Book Covers Made Easy Using Free Canva And Gimp Software
Tags: Canva
Self-Publishing? Create your own professional looking book covers; ready to upload to major retailers and distributors.
Last updated 2022-01-10 | 4.5
- Find inspiration for your book covers as well as free- cheap or premium images without infringing upon someone else's copyright
- Understand the technical terms used in image design such as image size
- file size
- aspect ratios and color modes as well as what file type to use when uploading to your chosen platforms.
- Know the current specifications for print book
- eBook and catalogue covers on major platforms like Amazon and Smashwords.
What you'll learn
* Requirements
* You need to sign up for free accounts at both Canva and Gimp and be willing to believe that you are perfectly capable of creating a great cover.Description
Thanks to huge advances in computer technology making your own book covers is not nearly as hard as it used to be. You can use drag and drop image building apps online. My favorite of these is Canva.
For those few things that you cannot do inside Canva, there is also no need to invest in expensive image manipulation software because you can do them in Gimp for free.
Even though designing a book cover can get a little technical, it's a skill you can easily learn. In this course I will teach you the software you need so that you too can get stuck in and create great covers for your books.
Designing images for book covers and designing them for social media banners and posts is very similar, so once you know how to use the software, you can go on to create all the marketing material to go with your book as well.
Who this course is for:
- Anyone wishing to design their own book covers including writers of both fiction and non-fiction. It would also be handy for marketers putting out reports and other promotional material.
Course content
8 sections • 21 lectures
Udemy Interface Explained Preview 11:55
A quick overview of the Udemy interface showing you short cuts to the curriculum so that you can skip to particular lectures, where to adjust the speed and volume of your videos, and how to download videos to your computer for offline viewing.
Introduction Preview 05:22
A quick welcome, and a synopsis of what will be covered in this course.
Finding Inspiration for Your Book Covers Preview 07:41
How to find out what kind of covers are doing well for other authors in your genre and where to find inspitarion for designing your own covers.
Understanding Copyright Preview 05:35
An explanation of the basics of copyright according to my research and the experiences of a couple of my author friends who have inadvertently used copyrighted images by mistake.
Where to Find Suitable Images For Your Book Cover Preview 16:09
In this video I am going to show you my favorite places for finding cheap or free images and then later; where to find paid images.
An Easy Guide to Choosing Colors Preview 14:05
Understanding the Technical Terms Used in Image Design Preview 10:20
In this video I am going to run through some the technical terms surrounding image design that you need to know a bit about before you start to design your book cover
Current Specifications for Catalogue and Embedded eBook Cover Preview 02:29
A list of the current specifications for the catalogue images that go on each of the different publishing platforms and the aspect ratios of the different tablets so that you can choose a size for your embedded eBook Covers.
An Overview of the Canva User Interface Preview 24:56
By the end of this lecture you will be able to set up a project using an eBook or Kindle cover template in Canva which is a drag and drop online image design tool.
Cover Design - eBook and Paperback Front Cover Preview 25:51
In this video I'm going to show you how to make a cover from scratch in Canva using your own custom dimensions and your own imported images.
Creating Multiple Similar Covers Quickly in Canva Preview 14:15
Rasterizing Vector Graphics To Use In Canva Preview 10:07
The difference between rasterized and vector graphics, how this effects your images and how to rasterize an image to use inside Canva or GIMP
Understanding Paperback Book Cover Specifications Preview 13:00
In this video we are going to take a look at the specifications you need for a print cover. Then we will open up Gimp and learn how to crop Createspace's book cover template so that we can use it inside Canva.
Designing A Paperback Book Cover in Canva Preview 15:39
How to set up and design a paperback book cover in Canva
Getting Started With The Right Sized Canvas in GIMP Preview 06:07
In this video I'll show you how to set up the right size canvas in Gimp from scratch, with the correct resolution for a book cover.
Understanding Layers and Blend Mode in GIMP Preview 13:05
In this video I'm going to start out by explaining the layers panel in GIMP because that is the container you use to navigate your way around the documents in your project. Then I'm going to show you how to blend your images together to produce interesting effects.
Applying a Layer Mask and Blending the Background in GIMP Preview 08:15
In this video I'm going to show you how to make a layers mask so that you can see through parts of an image to the layer below. Then we will use the blend mode to turn a castle to pure gold and design a fantasy background for it.
Using the Text Tools to Add a Book Title in GIMP Preview 05:02
How to use the text tool in Gimp to add a title to your book cover image.
Reducing Your Catalogue Covers to a Suitable Size to Embed Within Your eBook Preview 08:11
How to reduce your catalogue cover images and your paperback book cover images to a suitable size to embed within your eBooks.
Creating 3D Mockups of Your Book Cover for Marketing Preview 16:03
How to create a 3d mockup of your book cover to use on your website, social media places and in your book marketing.
Conclusion Preview 03:23
This wraps up our look at making your own book covers in Canva and Gimp. I hope I have instilled enough confidence in you for you to have a go at making your own. I really hope you are going to do it.
This course includes:
- 4 hours on-demand video
- Access on mobile and TV
- Certificate of completion
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