Neural Wraith - Cover
Added 2022-06-05 11:16:58 +0000 UTCThe Neural Wraith cover is done and it's a colorful one. This is a full jacket cover, so the paperbacks will have art extended over the spine and back.
Rie/Uriel is the cover girl.
This cover was difficult in quite a few ways. Cyberpunk isn't a hugely popular genre to draw in, and I didn't want to go too sci-fi. Unlike in fantasy, where I can say 'cool armor like this' and get something that basically hits the right spots, it's harder to do that with something as nebulous as cyberpunk. I like the result, however, and my artist's lighting and color really makes it pop.
As such, this is a much more stylistic cover, rather than a perfect representation of Uriel. I had several points that I felt needed to be hit for marketing reasons, and a large part of that is ensuring this cover has the right feel. A lot of my inspirations are closer to anime cyberpunk than traditional stuff, I wanted bright colors that made it pop, I wanted skin (obviously), and I wanted some indication that this would involve police.
That means there are a couple of things here that I don't depict on Rie in the book. On the other hand, this might become your version of Rie. Maybe I'll find a way to sneak the cap and sword in at some point.
At least typography is fairly straight forward, as Scifi leans toward simple, bold stuff.
Thoughts on the cover are welcome, given it's a departure in style from my fantasy covers. Hopefully you like it, and I guess I'll see how it does.
Comments
June 12th-14th. I'm just finalizing the book now, but I'm trying not to rush it.
K.D. Robertson
2022-06-05 23:14:32 +0000 UTCMaybe the hat and sword are for more official police business and she doesn't just carry them around all the time? The cover is absolutely amazing! The colors really shine and it's nice to put a face to Rie.
Lauryn Niedzielski
2022-06-05 18:49:31 +0000 UTCDo you have a tentative release date? Or a target?
George
2022-06-05 12:41:11 +0000 UTCThis is awesome.
Oscar Leon Robbins
2022-06-05 12:19:11 +0000 UTCSick cover. I really like this artists covers, fantastic.
George
2022-06-05 12:03:11 +0000 UTCAesthetics, mostly. The ribbons were a bigger part of the original sketch, which leaned much harder into SciFi (more of a power armor design). They got dialled back in this version.
K.D. Robertson
2022-06-05 11:56:04 +0000 UTCI really like it, but what's up with the eight cloth strips just flowing around?
BlueGraine
2022-06-05 11:33:02 +0000 UTCThat cover looks amazing! It fits so well! I can't wait to get the physical version
GhostPhil
2022-06-05 11:19:38 +0000 UTC
