Cover Design for a Free Kaidan Adventure

So I decided to use one of our Con adventure one-shots as a free download for a Halloween promotion.

I created the cover art using Xara Xtreme using a painterly style, though this is vector art. I used 3 photos for reference: a snowy mountain valley, a temple, and a samurai view from the back. I thought it turned out well. Since it's a give-away product, I didn't want to have to pay a real artist for a cover illustration. I'll be using reusing lots of existing Kaidan art, some public domain stuff, and perhaps one or two other pieces of mine. It already has a map.

Probably in the next week or so I will release this free product - hopefully sooner for the Halloween season. I'll post in the News forum when it is ready.

Oh and there is an error on the titling - its supposed to be for a 5th level adventure, not 3rd.

This is only a low res file, will export hi res when the product is ready.

GP

Attachment 39028

Slight improvement - darkened image, and added the eyes of the Yuki-onna (snow woman) ... the primary villain of the story.

Attachment 39032

I think they eyes look a bit too realistic compared to the rest.. But, really nice just GP!

Still needs work. Something was wrong and I couldn't place it - when it hit me. There's no wind in the scene. The samurai needs to be hunched over with legs hidden in deep snow, holding onto his hat or helmet, cloth strips blowing violently toward the temple. A spiral of snow blowing towards the valley.

I used an actual photo touched for the eyes, I think I will vector paint them for consistency - still a work in progress.

GP

OK, next step. I decided to put in some snow blowing, as well as snow falling - with some transparency applied and different scaled flakes. I also redid the eyes to purely vector style so it blends in better. I have yet to do the samurai, but I'll get to him tomorrow. That's a more complex fix, but I will definitely do it.

GP

Attachment 39036

looking real good! The snows adds a great dramatic touch

Coming along nicely GP...

Thanks, guys!

I think this is my final version before I place it in the cover design!

GP

Attachment 39071

Attachment 39072

Looking good...I'm thinking the eyes could be less visible...you are in danger of making them look a little crazy, especially with the one being brighter than the other. I'm thinking you are looking to create fear more than giggles but this is just my initial impression and it looks like I'm late to give any input.

I like it as is, but would you necessarily see the moon if it was snowing like that? Maybe some cloud cover?