Friday, June 14, 2013

How to find cover art for your novel

For my first novel, Iron Magic, I had not the first clue how to find good art. So, I just Googled for Free Fantasy Art, and went looking. I looked at page after page of art, most of it total crap. What wasn't crap didn't look like anything i would want to use. Then I saw it. The perfect picture. I contacted the artist and negotiated a fee. Then I used Paint.net to create the cover.

For my upcoming novel, I went back to the same guy, Justin Nichol, and commissioned a work. This is an all-new work of art, so it'll cost me a bit more. Below is an early sketch he made:

I think this is going to turn out Okay! I like the somewhat angry, determined look in his face, and can't wait to see what it looks like as it progresses. If you are looking for good cover art, leave a note in the comments, and I'll put you in touch with Justin.