I need more eyes on my cover design

[Catrin Lewis]

I've been working for ages, it feels like, on the cover design for Strong as Death, the second in my romantic suspense series. It's a matter of bringing several elements together to make--- I hope!--- one cohesive whole.

I've finally got two viable alternatives, and I'm wondering which has the greater emotional impact.

Opinions, please.

 

[Madman Starryteller]

At first I did not see the difference, but at closer look I think I like the one to the right better. Where the nose tips barely touch.

Also, to me, it looks a bit like the man has a different light on him than the woman, not sure if it's just me though.

 

[Clutch]

Yup...the right one is the right one. For the reasons already stated by MS above.

For me it was not the nose though...their foreheads are contacting in a more meaningful way than in the left picture.

In general...the right one shows a more intimate display of affection....a VERY subtle difference, but it's there.

 

[Homer Potvin]

They don't like they match at all. Noses and foreheads seem confused as to what they should be doing on the right side.

 

[Set2Stun]

I never want to be a negative nelly, but it's too obvious that these are two completely separate images put together. That's without considering the lighting for each image, which is a problem.

 

[Catrin Lewis]

At first I did not see the difference, but at closer look I think I like the one to the right better. Where the nose tips barely touch.

Also, to me, it looks a bit like the man has a different light on him than the woman, not sure if it's just me though.

You're right, the light is different. Two images from different sources. It's a problem I still need to solve.

 

[Catrin Lewis]

I never want to be a negative nelly, but it's too obvious that these are two completely separate images put together. That's without considering the lighting for each image, which is a problem.

Can you verbalize what needs to happen to integrate them better, in addition to the lighting issue?

That would really help.

 

[Catrin Lewis]

They don't like they match at all. Noses and foreheads seem confused as to what they should be doing on the right side.

Do you think it's the precise tilt of the heads? Or something else?

And what about the version on the left?

 

[Set2Stun]

Can you verbalize what needs to happen to integrate them better, in addition to the lighting issue?

That would really help.

I wish I could, but I've never had any skills when it comes to visual art. That's about as specific as I can get I'm afraid.

 

[Catrin Lewis]

All right. This is more what the final effect will be, though I need to be more deliberate about the numerical coloration levels, to make sure the tones all match.

My present question is, does the coloration take care of the problem of the heads not quite integrating?



Another thing, I could make the heads smaller in the space. I wonder if that would be an improvement.

 

[Stuart Dren]

I think the contrast, possibly also resolution, is lower on the man. He looks washed-out. Though the red bath reduces that feeling.

+1 for trying smaller heads.

 

[Catrin Lewis]

I think the contrast, possibly also resolution, is lower on the man. He looks washed-out. Though the red bath reduces that feeling.

+1 for trying smaller heads.

Interesting, re: the man looking washed out. I did this version after I'd darkened him up a bit, thinking he looked like he was too far forward. I'll have to try again with the version I had before.

 

[Stuart Dren]

Interesting, re: the man looking washed out. I did this version after I'd darkened him up a bit, thinking he looked like he was too far forward. I'll have to try again with the version I had before.

The washed-out aspect is almost not noticeable in the red version for me. Resolution delta I kind of have to look for, too, in the red version. I would not notice at thumbnail distance.

Do their heads need to be touching/overlapping? Might be worth trying without just to see. I think it's asking more skill to join them nicely in a composition if they weren't already together in a photo. Not impossible, just more skill.

If you're willing to throw a bit of money at it, there are some absolute magicians out there with Photoshop. Reddit has a Photoshop request subreddit (where multiple people submit versions with watermarks, and you usually pay the one you choose. Sometimes a really bored one will do it for free, but I wouldn't expect it). Also defaux mentioned Fiverr already.

 

[Homer Potvin]

Do you think it's the precise tilt of the heads? Or something else?

And what about the version on the left?

Sorry, had that backwards. The one on the right looks better. The foreground for the left one has her nose and his forehead, which would be impossible without some gymnastics.

The right one still looks weird with the way their foreheads are offset. If they're touching, it's not forehead to forehead, but some other place along the radial.

But if the foreheads are not touching, then his head must be a full head width closer to the camera. Either way, it's obvious you're trying to blend two different images that don't fit, which would be fine until they're supposed to look like they're touching.

I just tried modeling the position with my wife and it was impossible. If my thumb were just before her ear like that, my fingers were clutching air behind her head. With her actual head in my hands, my thumbs covered her eyes. And I couldn't get both my hands around her face like that without having my elbows pointed out and moving her some distance away from me. Up close like that, I had to scrunch my elbows together like I was doing a chin up.

Don't know if you have a friend handy to hold faces, but I'd recommend doing that. It just doesn't look real.

 

[Catrin Lewis]

Thanks for the feedback so far. Here's the template photo I'm working with.


I can't use it as it is for all kinds of reasons I won't bore you with here. I will say I need to swap in the new heads, as I don't want my readers (I do have a few!) thinking I've got new protagonists for the second in series.

As you see, the man does have his forehead snug against the woman's, as I try to reproduce in the right hand version. But as my models have different head shapes, it's not a simple matter of substitution.

One subtle difference, I think, is that her head is tilted ever so slightly to the left. That could be key.

@Homer Potvin, I think his fingers are curled around the back of her neck, under her hair. But thanks for trying it with Mrs. Potvin!

I'm the worst introvert when it comes to asking favors like this. But come to think of it, I know some married couples I might ask to reproduce something like this in better light. And one of the wives is a wedding photographer. She might have some suggestions.

 

[Madman Starryteller]

All right. This is more what the final effect will be, though I need to be more deliberate about the numerical coloration levels, to make sure the tones all match.

My present question is, does the coloration take care of the problem of the heads not quite integrating?

View attachment 1140

Another thing, I could make the heads smaller in the space. I wonder if that would be an improvement.

For me, this fixes the light issues, and the red makes it all a bit more unison.