Interviews

Supernovass' Interview

Interviewing: supernovass

What is your name?

My name is Lotte (pronounced Lotter because it's Danish) :)

Examples of your work:

Why did you join wattpad?

I joined wattpad because I have always loved writing, and my best friend Freya told me I should make an account. I'm glad she did, because otherwise I wouldn't be here.

I originally joined wattpad for writing, however I got into graphic making, and now I try to split my time between cover making and writing.

How long have you been making graphics for?

Almost a year. I published my first cover making book in late August 2015.

How did you get into graphic designing?

I started making my own covers in Miscorsoft Publisher (not recommended at all), and one of my friends asked me to make her some covers. I did, and she really liked them (apparently), which gave me the confidence to move onto pixlr and improve my skills. However, please bare in mind that my covers looked like this:

After that I continued to make covers, and then I got the Photoshop CC trial and fell in love.

What type of graphics do you make, and which do you prefer?

I make all types of covers, sometimes headers, and rarely icons, but I have yet to make a blend. I prefer making manipulated covers because they're always the most interesting to make, and you can experiment with different textures.

What is your favourite part of graphic making?

When I deliver the covers and the recipients like their cover. It's nice to know that after all my hard work, I can put a smile on someone else's face.

I also love picturing the cover in my mind before making it, and building a whole graphic around one model or image I am inspired by. My covers never turn out the way I want them to into head, but I still enjoy making the covers nonetheless.

How long does it usually take you to make a graphic?

On average, for a manipulated cover, two hours. For simple covers it can take anywhere between five minutes and half an hour, which is the same for collage covers. If I'm unsure on a cover, I will keep changing parts until I like it, and these covers usually take about three hours.

What program(s) do you use for making your graphics?

I used to use pixlr, but I have since moved onto Photoshop CC.

Where do you get your inspiration from/who inspires you?

Many of the graphics designers here on wattpad inspire me, such as deadrot eosophobic RachelS8766 MayTjssen weeknder seventhstar and nightgate as well as many others. They all have different, unqiue styles, but their covers are absolutely gorgeous, and I am constantly inspired when they post a new cover in their graphics books'.

I also get inspiration from images, such as a model stock image, and think of ways I can incorporate it into a cover.

Do you have any tips for aspiring graphic designers?

-Never give up! You will only improve if you continue practising. It has taken me time to get to where I am, and I am a long, long way from the finished article. However, you can only become as good as the top cover designers on wattpad if you persist.

-If you're struggling to find images of models to use in your graphics, then click on the external link, and this will take you to a model directory thread (not made by me). I have always struggled with images, and this thread has seriously helped me. Faestock is the main model stock I would recommend.

-For background images, download texture packs from deviantart, as well as stock image packs from deviantart. These are extremely helpful.

-Discover your own style. What makes graphic designers stand out on wattpad is their unique designing style, so continue to make covers in your own way, and this is how you will produce the best covers possible :)

Thank you so much for reading! Lotte :)