Tip 5: Creating a Series Of Similar Covers
Take a look at these cover images:
You should notice that each follows a broadly similar layout. For
example, they all have two colored strips along the top and bottom
(of both the front and right sides),
they all have our company name near the bottom of the front side,
and the corresponding web site near the top of the front side, etc.
Of course, I could have created a series of covers like that,
starting each from scratch, but doesn't that sound like a lot of work?
Here's what I did to save myself a lot of time:
- For all my covers, I decided that I would use an image as the
background to the front.
- I obtained the image for my very first cover, and made a note of
the size in pixels.
- I then created my first cover project, using that image on the
front, then using CoverFactory's vector drawing features to add
the colored strips along the top/bottom of the front, the text etc.
- I used the Render To File... feature to generate the first
cover image (as a PNG format file).
- I also saved all the settings used to create my first cover project
using the Save option in CoverFactory.
- To create my 2nd cover project (and 3rd, 4th, etc.), I did this:
- I found a new image to use on the front. I needed to make sure it
is the same size as the image used in my first cover. Fortunately
I had noted that information down in Step 2 (above). If I couldn't find
an image of the exact dimensions required, I could use a
painting program
to crop or scale the new image that to the exact
dimensions required.
- In CoverFactory, I used the Open... option to load the
first cover project (saved in Step 5). I then did Save As...
to save the project under a new file name (so I wouldn't mess up the
original project).
- I went to the Front tab in CoverFactory, and changed the
Front image background to be my new image, by double clicking in
the Properties list.
- I made any other changes to the vectors (such as editing text,
changing the colors of strips, etc.) that I considered appropriate.
- I clicked Render To File..., and hey presto Cover image
#2 was ready.
|
