# Are there any painters here? I need some ideas for book cover art.



## Phoenix (May 6, 2016)

I paint with acrylic, portraits, landscapes, animals, etc.  I'm getting ready to paint a cover for one of my books.  And it will need to be imaginative.  I'm planning to paint a woman being drawn into a whirlpool.  The spiral of the whirlpool will be sucked into the end of a gun barrel.  The book is true crime.

Your thoughts are welcome here.


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## fureverywhere (May 6, 2016)

I don't quite understand the question. I'm thinking crime noir...like Dita Von Teese being sucked into a blue gray cloud...


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## Phoenix (May 6, 2016)

Sorry for the confusion.  I've written a book about something that happened to me. The book was first published in 1993, but between my agent and the publisher, they gutted it. 

I've decided this time I will publish it myself, and I will paint my own cover art.  When I was going through this horrible period of my life, I had a hard time not drowning.  So the title this time will be about that.  On the cover, I want to have a hunting rifle standing on its butt.  The gun is under water, with the spiral of a whirlpool going into the barrel.  A woman is above water and is being sucked into the whirlpool...like she'll end up in the barrel of the gun.  I'm trying to figure out how to do this, what color everything should be and what all should be on the cover.


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## angelica (Jul 12, 2016)

Hello!I had a look at your website-I enjoyed it very much! I replied to your message,unfortunately it came back to me.  Sorry! I think I'll have to get used to this Forum,before I jump too high   I loved the story about your cat,made my tears coming on.Such a true and lovable friend! I paint watercolour pictures,but not as beautiful,as you do.I've tied to paint in oil and acrylic.I hope this mail will reach you.Have a nice day and a hello to your husband!


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## Phoenix (Jul 12, 2016)

angelica said:


> Hello!I had a look at your website-I enjoyed it very much! I replied to your message,unfortunately it came back to me.  Sorry! I think I'll have to get used to this Forum,before I jump too high   I loved the story about your cat,made my tears coming on.Such a true and lovable friend! I paint watercolour pictures,but not as beautiful,as you do.I've tied to paint in oil and acrylic.I hope this mail will reach you.Have a nice day and a hello to your husbandl!



Hi, Thanks.  You will figure the site out.  You might contact Sea Breeze when you spot her on a forum topic and ask her questions there about how to use it.

Thank you so much for your kind words about my web site.  I will send you a private message containing my email address, so you can write to me there.


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## Dupe Murkland (Jul 12, 2016)

Phoenix said:


> I paint with acrylic, portraits, landscapes, animals, etc.  I'm getting ready to paint a cover for one of my books.  And it will need to be imaginative.  I'm planning to paint a woman being drawn into a whirlpool.  The spiral of the whirlpool will be sucked into the end of a gun barrel.  The book is true crime.
> 
> Your thoughts are welcome here.



Put on your _designer_-cap for a moment, and imagine it as a pop-art ad... water becomes barrel-smoke becomes a woman's long hair, etc.

Or juxtapose stark contrasts:


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## Phoenix (Jul 12, 2016)

Thanks, I already painted it and posted it in another section of this  forum, since no one was responding on this one.  Here's a link to the  finished painting with it in the form of a book cover, title and all.


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## angelica (Jul 16, 2016)

The picture of the nearly drowning girl is very suitable to the title of your book I think it's great!


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## Phoenix (Jul 16, 2016)

angelica said:


> The picture of the nearly drowning girl is very suitable to the title of your book I think it's great!



Thanks, Angelica.  I'm glad you like it.


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## Myquest55 (Jul 16, 2016)

I also checked out your cover art - well done!  

For what its worth, as I read your description, I imagined the scene as someone looking down at the woman as she was being drawn into the whirlpool and rifle.  That would have put her hand in the forefront, to one side, as you looked past the hand to her face and body being consumed by the whirlpool.  Then the rifle as the farthest perspective point.  Thus, I was surprised at your painting but, of course your rendition works just as you shared!  Good luck!


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## Phoenix (Jul 16, 2016)

Myquest55 said:


> I also checked out your cover art - well done!
> 
> For what its worth, as I read your description, I imagined the scene as someone looking down at the woman as she was being drawn into the whirlpool and rifle.  That would have put her hand in the forefront, to one side, as you looked past the hand to her face and body being consumed by the whirlpool.  Then the rifle as the farthest perspective point.  Thus, I was surprised at your painting but, of course your rendition works just as you shared!  Good luck!



Thanks.  The point is that she is escaping the whirlpool. It does not consume her. Since she is me, I know this for a fact.  The murders my brother committed nearly destroyed me, but they did not because I refused to allow it to happen.  My brother just died on July 6th.  So he won't get out of prison and murder me.  I do not drown.


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## Marley (Aug 17, 2016)

Phoenix said:


> I paint with acrylic, portraits, landscapes, animals, etc.  I'm getting ready to paint a cover for one of my books.  And it will need to be imaginative.  I'm planning to paint a woman being drawn into a whirlpool.  The spiral of the whirlpool will be sucked into the end of a gun barrel.  The book is true crime.
> 
> Your thoughts are welcome here.


I'd choose watercolor. A wet wash for the background, semi-dry watercolor for the woman. Sounds interesting...


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## Phoenix (Aug 18, 2016)

Marley said:


> I'd choose watercolor. A wet wash for the background, semi-dry watercolor for the woman. Sounds interesting...



Thanks - but.....page up and you will see the finished product as the book cover.   The book will be out in Oct.

Do you paint?  I don't paint with watercolor.  I haven't developed those skills.  Painting with oil and acrylic can be somewhat the same, water color is a different beasty.


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