of PI: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=124219

No, no I meant share your final work for the Generate Cover PI with us, if you like. So that people (or me) who like your work and want the same look for their text only have to load your zip-file in the PI and can use yours for their cover. Because it is some work to find the right settings and color for every cover.

MiniMouse

Edit: Or of you don't want that, then share your settings, colors and font with us so people can easy recreate.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by MiniMouse

No, no I meant share your final work for the Generate Cover PI with us, if you like. So that people (or me) who like your work and want the same look for their text only have to load your zip-file in the PI and can use yours for their cover. Because it is some work to find the right settings and color for every cover.

MiniMouse

I think you want the settings I used (The cover only fits 1 book )
I cut the settings (template) from the JSON file that controls this covers look. There is an export function

Assumes the user has added the cover image with the same name

[MiniMouse]

Originally Posted by theducks

I think you want the settings I used (The cover only fits 1 book )
I cut the settings (template) from the JSON file that controls this covers look.

That's what I was talking about! Great, thank you very much.
I'm not using these generic covers at the moment but I probably will use them in the future and then I can resort to the work that you did. It helps a lot.
And yes, you sometimes have to change the settings a bit for other book-texts but most of the time it is only the text size and not all the settings, so only minor work.

There is an export function

You didn't know the PI had an export function? I export all my cover settings in the PI because I lost settings before and it is allways good to at least have a chance to import it again from a backup.

Assumes the user has added the cover image with the same name

No Problem there. The PI zips the image too and will tell you if an image with the name already exists in your PI and not just overwrite it by import. When you don't want the cover in your zip, you have to set the image on the default cover before export.

One request though: It would help when you mention your used font because when someone wants the same look it is good to check if the font exist on your computer first (or install it if not). Otherwise the PI will jump to the first font on your computer and the outcome of the settings could look way, way different.

MiniMouse

[theducks]

Thanks Mini
I used Antique Oakland That was not saved

But the (gold) outline comes from the 'Stroke' setting

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by MiniMouse

I would love it when others would put up covers here too.:
It would be nice to have a collection of different styles and ideas for everyone. So go for it! I'm not sure if I should put the covers still in this threat though or if I should start a new threat because it has no longer anything to do with fanfiction.

The thread has deviated from fanfiction, and now encompasses more than that. I'd request a moderator to have the thread renamed "Download and post custom covers" or something Besides; it's your thread / project, and I'd like to add a bit to it only, not start a competing one.

Below you'll find five covers I've just scanned from actual books (up to around 60 years old), They're just simple linen or pleather: besides removal of dust, author and title, they are not altered. If you don't want the start of the spine on the left, you can just crop it off. The covers in the ZIP-files are all 2500 pixels in height.

If someone wants to add ornaments to the covers, go right ahead. I'd appreciate it if you'd repost them afterward (Maybe I'll make some with ornaments myself shortly.)

[MiniMouse]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

The thread has deviated from fanfiction, and now encompasses more than that. I'd request a moderator to have the thread renamed "Download and post custom covers" or something Besides; it's your thread / project, and I'd like to add a bit to it only, not start a competing one.

Below you'll find five covers I've just scanned from actual books (up to around 60 years old), They're just simple linen or pleather: besides removal of dust, author and title, they are not altered.

I love it, love it, love it!!!!
These scans are great and I so wish that we share our work and add things to it all together. I think it's wonderful when for example I post a cover and someone else provides the Generate Cover PI settings or adds a new layer with something.
Or postes new covers like you.

I think it is a lot of work for our hobby and it's nice when everyone gives what he can. It is still a nonprofit work and not a payed job. And for the people who can't provide anything, they can at least leave feedback.

But I really think it is time for a thread-title change!

This threat did become so much more. I didn't think that possible after I almost quit posting anything.

I like your idea for a threat-title but maybe chance it a little? Something like "Costum Covers - download, post, share".

Okay everyone, I want your opinion on a new title for this thread!

MiniMouse

[Katsunami]

Thanks

At some point, you switched from Fanfic covers to these generic ones.

Maybe it's best to just leave the Fanfic stuff and thread where it is, and have a moderator split off all posts from the point where the generic covers start into a new thread. Something like this:

[Custom Covers] Get them here, or help to create, modify and share them

=== ===

I've got 8 more covers coming, and two more black ones with different structures. Then I'm out of books that have a generic hardcover and I must start to create stuff from scratch.

I'll look into the ornaments. I know GIMP and Photoshop with regard to fixing and editing pictures (doin' that for 10 years already), but I have never used either to create new work. I'm not that kind of an artist. If I add ornaments or text now, they just look like they're pasted on top

Oh, and that Generate Cover plugin: does it create covers from scratch, or does it "just" put text onto an image you provide to it, and then embed it into the book? In the latter case, I'm going to stick with GIMP only

[MiniMouse]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Thanks

I'll look into the ornaments. I know GIMP and Photoshop with regard to fixing and editing pictures, but I have never used either to create new work. If I add ornaments or text now, they just look like they're pasted on top

I don't work with these programs, I only use the open program 'Open Pixlr editor (Advanced)' from here. And I think that is relative easy to work with (and I had no clue how grafic programs worked before, trust me).

So, what I wanted to say...when you want to use pixlr and need any help then I will happily anwer any question that I can. OR maybe someone esle who knows these programs will jump in this thread and help out with that.

Oh, and that Generate Cover plugin: does it create covers from scratch, or does it "just" put text onto an image you provide to it, and then embed it into the book?

No, not from scratch. It only puts text over the image but the fun is, that it takes it from your title, author and (if you wish) your series column, so you can change a lot of covers at once if you want.
You can though decide the font, text size, place and add stroke with even a different color.

At some point, you switched from Fanfic covers to these generic ones.

Maybe it's best to just leave the Fanfic stuff and thread where it is, and have a moderator split off all posts from the point where the generic covers start into a new thread.

And that I think so too

MiniMouse

[Sefiriot]

I've been using this dark blue cover as the cover for my fanfic series anthologies, and the second thumbnail shows my default cover that gets generated where there's no set cover image in the downloaded epub itself, which is most of them.

I've found that the margins and sometimes font sizes need tweaking depending on the length of the title; sometimes in the case of non-Latin alphabets I have to change the fonts too, but this works well for a start. The settings for both are basically the same, except the colours and of course, the background images.

Edited because the forums ate the other two cover images. :\ Also, the first image is a book cover made with fanart by nomdeplumeria for the fic in question, combined with one of the cover images by MiniMouse as background, made in Pixlr.