I've just had a session with my Graphic Designer and we've tossed a
few ideas around but I had this great idea of asking some G-Genius to
contribute.

The book will form part of a trilogy (or maybe a series) and it
reveals 'State Secrets' of that era.

Any ideas?

Preferably to links where out-of-copyright or easily affordably stuff
can be obtained.

Many thanks!

---

Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 02 Jul 2004 11:53 PDT

I have been advised (rightly or wrongly) that all photos published
before 1957 are OUT OF COPYRIGHT!

Which is very different from the '70 Year Rule' for text!

---

Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 03 Jul 2004 02:26 PDT

Correction:

Apparently it is necessary to make some 'artistic improvement' to the
original image.

Is this so?

Or is that a new question?

Bryan,
I?m not sure what your budget is on this, and I do not know what the
reproduction rights are for an image used on a book cover. I suspect
that some of these suggestions may be out of your remit.

Here suggestions for possible sources. I was thinking in terms of a montage:

Stills from the vast archive of British Pathe newsreels. You will get
a good selection of newsreels of British life for that period from
which you can take stills.
http://www.britishpathe.com/samples.html
 
The FAQs page states the following:
"How do I license British Pathe material for professional use (TV
programmes, corporate video, advertising etc.)
Professional licensing of British Pathe material is now managed by the
ITN Archive.
http://britishpathe.itnarchive.com/"
I do not know the cost. This site has a contact page.


Trying to avoid the big, expensive image libraries, County Record
Offices may be useful. They have large collections of photographs
where the copyright owner is often unknown. Not sure what their
reproduction fees will be.

Go to your local junk / antique shop and find some old postcards /
family photographs etc., for the period. Make effort to trace the
copyright owner. (Choosing the right ones will make this task
impossible). Then, in your book state words to this effect: "Every
effort has been made to trace the copyright holders the cover
photographs. Where these efforts have not been successful, copyright
owners are invited to contact the editor so that their copyright can
be acknowledged."

Mock up 1930/1940s newspaper articles, letter heads for relevant
government departments, adverts etc. Any copies of the PRO files you
can use?

Some suggestions. Perhaps another researcher will come up with the goods for you.

answerfinder-ga

Great Stuff, Answerfinder, Many thanks.

My designer man has come up with an idea that I like:

http://www.bizbro.freeserve.co.uk/brian/demo1-web.jpg

OK, so my name is not correct (to preserve confidentiality) but I do
like his concept.

Please post an Answer and, if you can comment on the Copyright of the
various graphic elements, so much the better.

Very many thanks

Bryan

How about this:  The entire cover jacket (front, binding and back) are
a montage of redcated documents (which you could have your designer
create rather than use actual censored state documents). The documents
can consist of Top Secret or otherwise Classified memos, 1930's era ID
and passports with names and faces censored, ship and plane tickets,
fingerprints, and perhaps a few Walther bullets scattered around over
the lot for color and effect to indicate danger and intrigue.

In one corner of the front and back covers, looming over a portion of
the redacted documents, you could have a magnifying glass which, oddly
enough, reads THROUGH the black censor's ink.

I envision the cover being primarily black and white except for the
passports and the brightly copper colored bullets. It may be hard to
picture as I've described it but I thought it was a pretty cool
concept.


Regards;
tutuzdad-ga

Hi, Tutuzdad

Yes, many thanks, I agree your idea of the magnifying glasss is real cool.

Bryan

Let me know if it turns out to be a keeper. I'll be hanging around out
here as usual.

tutuzdad-ga

I don't know if "artistic improvement" is the right term but in my
opinion it's currently not what one would consider an "eye grabber"
that leaps off the shelf as a passerby. I also suspect that you may
even encounter some potential problems using the Dick Tracy image
without permission, not to mention the fact that the very presence of
the comic itself on your cover, again, in my opinion, implies levity
rather than serious mystery, intrigue and historical fact. At the very
least I'd reconsider the use of this one image. Personally, I think
you are on the right track with the montage concept but what to use in
it is another thing altogether. I know very little about mamrketing
books but as a consumer, like most people, I do have some considerable
experience at choosing books off the shelf based in large part on that
the cover does or does not shout to me (literally and figuratively)
from it's display.

tutuzdad-ga

I think you'd also do well to keep your cover relatively simple and
let the initial observe wonder about what's inside. How about this:

Your cover is gray, shrouded in fog (common many parts of Europe). On
the cover we see two figures in very dark (black perhaps) trench coats
with slightly upturned collars and 30's-40's style wide band fedora
hats. They are standing side by side. One person, let's say the one on
the left is discreetly looking off to his left. The other, on the
right is looking slightly down and we can see part of his head
(military stle hair cut underneath). The figure on the left has his
right hand, containing a brown envelope, behind the man on the right.
The man on the right has his right hand lifted up behind his own back
and is secretly accepting the envelope from the man on his left.

The entire scene is in a cameo oval of early morning fog, through
which we can barely make out a 1930's-40's era London street scene at
the sides and in the foreground (old cars, dimly glowing street lamps,
a few anonymous pedestrians, etc).

Now, speaking personally, THAT would me "me" pick up your book.

Here are some tench coats and hats similar to what I had in mind:

http://www.leathermodes.com/images/products/m3114.gif

http://www.swordsdirect.com/leather_trench_coats.jpg

http://ww2.southwest.tn.edu/sblack_dspw0800/images/fedorajpeg.jpg

http://www.reiss.dk/hats/images/Picture1/188_Borsalino250.jpg

Try to think of your mysterious cover characters in something similar
to these types of settings (Personally I have a mental picture this
particular cover concept as a vintage black and white photo with only
the slightly gold glowing street lamps and the brown envelope in their
original color for effect, but that of course is up to you):

http://cuip.net/~stuart/Images/london-fog.jpg

http://www.boomercafe.com/London-fog.jpg

Alternatively, the two figures could appear doing the same thing, but
only as long cast shadows on a dimly lit brick wall just off a vactant
London street.

tutuzdad-ga

Hi, Tutuzdad

I really love your ideas but I am not able to reproduce your ideas
myself and I am therefore dependant upon my graphic designer who
(believe me) really is a GENIUS, although this is his first go at a
book cover.

Ask him to write a symphony, play any musical instrument, do the
vocals on a pop record, paint in any style you ask ... well he's the
guy for sure.

What's more I love his ideas for the book cover.

Whether they work or not for other people is not that important.

This is the route I have chosen and all that I asked was for some
suggestions on the graphics that would 'suggest Britain in the
Thirties and Forties'.

Thanks to you (and Answerfinder) I've now got a bundle of ideas that I
have passed over to him.

My warmest thanks to you both.

Bryan