HELP!!!! How do I tell a Publisher that I HATE their cover design?

jimsz

Agreed to a point but also keep in mind that just because someone can draw does not mean they are a typographer, graphic designer or knows print production. If this is a real publisher they have those people who are as talented as an artist. The artist can push to share their opinion and feedback but doing so can also have them labeled as being difficult to work with. Unless you are a name It still comes down to what the contract says. Assuming the artist knows more about what the publisher can sell or knowing how to stand out on a bookshelf is being a bit disingenuous to the publishing team.

carrieannebrown

@Nyrryl-Cadiz almost the exact same thing happened to me too (horrible saturation and type), although I was only commissioned to do the cover art for a series of ebooks. I sent in my own versions with type I thought looked much better but they rejected them. I just ended up taking the money and asking not to be credited, I couldn't think of another way around it. I just used my versions of the covers in my portfolio and didn't work with them again.

NessIllustration

@jimsz I think you're only "difficult" if you push after someone's already told you no. Raising an issue for the first time, politely, isn't difficult. Worst that can happen is they tell you "no, we like it the way it is so we won't change it, but thanks though!" So why be so afraid? It's not like they will fire you on the spot just for saying something.

You're assuming that the publishing team will be offended because you're implying you know more than them. Do you get offended when an editor gives you feedback as if they know more about art than you? If not, then why not? Because you're a grown man and a professional? So are they...

This reasoning assumes we need them more than they need us and just makes us too afraid to do anything for fear of losing the job. It's the same reasoning that makes beginners too afraid to negotiate their contracts... No, the publisher won't immediately walk away in outrage and look for someone else just because we dared to ask if it might be possible with their budget to raise the price a smidge.

Would you even want to keep a relationship with and work again with a publisher that butchers your art with horrific graphic design and doesn't care about your concerns? If they honestly get offended at you for raising the issue, LET THEM walk away. You dodged a bullet.

MirkaH

@Nyrryl-Cadiz one thing I would check is if they used a CMYK file and posted that online. That will distort the colors, and a small publisher that I worked with didnt notice the garish colors either. It was a matter of asking them to make the image into rgb before posting online, and that problem was solved. So they might not have changed the colors, but posted in the wrong colorspace.

xin li

@NessIllustration always wise advice from you.

@jimsz I am a big advocate on speak your mind when working with a team. It is easier to collaborate when you know what other team members are thinking about. It is also for your own mental health. Doing a book is not a short project, if you can not be yourself, and do what you think is best for the project, you are risking burnout. When I get revision notes from editor/AD, if the editor only says "please change X" with no elaboration on why, I would often wrote back and asking "why". I did that with both editors/ADs I am comfortable with and not comfortable with. I think most of people has opinions on things that are not quite work out for them, they might be right that there is an issue, but their solutions are often not the best one.

@Nyrryl-Cadiz with your case, it might be the designer saw an issue with the cover mockup, and she/he wants to fix it. The solution she/he chose was horrible, but maybe the issue she/he saw is still a valid point. You will never know what is the designer is thinking about if you do not engage the dialog.

NessIllustration

@xin-li I 100% agree with you on this! In fact I don't often ask the reason for requested changes (I only question it if I think the change is a bad idea) but I think I'll try to adopt your way going forward and ask! You're absolutely right that the solution they propose might not fix the problem they're actually trying to fix. Going back to the root, asking what the real issue is to brainstorm solutions as a team sounds like the ideal work scenario Thanks for that!