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Post by Sphinxwhisker on Feb 9, 2024 18:41:43 GMT -5
R.I.P Harelight. You and your single book of relevance will be dearly missed. The design and lighting of the background is pretty. Although rather similar to River in some regards. however, the longer I examine the character models the more concerned I become. All their Heads looked like they were photoshopped onto the models at intentional obscure angles to give them a cartoonishly absurd panche… as if their intention is for them to appear absurd to the viewer. Reedwhisker’s face kind of looks like it got walloped with a frying pan… or perhaps just some really superb catnip. Mistystar appears completely spaced out from reality. Frsotpaw’s eyes appear to be pointing in different directions, if only by a pinch. And her smile reminds me of Princess Carolyn’s. And makes her appear far more devilish and devious than is warranted, and a more positive mood that would align with the current events. the blurb certainly has me hyped up for this arcs conclusion. But gotta say this cover is something else.
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Post by Purdyisbestboi on Feb 9, 2024 18:47:16 GMT -5
I think reedwhisker looks a little weird, tobably because of his facial expression, but it seems more of a “I’m not used to seeing this” more than a “this is terrible.”
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Post by Sundance on Feb 9, 2024 19:14:24 GMT -5
The orange background is AWESOME! Great contrast. Though Owen Richardson's art always gives me AI vibes. I would love for Frostpaw to be the future leader of RiverClan, but if that's going to happen by the end of the arc, it's a little awkward that she's still an apprentice coming into Book 5.
It's funny how many plain, light gray female protagonists there are in a row. Dovewing. Twigbranch. Bristlefrost. Frostpaw. I'm totally team blue point Frostpaw and dilute calico Bristlefrost.
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#add8e6
Name Colour
*Ravenpaw*
Warrior Fanatic
*reads books in a corner*
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Post by *Ravenpaw* on Feb 9, 2024 19:20:43 GMT -5
Frostpaw looks adorable!
Those white spots on Mistystar and Reedwhisker don't look much like stars.
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Post by sylveon on Feb 9, 2024 20:15:50 GMT -5
Does anyone else get AI vibes from this? Why are Reedwhisker’s paws stumps?
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Post by Purdyisbestboi on Feb 9, 2024 20:21:17 GMT -5
Does anyone else get AI vibes from this? Why are Reedwhisker’s paws stumps? I think it might have been a “starclan cats don’t have paws because they’re magical” thing, even though it would contradict the former explanation given. It could be AI, but I’m not gonna go with it yet.
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Post by lazzylake on Feb 9, 2024 21:07:13 GMT -5
This is just a theory, but I think Owen Richardson could’ve haphazardly made this cover since he did a lot of the new art for the Ultimate Guide. It could possibly provide reason as to why Frostpaw and the StarClan cats look so… inconsistent??
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Post by lightfur on Feb 9, 2024 22:29:30 GMT -5
Everyone is talking about screaming Reedwhisker, but I would be screaming too if I was the Riverclan deputy and was killed off the moment after Mistystar kicked the bucket.
Did not expect them to mention a character death in the description. RIP Harelight. I was expecting them to kill off someone more major like Mothwing, or maybe Berryheart considering that she's injured/sick. (I can't remember which.)
I'd also love to see Froststar, but I hope they don't rush it. I really want there to be another cat that becomes leader before her.
I also assume that by this book Spotfur's kits (and the other kits we have in general.) will be apprenticed by then. Birchkit is already going to be in Wind, and he's 1 moon older then them. Havenpelt and that other cat that was expecting (I forgot her name.) should also have their kits by then if they aren't born in Wind.
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Omnisexual
Fernflower
I forgot how amazing Firestar is
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Post by Fernflower on Feb 10, 2024 1:30:56 GMT -5
They really don't hold back with spoilers in the blurbs, oof! Shame that they killed off Harelight. I kinda liked him... at least Owlnose is still alive (hopefully??) I'm a little scared to see what Splashtail has been up to since the start of his leadership. But at least Frostpaw isn't in close proximity to him anymore... maybe her switching to ShadowClan was a blessing in disguise. Regarding the cover, I'll start off positive and say that I really like the scenery. If there's something that Owen Richardson does right, it's his backgrounds. Frostpaw's face is quite cute, too. People have already mentioned the wonky paws and overall appearance of the cats, and I agree that there's something off here. For StarClan cats, I'm a little underwhelmed. I expected them to be a little more... mysterious in appearance? Sparkly and evoking a sense of awe? Not just cats with streaks of white in their fur. Sometimes I think that these books would benefit from a different cover artist. Don't get me wrong, Owen Richardson has a lot of talent! But when I see the Polish covers or the graphic novel art or even fanmade covers, it makes me wish that there was at least an alternate version of the English main series covers.
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Post by NightFrostSun on Feb 10, 2024 9:46:09 GMT -5
The cover is growing on me. I still wish Nightheart and Sunbeam were on it but it is slowly growing on me and I do love how Reedwhisker is on the cover. So overall while I was originally upset and disappointed with the cover I now rather like it.
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Post by Sand on Feb 10, 2024 13:06:48 GMT -5
These covers aren't gonna get any better with time. Owen Richardson's style screams AI. There are so many inconsistencies, comical positions, and a lot of "wtf is that" going on here. Per usual, I'm disappointed in the designs and color scheme of the cover. I really wish they'd find another artist or use the Polish covers.
I'm convinced there are 3 Frostpaws and the characters do not have feet. /s
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Post by Pyropelt on Feb 10, 2024 13:33:20 GMT -5
I wish Reedwhisker looked more black-furred instead of brown. And I’m sad that Nightheart and Sunbeam aren’t on the cover. I don’t mind how Frostpaw looks.
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Post by kitters on Feb 10, 2024 13:43:01 GMT -5
Reedwhisker has tabby stripes and is brown. The paws are really throwing me off.
This is just bad cover art.
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Post by ❅Maplefrost❅ on Feb 10, 2024 15:32:55 GMT -5
I guess this means Froststar? But I just still disagree with it. There's just no build up to it at all, and to me she just feels like a Medicine Cat POV that just doesn't stay a Medicine Cat. But now it feels like she's getting leadership by default if we're going by the other spoilery blurbs recently. No more decent cats in RiverClan so they go with the protag of that Clan.
Also, I personally think this cover is worse than usual. The heads are jarring, the designs are inconsistent. I wish they'd hire a design artist to fix these one days, but they probably won't because it'll be the 4th time they do cover reprints.
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Post by Saint Ambrosef on Feb 10, 2024 17:02:19 GMT -5
....are we sure Owen is actually reads the book or is told the bullet points? Maybe the publishing team just tells him "okay we want a cover with a gray cat in the focal point and then another gray cat and a dark cat" and he doesn't even know they're meant to be some of the same characters he drew previously.
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Asexual
#07B04C
star_black.png
Name Colour
Ṣanɗypaw™
The Shiny User
🎵Guess that's just the way it goes, easy come, easy go🎵
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Post by Ṣanɗypaw™ on Feb 10, 2024 19:25:46 GMT -5
I am a Froststar 2024 truther. Give my girl what she deserves!!
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Post by dahliadove - #1 nightpelt fan on Feb 10, 2024 20:15:57 GMT -5
I was reluctant to believing it but the complete lack of paws leads me to believe these covers are AI generated
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Post by ❅Maplefrost❅ on Feb 10, 2024 20:21:35 GMT -5
I was reluctant to believing it but the complete lack of paws leads me to believe these covers are AI generated Wait now that you mentioned it...it might actually be the case. Would the Erins actually use AI-generated cover art?
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Post by NightFrostSun on Feb 10, 2024 20:27:36 GMT -5
I was reluctant to believing it but the complete lack of paws leads me to believe these covers are AI generated Wait now that you mentioned it...it might actually be the case. Would the Erins actually use AI-generated cover art? Wouldn’t be surprised with the new editing team.
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Post by iceheart on Feb 10, 2024 21:03:52 GMT -5
Wait now that you mentioned it...it might actually be the case. Would the Erins actually use AI-generated cover art? Wouldn’t be surprised with the new editing team. AI art can do better, so I don't think it's AI.
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Post by kitters on Feb 10, 2024 21:55:08 GMT -5
If you told an AI program to create a cat with stars in its fur, this is what it would make.
But if they were going to be THAT cheap they could at least pay someone to clean it up a little and... add paws.
Maybe they're in process of doing that but since this was "leaked?" (Idk the context I'm just basing this off the initial posts on this thread) this could be a draft or unfinished. I guess we'll see if the final cover is this uh bad.
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Post by ❅Maplefrost❅ on Feb 10, 2024 22:36:47 GMT -5
Wouldn’t be surprised with the new editing team. AI art can do better, so I don't think it's AI. Even so, AI are is just trashy in general. The reason people don't like it is that it steals from other artist and also just looks overall terrible. One of the known ways to identify it is missing/extra limbs, and in this case, it might be true with their paws.
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Post by Saint Ambrosef on Feb 11, 2024 0:12:02 GMT -5
personally i don't think it's AI, since owen's covers have been this sort of weird quality for years now before AI art programs were really around much
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Post by Saint Ambrosef on Feb 11, 2024 0:49:07 GMT -5
i got a hunch, and y’know, looking over his past covers, i think owen might just not like drawing paws. because he almost always poses the cats in a way where he doesnt have to draw the paws lmao
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Post by kitters on Feb 11, 2024 2:38:13 GMT -5
i got a hunch, and y’know, looking over his past covers, i think owen might just not like drawing paws. because he almost always poses the cats in a way where he doesnt have to draw the paws lmao I also had this thought but imo its an even bigger L to think the wc team hired, out of I'm sure a lot of candidates, an artist that can't draw paws. No illustration tests? Pls. Interviewer: so you're comfortable drawing cats right? Owen: yeah yeah.. as long as they don't have limbs
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Post by Katanaheart on Feb 11, 2024 3:42:20 GMT -5
Me not being able to tell Mistystar and Frostpaw aside, I do really like Reedwhisker’s overall design. And while I do like the orange light it ruins and makes the more StarClan aspects hard to see without zooming in.
I have liked the ASC covers over the large floating head nonsense of TBC’s, even if the covers could be more dynamic.
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Bisexual
#FF00EC
Name Colour
BҽɾɾყႦʅσσɱ
Villain Enjoyer
Currently sick with the flu...
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Post by BҽɾɾყႦʅσσɱ on Feb 11, 2024 12:15:54 GMT -5
I really don't think that Owen uses AI for these, to be honest. If one looks at his older and other work, he just has a very specific modern style that I guess/suppose could be confused for AI these days.
As for the paws issue, I feel like for the StarClan cats it kinda makes sense in a way as a stylistic choice. But that's just my opinion lol. And, as pointed out in another post somewhere close above mine, perhaps Owen simply doesn't like drawing paws. Of course, that is only a theory but one with some merit when looking at his previous covers for the series. Since there's barely a paw in sight lmao.
Regarding the numerous inconsistencies when it comes to character designs that can be found on these covers, ASC in particular as the most recent examples, I highly doubt that Owen reads the wiki descriptions, let alone the books and seeing his inconsistency when drawing Frostpaw leads me to believe that whoever is giving him bullet points about who he should draw on the covers just gives him vague pelt and eye color descriptions instead of proper character names that warrant actual consistent character designs.
Because Frostpaw went from having green eyes on River and Shadow to blue ones on Wind and Star. So I don't think he knows that he's even drawing the same character (even though inconsistencies with eye colors have been around for a long time, even in the book themselves). Another recent obvious example is now Mistystar, who went from being long-furred on the River cover to her then being short-furred on Star. I just don't think Owen even knows that version and the one on the first ASC cover are supposed to be the exact same character.
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#a3c5e6
Name Colour
𝓣𝓲𝓷𝓾𝓿𝓲𝓮𝓵
Warrior Fanatic
All hail me, the flower-flushing queen of Prague
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Post by 𝓣𝓲𝓷𝓾𝓿𝓲𝓮𝓵 on Feb 11, 2024 12:45:16 GMT -5
Honestly, I didn't even notice any problem with the paws until everyone started to point it out. I agree that it really could just be a style thing, he's simply not used to drawing paws (especially since his other covers rarely include them as is), and/or he's relying on whatever information he's been given. We don't know. But saying it's AI is a very serious claim to make. Also, it's not like these books have ever been what I'd call top quality. Actually, for reference, here's a compilation of all the covers for the main series alone:
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