What are the dimensions for creating a custom cover for a PBB (personal book builder)?
Thanks so much!!
joel
I use any picture, the compiler makes it right.
EDIT: I have some covers of the 300 X 400 size and it works well.
I haven't perfected it yet, but using Word's Picture tools under Picture effects you can play with rotation, depth and lighting to come up with a reasonable book cover from a 2d shot.
I then had to print screen it to grab it, but it works if you don't have any other tools.
Imperfect example follows:
What are the dimensions for creating a custom cover for a PBB (personal book builder)? Thanks so much!! joel
One more information to the subject: When I checked ESV Bible book cover, it looks Logos is using 3 X 2 ratio for book covers.
Look at the book cover highlighted in my library below. Now look at a the 2-3 books above & below. There is not a "standard size" that Logo's uses for ALL books. I think Bohuslav's recommendation is probably a good one.
I have a related question. In attempting to make covers for my PB's, I've used Word 2010's Insert/Cover Page. This works great, but I'm having a problem when trying to create custom cover pages. For some reason, the background page colors (using Page Layout) do not show up and sometimes the Quick Parts text information also does not show up when I used Insert/Cover Page/Save to Cover Page Gallery. I tried going in under File/Options/Display/Printing and clicking Print Background Colors and Images. That still did not fix it. Anyone have an idea what I'm doing wrong?
I am not sure I understand the problem. Why not just creating or using the .jpg file as a book cover? There is a plenty of ways how to get or make those pictures. Am I missing something?
Not sure what you mean by just creating or using the .jpg file for book cover. Would be interested in knowing easier way(s) to do that.
T.P. -
The book cover needs an "image" file, not a "text" file. The types of files it accepts are ".png" and ".jpg". I don't use windows, so my techniques would not be of any value to you. Does windows still come with "paint?" That program will save as "image" files, including ".png" and ."jpg."
Yes, I'm aware it uses a graphic image. What I was doing was adding cover page in Word, then printing to Adobe PDF the cover page only, then using Adobe Acrobat to export the image as png and using that. My issue was with background page colors in Word 2010. What I was doing worked quite well other than that one snag. But if others have an easier, more seamless way to do it, I would appreciate knowing.
But if others have an easier, more seamless way to do it, I would appreciate knowing.
Yes. Use a graphics program. Word is not designed for graphics and does not do a good job. Plus, you have to jump through a bunch of hurdles. May I ask what PB you are building? It might give me some ideas of how to help you better.
Appreciate the help. I'm only doing sermon series that I have preached thus far. Years ago I found it needful to discipline myself to write/type everything out in detail, so I would stay on course with where I really wanted to go with messages, so I have lots and lots of sermon series. Have about 20 of them done in PB. Have several more to do, and will do additional ones as I complete sermon series. So covers have to be designed from scratch.
May I suggest you use a photo of yourself? Find one you can crop into a book shape. To be honest, the book covers are really too small to be of much use, but they can help you see "at a glance" what they are. If it were me, I would want a way to quickly see that it was MY sermon notes. Just a thought.
So covers have to be designed from scratch.
It is much easier to use PowerPoint than Word to make a custom picture for your Book cover. You create a presentation picture, with all the graphics and text you like. Than you save it as .jpg or .png.
P.S. You have to adjust orientation and size of your picture before you save it to match your Book Cover need. I use 3 x 2 ratio for my book covers. You can do it very easily in PowerPoint. Sorry, my example is done in my Czech PowerPoint MS Office 2010.
It is much easier to use PowerPoint than Word to make a custom picture for your Book cover.
Bohuslav -
I am sure that PowerPoint would be a superior program to use because it is designed for graphics. It was not designed, however, to create graphics. It would be nice if someone had a PC freeware program to recommend. I use Photoshop on my Mac, but it would be overkill to buy PS just to make covers for L4!
PS - Your sermon arrow looks like it hit the mark. [:)]
PC freeware program
For graphics?
GIMP http://www.gimp.org/
it's a little hard to learn though and is overkill for just PB covers, but did I say it's free [H]?
Kevin -
Does Windows still come with "paint?"
Yes, I understand and I use Photoshop Elements for graphics. The reason I speak about PowerPoint is, that it is part of MS Office and almost anybody knows and uses PowerPoint (at least here [:)] ) and so most people will know basic way how to produce a great presentation. Just one more step you do then is to save one of your slides as .jpg. Very easy. The only more complicated thing is to set your slide's vertical orientation and size (if you wish to change it) since that is not what you usually do with PowerPoint. It is easy, but not common.
P.S. To learn to use some graphic programs is more complicated than learning to use Logos 4 [:D]
Thanks much for the idea about PowerPoint. Very simple, worked great! Problem solved.
Gratz on problem solved! Let me add one more factor that may significantly ease future cover creation. I also use PowerPoint for adding text, effects, etc. AND I frequently use Google Images for free, beautiful, and germane images for the background. This means that my decidedly inartistic abilities aren't strained trying to use GIMP, et al to create a custom image.
Bohuslav! *smile* Incredibly well done!
Peace to you! .....and...
Always Joy in the Lord!
Kevin - Does Windows still come with "paint?"
You betcha. Paint even has a ribbon interface now.
Would paint work reasonably well to make book covers?
Kevin - Would paint work reasonably well to make book covers?
Sure. Caveat: By comparison with using PowerPoint to create a slide with text and a pic from Google Images, saved in a .jpg format; its far more time consuming and difficult, IMHO.
I concur. Paint would work but it's hard to get a polished look to it.
