enigmawing wrote:milojthatch wrote:My latest go at it. I think I'm almost done. The main thing I want to do still is maybe add gold titles to the spine, but past that, I'm liking it.
I think doing gold text on the spine will tie it together better. And since you seem to be looking for suggestions, I hope you don't mind if I make a few.
Are you using the bevel and emboss effects on the front text for the layer style in photoshop? If so, might I suggest experimenting with the contour (try out the "Chisel Hard"). You might be able to get a shiner, more appealing look to the text with it.
I'm thinking the white, slightly transparent areas on the front and back of the cover might look better as black, like the spine appears to be (although I'm having a hard time judging that without seeing it done). I'm afraid I'm not too fond of the overall background texture; if I were working on this I'd try out several different leather-based textures as a subtle overlay and maybe a deeper, more saturated color.
Also, I think the Mickey-shaped holes the characters are popping out of might look better with a darker background instead of the flat gold.
The layout itself looks fine to me, something I tend to struggle a lot with myself.

Good luck with finishing your project! I've been vowing to make my own covers and print them up for a few years now.

Thanks for all the ideas. A few things before I get into much else. First, I've never take a class in Photoshop and only know as much as I've found out on my own. This project in particular has pushed my knowledge of Photoshop more then I expected it to.
Second thing, as I have stated in this post, I'm getting some help. Specifically, he did all the gold lettering for the front and spine, the Mickey Heads I put the characters in on the front and back and he also made the Magic Mirror golden. Everything else is all me. So, I'm not sure how he did the lettering to be honest and I have yet to figure that feature out. As he has time, he was going to make them gold, that is the hang up on that.
Now then, with all of that understood, on to your suggestions. First, thanks, I think it keeps getting better each time I post it. You should have seen my very first attempt at this four years ago. I have come a long way.
So far as it being black instead of the white, this is what that looks like:
I'm not liking it like that so much. The white idea actually came from the original Snow White book in the film, which was white and gold.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2173/216 ... z.jpg?zz=1
I tried to make the spine white, but it wasn't working too well, but maybe with different leather textures, that can be fixed? I'll try a few out. You have any in mind possibly that you think may work? I want to keep the story book feel to these covers.
As for the holes behind the characters in the Mickey Heads, what color did you have in mind, I can try it. For the cover series, I'm trying to hold on to gold for the DAC as other colors are assigned for now with other sets. I posted all of that just above. With that in mind, maybe a darker gold, maybe a black? If it looks good, I'm willing to do it and we can try.