GIMP Version: 2.8.14
Operating System: Linux
OS Version: Xubuntu 15.04 Vivid
GIMP Experience: Intermediate Level

---

Hey. Got a new suspense novel coming out and am going to need a new cover. The novel's called American Ballerina. Here's the blurb:

Lily Russell is a world-class ballerina. In her mind at least.

And she’ll stop at nothing to catch on with the prestigious Royal Ballet of London. Jeremy, her jealous former lover, fuels her fantasy.

Then Lily meets a king. Who is no fantasy.

Two loves, two cultures and two worlds collide and bring about one choice—that may cost Lily her life.


I did a prototype of a cover. (see attached--American Ballerina) I wanted to see what you guys thought.

And then I wanted to ask if you thought I could do something with flares like this guy did (in Photoshop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNqt4Urw__c ) See second attachment (girl pretending she's Superman)

The cover I did is of the London Eye ferris wheel. But I could get a clean night-time digital photo of the Eye and do the flare bit, like the guy did. (Of course nowhere near as well as the guy did.) But do you think the photo I have (it's during a fireworks display) works or would it be worthwhile trying to do something much more sophisticated (with a new photo and the flares). (And the flares would look good against the night sky.)

Yeah, just general feedback. Thanks!

And oh yeah, the ballerina is trying to make the ballet big-time in London, hence The Eye. (But I'm also wondering if that's enough of a connection to the story.)

Just a note about the video. It is an hour long. While I am not prepared to sit through that, I did download it and zipped through for a minute.

Most of those effects are made using a (Windows) commercial utility, FlamePainter. It does run in linux using WINE.

Looks like this. http://i.imgur.com/29t9yx9.jpg

There is a flame plugin in Gimp Filters -> Render -> Nature -> Flame. What you get is very much serendipitous and will need more than a bit of manipulation.

looks like this http://i.imgur.com/czPFNWO.jpg

The gradient flare in Gimp can be useful Filters -> Light and Shadow -> Gradient Flare.

Other sources for flames. jWildfire is a java application that runs in linux. A bit complicated. Generates all sorts of shapes

Rich! I had no intention of you (or anybody else) watching that whole video! I just put the link there just in case anyone was interested in what created the image (of the girl).


I think Flame Painter is the best bet for what I'm looking for. The Flame in GIMP seemed pretty unreliable. Gradient Flare is better.

I'm still kicking it all around at this point. Still not sure if the Ferris Wheel is even the right sort of image for such a book.

Thanks for the information. As always, I do appreciate it.