Saturday, February 6, 2016

Shelf Candy Saturday No. 169: Dragon Frost, by S.J. Wist



Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!


This is my weekly feature
showcasing beautiful covers!
It also provides information, 
if available, on their 
very talented creators!


Here's my choice for this week!



Dragon Frost
(Dragon Aster, Book 4)
S.J. Wist
Trade Paperback , 284 pages
Infinity Dreamt
First Edition, October 20, 2015
Fantasy


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17236621-dragon-frost





My Thoughts About This Cover

This is such a GORGEOUS winter cover! The whole scene, and the colors in it, are just perfect for the season (even though down here in Florida, we don't get any snow). Being such a fan of the color blue, I love all the shades of this beautiful color in this image! That blue cloak is magnificent!

The composition is pretty simple, really, but what really enhances it is the artwork around it. I thought at first that the whole thing was painted, but I discovered, on closer inspection, that the main image was actually a photograph. All the flourishes were then added later. These give a very magical feel to this cover! They also frame the main image very nicely.

The figure appears to be that of a young woman, trudging through a snow-covered meadow in a forest. Or perhaps she is approaching a forest. She seems to be on some sort of mission, too. 

This composition is very evenly balanced. Even though the figure is placed in the middle, something which all art students are advised never to do, the billowing folds of the cloak, as well as the ornamental flourishes on the right-hand side of the cover, help to pull the eye to the right. Aside from this, the figure is not really quite in the middle, as her body is leaning slightly to the left. 

The title complements the rest of the cover so beautifully! The font used reminds me a bit of the Art Nouveau style, which I love so much. The capital letters match all the ornamental flourishes, and aee very elegant.

I also love that this image seems to be inviting the reader to walk right into it, following the young girl into whatever mysterious adventures she might be headed for!

When I researched the cover artist, I found out that the author of this novel is also an artist, so she herself created this great image. Kudos to her for this totally beautiful and enchanting composition!     




Online Links


        



What do you think of this 
week's cover?
Please leave a comment
and let me know!










4 comments:

  1. I just love this feature so much! The way you talk about the covers is so beautiful -- you catch so many details and things I miss, and after reading what you say about them I always see them in a whole new way. This cover is beautiful, and the book sounds so intriguing! Thank you for sharing :-) Wonderful post! *big hugs*

    ~Mckenzie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Mckenxie!

      Thanks for the compliment!! Much appreciated!! : )

      This is indeed a beautiful cover, and it has a lot to do with the title, as well as those flourishes around the edge. But I love everything about it -- the silence that's obviously all around, the gleaming, blue-white snow, that blue cloak....And I agree -- the book sounds very intriguing, as well!

      You're very welcome for ths share! Thank YOU for such a wonderful comment!! *Big hugs back!!*

      Delete
  2. Another great cover Maria.

    There is something about certain snow scenes. I love snow and nature combinations. I love to walks in the woods during such times. But there is also something stark and maybe just a little bit ominous about these scenes. The contrast between these two feelings adds so much to these images. I find that this cover evokes all of this. This may be something that only I am getting from these pictures.

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Brian!

      Thanks for the compliment! Glad you like this cover!!

      One of the biggest regrets of my life is that I have never seen snow, except in movies and photographs. It must be wonderful to walk in it, out in nature....I wouldn't like it in a city setting, though, as it gets muddy and gray after a while, with so many people traipsing through it. But out in nature.....taking a quiet walk in a meadow, or through the woods....it must be BREATHTAKING!!

      I was so enchanted by this cover that I didn't stop to consider whether there was something ominous in the scene. And you're right -- the forest up ahead does have an ominous feel to it. Maybe the ornamental designs that frame this scene could also be seen as somewhat threatening. However, the whole magical atmosphere of this cover, in my opinion, seems to override the ominous aspects, at least to some degree. They're there, though, the longer one contemplates this image....

      Of course, I now want to buy this book!! Lol.

      Thanks for the terrific comment!! : )

      Delete

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