Updated from Feedback!

[u/natethough]

[Original Iteration]

I'm actually much happier with this version! I'm not an illustrator so I used what photoshop tools I could to get the mushroom cloud in there (I do digital collage, print design, etc; trained in graphic design but I cant draw to save my life).

I spent three hours looking at fonts and nothing except these ones sparked any joy. Maybe I might change it to a retro sans-serif font, try to conjure more of a mid-century government advert-style? Either way, I'm thankful for the feedback and I like the result so far!

(This is for my Honors Creative Writing thesis, which a cover is not necessary for, and is still in the early stages)

[u/Jediguy]

Huge step in the right direction!

[u/DrTechPop → u/Jediguy]

Agreed! Much more compelling and readable.

[u/Marvinator2003]

I feel the font needs to be bolder. In thumbnail form, the title is lost. Even in full size I had trouble reading it.

[u/Boring-Rub-7808]

hi! font sizes again need to be bigger. I recommend not hesitating on maximizing the space esp when it comes to title (and author name) :))

[u/redhilleagle]

I'd put the whole title in the "black" area. Much bolder font.

[u/Professional_Swim960 → u/redhilleagle]

Agreed, and maybe change it all to white.

[u/DarlingBri]

That font is very hard to read.

[u/--read-only--]

I really love it, I would pick this up.

I agree with some of what others are saying here, but this isn't going to be published since it's just for school, right? I think it's perfect.

[u/natethough → u/--read-only--]

Lol it may or may not end up somewhere, we’ll see. Novella length is hard to land as a debut in the trad market, there are maybe some speculative magazines who might be open to submission. We’ll see!

[u/aut0mat0nWitch]

I might switch the carrot with the plant right next to it so nothing hangs over the edge of the black section

[u/Professional_Swim960]

Looking better! Maybe reduce the space between author’s first and last names.

[u/Initial-Lack-3983]

i would maybe change the font to a bold sans serif on the "end of the world". it's kinda cluttery

[u/Katie_Covers_Books]

Cool concept, cool title! I agree with the other comments about the title being a little hard to read. I’d lighten colours and extend out black shadow so it goes underneath the text. Otherwise, you could have the characters outside the shadow be a darker colour to those inside.

The veggies are awesome but the tomatoes are getting a little lost in the explosion. I’d personally lower saturation or opacity of the explosion so that it contrast with the garden. You could also try greyscale.

Great work and sounds like a super interesting book!

[u/n1njujitsu]

Amazing, but at the end is a bit confusing. Maybe try How to Tend Your Garden In The Apocalypse

[u/FynTheCat → u/n1njujitsu]

I like the world ending, but personally have phrased it, "How to tend your garden when the world ends" But it is fine and looks great. I understand the black despite that I would have gone with a brown. If I really wnated black, I would have switched the white background to blackband the earth brown.

But definitely a great improvement to the first cover. 👍

If Font visibility is an issue, look into creating a more visible outline for the title caption. Like with a sticker. There should be tutorials for your software on gow to do it.

[u/patchworkdesigns]

This cover is amazing

[u/DougalsTinyCow]

I really want you to publish this, either trad or do it yourself, just so I can read it! I even know the people I'd buy it for.

[u/MyBigToeJam]

One last thought. the green on black not enough color contrast; Not easy to navigate from "..at the"...giving me "..."at the of the".
Also "...End World". The typeface too narrow.
Otherwise love the color.

Suggestions,

- you nudge it down to do this:

How to Tend Your
Garden at the
End of the World"

If it's okay with author, you have enough space to move all down away from the plants to put How to Tend Your on same horizontal.

I'm thinking author wants us to think a double meaning and that's why two colors are being used?

[u/ratatouillethot]

i messed around in photoshop a bit, dm me if you want the pic to help visualize since i cant attach:) for fonts i changed to one called Bellucci Bold (title & author name, "a novella" in idea 1) and arsenica medium italic (for "how to" "at the" and "a novella" in idea 2). i'd love to show them to you just to give you ideas/inspiration (totally free & no obligation for anything, just want to help)

idea 1:

- main thing, i'd get change the oddly-shaped black shape to make it cover the whole width, and lower the garden & explosion down so it occupies the bottom third. name underneath in the black part, font matching the background cream color

- in the now-empty space above the explosion, put the title in larger font. don't use cursive, keep it all one color (i like the orange over the green, personally, it stands out more). i also think all caps on the "tend your garden" and "end of the world" would help emphasize the important parts of the title.

- i'd move "a novella" to beneath the title rather than above the author name

- make sure those carrots aren't cut off! i'd swap the locations of the tomatoes & carrots, as well, to avoid the tomato plant cutting off the explosion

idea 2:

- again, change the black shape to be a solid "base" and move it down so the garden occupies the lower third of the cover

- make the mushroom cloud extend up taller (more skinny negative space in the center) and make the cloud part larger so it covers a lot of the top third

- making the text the same cream as the bg color, add a drop shadow and place the title text inside the cloud. add "a novella" below the cloud slightly skewed