• Determine your story.  There are two options for the type of fictional storybook cover that you create:
• First  - Your OWN story  What would your own fictional story be about?  What adventures would take place?  What characters would be in your story?
  
• Second  -  A recreated story   Take an actual story that has been published, and completely reinvent the story.  For example, what if the Hobbit was a gigantic alien from another planet that invades Earth? or what if Tom Sawyer was a crazy, narcissistic presidential candidate intent on completely taking over the country?  You get the idea...
  
  
• Create a "rough draft":
• Sketch out on paper the layout for the front cover of your book.  
  
• Come up with the title of the book, and place it as a dominant part of the cover.  Consider fonts, font size, placement...
• Consider interesting angles, sizes and effects. 
  
• Design the cover with good, artistic images and engaging characters.  Consider these examples:

Not so good:      

Much Better:        

• Show Mr. Clements and get approval of your rough draft BEFORE beginning.
  
  
• Determine whether you will mostly use Photoshop or Illustrator.  Open the Photoshop or Illustrator file at the bottom of this page.  Complete your project on this file.
  
  

Requirements:

• IF USING PHOTOSHOP:
1. Very limited use of photographs.  Most of your work will be done using the brush tool and painting your images.  
   
2. Vary your brushes.  Experiment with the brushes that Photoshop offers.
3. Choose a color scheme and stick with it!
4. You are required to use at least four filters from the filter gallery.  Experiment and use the filters that will most effectively enhance your images.
5. Minimum of one character and ten different objects on the cover. Each object MUST be of the highest detail and precision. Objects can be on the front and/or back cover.  NOTE:  If you draw the title yourself, it can count as one object, if done well.   Also...any photos that you use do not count towards the minimum requirement.
   

• IF USING ILLUSTRATOR:
1. Vary your brushes.  Experiment with the brushes that Illustrator offers.
2. Choose a color scheme and stick with it!
3. Minimum of one character and 8 different objects on the cover. Each object MUST be of the highest detail and precision.  Objects can be on the front and/or back cover.  NOTE:  If you draw the title yourself, it can count as one object, if done well.
4. Finish by transferring your Illustrator file to Photoshop and adding some effects, drawings or filters.  Use at least one.  This will add some complexity and a "finished look" to your cover.  
   

Completing the Project:

• Front Cover: Includes a title and author.  The author is YOU!  Both must be clearly displayed on the cover.  Must include an engaging image to create curiosity and interest in your book.
  
• Spine:   Shows the title and author displayed vertically.  Include the book publishing company's logo (created in Illustrator).
  
• The back cover includes the following information:
• a brief summary and engaging "cliff-hangers" to entice potential readers,
• positive "reviews" from critics,
• any additional images you would like,
• the book publishing company's name and logo (created in Illustrator),
• bar code and price (US/CANADA).
• The front flap:  Include a "paragraph" from one part of the book.  This will give us another preview of what we might read in the book.  This sometimes is a dialogue between characters, or a narrator's observation of some dramatic moment in the book, or some other engaging section from the book.
• The back flap:  About the author.  Include a picture of you (yeah, that's right!!!).  Write a paragraph about yourself and all of your many other novels that you have written, your interests, where you live, your family, etc.  If you like your fans to be able to write you, include your "address".  Include anything else of interest.

 Save your image as a .jpg in Photoshop, with your name as the title.