Custom Cover Blu-Ray Custom Cover art thread (1 Viewer)

[Fritz Nilsen]

Thanks to the generosity of the original client I am allowed to offer an alternate version of his Star Trek The Next Generation custom cover.

Update:
This is available as either a 6-disc set collecting all the feature-length episodes
or
as a 5-disc set excluding the "Next Level" compilation.

Made to fit a Viva Elite 15mm spine case.

PM me for downloads.

 

[Fritz Nilsen]

One more from my "abandoned projects" file. I started gathering stuff for a Blade Runner cover three years ago but could never muster any enthusiasm for it. While browsing the 'net I came across a few of the old VHS covers for Blade Runner and it struck me that what attracted me to do a cover for this film in the first place were the vintage Warner covers I remembered from my youth.

In the end I did three designs, based on the UK, the Spanish and the Nordic covers for Blade Runner. The specs are the same on all of them, so any enterprising soul can mix-and-match fronts and rears to their liking.

When re-interpreting vintage VHS covers for Blu-ray I always come up against some instances where the design just doesn't make sense for the different formats. VHS boxes are tall and thin, Blu-ray covers are just about square. Some things have to be left out or changed, but I try to keep as much of the original as possible in there. There are things here and there, like the taglines (translated from their original Spanish and Swedish, mind), which I wouldn't have put in myself, but they are there for history's sake.

Now, none of these represent the "ultimate" Blade Runner cover to my mind, but they were fun to do and that's all I want out of life for the moment. Feel free to PM me for copies.

 

[David Weicker]

With the just released Frank Sinatra collection, there are now 13 MGM musicals out on Blu-Ray (16 if you count the three That's Entertainment films).


The Wizard Of Oz

Meet Me In St. Louis

Anchors Aweigh

Easter Parade

On The Town

An American In Paris

Singin' In The Rain

The Band Wagon

Kiss Me Kate

Kismet

Hit The Deck

Gigi

Jumbo


I own all but three (Hit The Deck, Kismet, Jumbo)


I have made new covers for the ones I own. They have matching spines and use original Poster art (or close to original).


Here is what the spines look like

And here are the covers

 

[Fritz Nilsen]

Here's a set of Herbie covers I've recently finished for a client. I'm happy to say I am free to share these, so PM me if you want them.
(I know I'm slow in responding to PMs, but I do answer them all, except the rude or snarky ones.)

Those of you who already grabbed the previously available Love Bug cover, please note I had to make a small adjustment to the spine on it to better match up with the sequels. The only difference is the placement of the title treatment, so you may not feel it's worth the bother to download and print a new one.

I mainly used the European artwork by Brian Bysouth for these. (Not sure he did the Herbie Rides Again artwork, though.)

Here's hoping the DMC completes the set someday.

 

[Fritz Nilsen]

Here is a custom Blu-ray cover for the recent Disney Movie Club release of Return to Oz. This was made to line up with the spines of the Herbie covers I did recently.
PM me for downloads.

 

[Fritz Nilsen]

Here's one I did for the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special. This is a supplemental cover to my previous "White set".

As you can well imagine, artwork for this programme is limited. What I found was either too low quality or just too drab. Other cover designers have used images of the matte paintings or just a still from the show, but I needed something to sit well with the painted artwork I used on the other covers in the set.

The only available "official" artwork for the Holiday Special is the print ad used at the time of the original airings. Unfortunately it is in black & white and only available as a murky print (see below). I ended up recreating it from scratch in colour with approximate stills I could find. I know someone else already attempted this, but I found the quality and workmanship lacking for my purposes. If I wasn't tied to keeping the artwork consistent with the other covers in the set I would have gone a different route, but I felt I needed to adhere to the original print ad as closely as possible.

To approximate the look of painted artwork I had to manipulate the images quite a bit. First, I boosted the colours significantly and smoothed out gradients and details, then I applied a Dry Brush filter to all the elements. At varying settings this gives them a somewhat simplified, painterly look, and somewhat averages out the different quality of the source images but it's still a far way off from being seamless. In hindsight I wish I researched appropriate Photoshop filters to recreate a more painterly look. All tips appreciated.

I pimped the final composite by applying a Radial Zoom blur to varying degrees across the image, and added a nebulous star cloud to the background which adds a bit of life to the otherwise stale composition.

It's not often I create artwork from scratch like this, but in this case there was just no way around it.

PM me for downloads.

 

[Scott Burke]

Nice job my friend

 

[SAhmed]

Beautiful work both honoring and keeping alive the great work done by those before. Brings back the joy/excitement of wanting to see the movie!


Regards

 

[Mike Frezon]

That is amazing work, Fritz.


You have most likely just created the best cover art anyone has ever done for that particular created work. And it is also probably better than would ever have been professionally done. Congrats!

 

[Johnny Angell]

Perfect example of putting lipstick on a pig. And she's beautiful.

 

[Fritz Nilsen]

Here's the final addition to the "White Set", a cover for the bonus discs from the Blu-ray set.
PM me for copies.

 

[Fritz Nilsen]

Back in 2011, when I was just getting started, I made a cover for the Lundgren Punisher. At the time a Blu was practically unthinkable, so the cover was intentionally vague on the specs. I had only done about 4 or 5 covers prior to this, so the design left a lot to be desired. Come 2015 and a Blu release is a reality and I decided to update my original cover. Apart from a redesigned back the original design is carried through more or less as-is.

PM me for downloads.

 

[Scott Burke]

Fritz, what's the latest? Been quiet around here.

 

[David Weicker]

Here is a version of My Fair Lady that I put together to replace the 50th Anniversary book version.


I transferred the discs into a normal triple-disc case

 

[Fritz Nilsen]

Fritz, what's the latest? Been quiet around here.

Here's a set of individual covers for the Rambo series I finished recently.

Now that custom covers have their own sub-forum I don't know if this catch-all thread should be retired? Anyway, I decided against creating a separate thread for these, but would love to hear opinions on how this sub-forum should be handled in the future. Separate threads for each cover/cover series? Separate thread for each cover artist?
PM me for downloads.

 

[FOXRIVER8]

Hello fritz brilliant Rambo covers any chance a could have a copy? Cheers Wayne

 

[Fritz Nilsen]

As often happens, once I've done individual covers I have all the resources at hand to easily put together new versions. I'm still trying to get Rambo out of my system, so here's a custom Blu-ray cover for the Rambo collection. This is made for a 15mm 4-disc case.

This started out as a recreation of the 1992 Pioneer Laserdisc box set released in the UK. I always thought that was a cool design so I thought I'd adapt it for a Blu-ray cover. In the end they turned out quite different, but the original idea is still there.

I find doing the backs of covers a challenge, and especially so if doing something for a collection of several films. There's just so much info that has to be included, and giving every film equal share of the spotlight is essential. Each film should have at least one photo, and a short synopsis so people can tell them apart. I try desperately to avoid just the plain up-and-down listing for each film in their separate boxes, and make the design just as loose as if it was for just one film. I think I was mostly successful here. *

Once again I left out any specifics on extras to make this cover "suitable for all". I'm aware that the fourth Rambo was released as "John Rambo" in non-US markets, (Since First Blood was already called "Rambo" in many places) but I've stuck to the original US titles on all the films.

PM me for links.

* So, what makes a back cover great? First of all, what is the intention of the back cover? Answer: Information and salesmanship, plain and simple. (Now, the requirements of a retail cover are quite different from that of a home-brew custom cover, but I'll get to that.)

You see all those people pick up a Blu or DVD in the store who first take a quick look at the front, then turn it over and study the back intently?
The first thing they should see is a series of images from the film(s) which will whet their appetite. Is George Clooney in this? If so, make sure he's prominently displayed. Show them a few action highlights, showcase the different scenes and locations which demonstrate the scope of the film. NO SPOILERS!!!!, I can't stress that enough.

Then comes the synopsis, which should explain succinctly and honestly what the film is about so that the customer can decide if this is something they would care to see or not. (NO SPOILERS!!!!! So many of these things tell you the whole story, including the twist ending or the "surprise" double-cross.)

Then comes the list of extras, or "value-added-material", which dupes some people into buying yet another version of that Disney classic. I see some retailers squeeze out as many bullet-points as possible. Listing the Disc Menu as an extra is just ridiculous (Lionsgate), as is boasting "Disc Artwork" in a bullet-point of its own (Disney), but these are the realities of retail. Plastering "NEWLY REMASTERED!" on something helps sales, and that's something a commercial designer has to be attentive to. Custom cover designers can take the high road here, luckily.

Of all the info on the back of a cover, the runtime of a film is what I always look for as I try to plan an evening's viewing, to see if I can squeeze this or that film in before bedtime. Some official covers go to great pains to hide the runtime in the small print and I find that to be just plain bad design! The cover fails on the basic utility level!

Speaking for myself, the tech-specs are of interest to me, but most people don't care if this particular Blu is the DTS-HD MA 7.1 re-release or not, or if the original aspect ratio is preserved. Know your audience and season according to taste, I say.

Most important of all, the universal basics of good design apply: LEGIBILITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No tiny white text on a bright or busy background! A fancy design that conflicts with legibility is a plain failure of design. Sometimes we designers get a bit too creative (I'm guilty of this myself), but if the back is too busy or the type too small we've plain and simple failed in conveying the information we're supposed to.

Rant over.

 

[Fritz Nilsen]

Here's one I've done for the new Spartacus remaster.

The beautiful German poster is superior to the actual retail artwork in every way. I really can't come to terms with modern media packaging's aversion to painted artwork, I really can't.

PM me for downloads.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Fritz:


That's even more spectacular than the Star Wars Holiday Special cover above...


And THAT was phenomenal.


You remain on a roll, sir.

 

[Fritz Nilsen]

This is a set of Ghostbusters covers I just completed. PM me if you want copies.