3 Resources for Free Art

On my other blog, Joan Slings Words, I'm publishing a serial Exclusively eBooks on Wednesdays. Next week I'll be doing a segment on the art files required to publish online.

I'm learning by teaching and doing. Why? Because many of you are publishing eBooks or thinking about doing that. Like me when I first started researching this, you might be confused by all the contradictory information so I'm trying to clear up the confusion.

If you're interested in eBook publishing, then you've discovered that you need a book cover with panache. Some of you try to do it yourself when it comes to cover art. For most, that's a terrible idea unless you're an experienced graphic artist.

3 Resources for Free Art

However, if you're set on trying it yourself, here are some resources that you can use. Be absolutely certain that the image you are using is actually in public domain because by using it, you bear the full burden of liability.

1. The Library of Congress Image Collection, search public domain images.

2. American Memory Project by the Library of Congress.

3. Search string for popular browsers: Public Domain Images.

Note: If you decide you'd like a real artist to do your cover, you might want to read Need A Book Cover? for a reliable and experienced source.

Takeaway Truth

Just because a book is digital that doesn't mean a dazzling cover is unnecessary. You still want a visual representation of the book to spark a reader's interest and imagination — that's what a great cover does.