Cover Art Basics

Just because I don’t feel like I’ve started enough drama on the blog in awhile, let’s talk about cover artists! Please note that while I will mention some cover artists as examples, this is not meant to be an exhaustive list of cover artists you can or should use.

Okay, that ought to get engagement up and make Cyan happy. 

But seriously, cover artists are an important part of the independent horror scene who don’t always get the credit and attention they deserve. In fact, authors usually get attention for not using an artist for their book cover.

And we get it. Cover art can be expensive. But it doesn’t have to be, and good cover art can amplify your book’s shelf appeal!

To get started, let’s talk about some basic terms for cover art:

Pre-made: A cover the artist makes and sells for a set price with only basic modifications included--e.g., they will put in the author's title and name.

Custom: This is when the artist creates a cover specifically for your book. These will be more expensive than pre-mades (often 3x or more!) but are tailored to your vision.
Stock Art: Stock art is created by artists, then legally licensed via programs like Canva and VistaCreate. The artists are paid for their work, which can then be used as-is or manipulated with programs like Photoshop. 

Generative AI: This is when a person uses artwork created by artificial intelligence. A lot of presses (Undertaker included), book contest organizers, and some distributors will not accept covers created with generative AI, because AI is trained on stolen work and takes money out of artists' (and authors') pockets.

Ebook: A cover designed to be used for an ebook or an image on a distributor's site.

Full Wrap: Cover art and text for the front and back of a book, including the spine. The cover artist will need exact measurements from a publisher after formatting is complete.

Hardcover: A full wrap with additional features unique to hardcover books, such as inside flaps that usually feature a synopsis in the front and the author's biography in the back.

So, you’re going shopping for your first cover! Where do you start?

With a cover designer!

Most cover artists will have online portfolios you can look at to see what styles they use and if you like their past work. Each cover artist is different, just like every artist is different, and some may not be able to do what you have in mind. 

That’s okay!

My all-around go-tos are Ruth Anna Evans and Christy Aldridge (Grim Poppy Designs). I buy a pre-made cover from one of them at least once a month.

I love the pulp-style covers Adrian Medina (Fabled Beast Designs) creates, but unfortunately I haven’t written anything yet that would work with that style of cover.

Lynne Hansen does amazing work, often making custom covers, and that kind of quality does not come cheap. Her work is worth every penny, but the cost may not fit into everyone's budget.

Then there’s Dakota Marquardt, who does custom covers and artwork. Dakota does the cover art for my western horror Aggie novellas (Undertaker Books) and the illustrations for Rebecca’s children’s books (AEA Press and Malediction). We honestly haven’t found anything she can’t do yet. (Check out Patrick Barb's "squorror" novella, THE NUT HOUSE, out now from Undertaker. Dakota did a phenomenal job on it!)

If you self-publish, once you have a designer in mind, you’ll need to decide between pre-made and custom. 

I buy a lot of pre-mades, then write to fit the cover. That works well for me; I can look at a cover and find inspiration for a good story. But for most people, you’re going to have your book first and THEN need a cover that fits it. Sometimes you’ll get lucky, and the artist will have a pre-made that already matches your story or themes. But most of the time, you’re looking at a custom. 

Different artists will have different information they want when you request a custom design. Most will want a synopsis of the story, details about your vision for the cover, and maybe a few covers you like in the genre. 

From there, they disappear into their art lairs, and emerge occasionally with drafts and samples for you to critique. 

Then, after a long and arduous process, they give you THE COVER!

Obviously, THE COVER is worth every penny, but what can you expect to pay for it?

Most pre-made covers run from $50-$125 for full wraps (watch for sales!). 

Custom covers start around $150 and go up from there. There may be additional charges for excessive revisions after the cover is complete, for a hardcover wrap, or other features.

So yes, you’re going to spend some money for your cover.

Why should you?

Because your cover is what sells your book. It’s what gets the reader’s attention and makes them say, “Hey, that looks like something I’d enjoy!” 

What if you’re working with a publisher? 

Different publishers have different policies for covers. At Undertaker, our in-house team is pretty good at cover design, and that’s who we prefer to use. If an author wants to use an outside designer, we allow them to purchase (or create—hi Chloe!) their own cover, and have very clear terms in our contract covering ownership and use.

If your publishing company pays for your cover, you want to make sure your contract outlines ownership if you separate. In the past when we’ve paid for covers, cover ownership reverts to the author at the end of the original contract term. If they choose to move to another publisher after that, they can take their cover with them—we don’t have a use for it anymore!

So ends the book cover art crash course, and brings us to the moment you’ve all been waiting for: the chance to list all the cover artists I didn’t mention that you love in the comments. 

Go for it! 

We’ll never get a chance to work with all the cover artists out there, but if you have one you love, by all means, give them the spotlight!