I see a lot of praise for Miblart. They're highly rated across the board, too; I couldn't find a single review that even broached mediocre. That was why I ultimately went with them when looking for someone to make my first book's cover.
I will not be doing that ever again.
Don't get me wrong: I'm satisfised enough (not 100%, just enough) with the end product to use it. However, the process to get said product was like trying to corral a cat into doing its job of hunting small creatures. You know, the thing it should have been doing instinctually in the first place. Without me telling it to.
And despite me telling it to, it still won't do it, the cheeky bastard.
Let's begin.
The Process
I have a book. I have an idea for its cover: purple, orange, vector, howling wolf, cartoon linework. I use Canva to get concepts for this, and come up with this general collection:
Ta-da! Perfect for an actual artist to reference. Now, I hunt.
An author friend of mine recommends GetCovers. I look them up, then find out that they do illustrated covers. Nice, I think. That's what I'm looking for. I send an email and ask, and...
They tell me they only do photo covers?
Huh.
Apparently, they split off into Miblart for illustrations a while ago. Which is fine, but... why's the page for illustrations still up if they haven't offered it for a while?
Well, that's none of my business. I head over to Miblart, explain to them that I'm looking for a full book cover and an icon for serial fiction, like Vella. I get recommended the "ad image" for the latter. I fill out the form and upload all the concept images depicted earlier. The parameters I put are below:
Art deco trim and font, purple-orange color scheme, sunset/sunrise with woods/mountains in the background, and a darkly-colored wolf in front of the sun.
To the point and matches the references, right? I thought so, too.
First hiccup: I deleted the uploaded files and reuploaded them with labels for which ones I liked better. Except the old files didn't actually delete, so I told them to disregard the first 5 and only pay attention to the last 3.
I get a confirmation and general policy message on Oct. 9th. The initial sketch will take 2-3 weeks, they say. The odd wording of the email tips me off that this probably isn't an English native (normally not relevant, but it will be throughout the course of this). I'm okay with that, so now we wait.
On Oct. 30th, 21 days later, I'm told that they haven't heard a response from me. There's no sketch to be seen.
Naturally, I'm confused. What do they mean? Response for what? Why did I need to respond to a "please wait for us" email? So, I look at the initial message again, and...
My name is ****, and I will be happy to assist you during our cooperation.
Thank you for ordering the Vector Illustrated book cover design with an ad image for $235.
The design concept should be sent for your review within 2-3 weeks.
Please resent the correct images for the project to avoid misunderstanding.
According to our Terms & Conditions, the illustrated book cover design process consists of 3 stages: sketch, illustration, and typography design. Kindly note that we will change the typography during the last stage (sometimes, the artist puts a temporary title to compose the details organically on the artwork).
If the Client is not satisfied with the sketch and doesn’t want to continue cooperation, the Company must refund a deposit. However, once the sketch stage is completed and the designer starts to work on the illustration, the deposit is non-refundable.
Well, okay. I missed that part, so that's on me. In my defense, they could have just followed the instructions I gave in the first place because I did send the correct images. And why did they wait three weeks to send me a prompt, not working on the sketch at all in the interim?
I don't ask, take the loss of time, and move on. I send the images again on Nov. 3rd at 4:17p, I get a confirmation Nov. 4th 12:51a. There's a bit of a timezone difference, here.
Nov. 14th, I finally get a sketch!
Just kidding! It's only half of one. (Don't mind the alpacas, Miblart didn't put watermarks on them so I improvised.)
I guess they were just checking in to make sure I liked it so far before they did a full spread, but this did strike me as odd. Especially since they've had 10 days on this--or, including the buffer time from before, over a month.
Again, whatever. I give the following feedback:
Hello! I was thinking that the mountains would stretch out across both the front and back in a full spread, and the art deco-like trim would go around the whole outside. I like the trees on the left side, so maybe the darker foreground can go over the spine, and the left side will have the scenery. I'd have to see a full spread to be sure. I don't plan on putting any text on the back, if that helps.
Bolded for later relevance.
On the 17th, I get both sides!
Looks great to me! Except the margins on the left side make no sense. I fix it myself and send this back:
They say okay. Back to waiting.
12 days pass. On Nov. 29th, I get this:
You may notice that this looks significantly different from the sketch. And is mirrored unnaturally. And does not stick to either the Canva references or the purple-orange scheme I requested, having blue and tan. And is just an ugly color palette in general. And the sun is coming for us.
Yeah, I don't know what happened here. My best guess is that these were "working colors" chosen for the contrast and not meant to be used in the final product. Then again, if that was the case, why would this ever be presented for me to see?
As for the random changes to the clouds, mountains, and tree lining, I couldn't tell you. They don't look good.
So, I tell them (more politely than this, but this is the gist): Hey, can you make this actually match the sketch I approved, and use the colors I asked for? Thank you.
One (!) day later, I get this.
Wow! So much better!
It's odd, though. Why did it take them so long to give me one that was bupkis and so little time to get one that was accurate? Why didn't they just, well, do this to begin with?
And, uh, notice those uneven margins on the side? They weren't fixed from before, where I edited the sketch to tell them what I wanted. This is strike five or something of them not listening. I haven't been counting.
So, here's my copy-pasted response:
That's much, much better! If the border could be silver instead of pale yellow (to match the text) and the left side shifted southeast so that the margins match the other side better, it'll be perfect.
Next, I say this:
The silver could be a little lighter, but it otherwise looks great!
Also, I would only like the title and author name on the spine when it gets to that stage.
As per the bold, I want the text in silver and I don't want it anywhere on the spine.
The Breaking Point
These are what Miblart gives me next.
Wow! Look at that! GOLD TEXT and IT'S ON THE FRONT PAGE! THE TWO THINGS I EXPLICITLY DID NOT WANT!
AND THE CENTERING.
STILL.
REALLY.
FUCKING.
SUCKS.
That's it. I've reached my breaking point.
I don't type angrily at the representative because I have class, but at this point, I'm done. I want the source file so I can stop this incessent back and forth of not being listened to and just fix this shit myself, because it's ridiculous at this point. Why is it so hard for them to just do what I ask? Why did it take so long? Why do I have to tell graphic artists to CENTER THINGS PROPERLY?
I mentally check out from here on. I just want the raw files because these people cannot and will not read.
Me: Hello! The interior side margins on the first one don't quite look right, so we'll go with the second one. Will source files be provided at the end so that I can remove the text on the front if I want to?
Hint, hint: I told you not to put text on the front.
Them: Thank you for your reply. We will provide the source file with editable text laters. So you can adjust the text on back side. Are you prepared to receive the payment link and complete the project?
No one was talking about the back, but okay.
Also, remember how I said I didn't plan on putting anything on the back earlier? I do so love being chronically goddamn ignored.
Bonus! If you remember the very first email, you'll notice something else is off with this message.
Me: That sounds good. The ad image part of the order will be coming next, I assume?
Them: That's correct. The designer will prepare the ad image for your review soon.
And no payment link, of course. Because the project wasn't finalized. This is the most blatant case of "oops, forgot that part" I've ever seen.
A day later, I get this:
This $35 "ad image" is just the cover zoomed in, with maybe some rearrangements.
Wow.
It takes everything within me not to tell them, "You literally just zoomed in on the cover. I could do that on my own. Take this off my bill."
Instead, I suggest semi-significant changes. The end result is this:
Wow! It's still not worth 35 dollars. Neither version is ideal for what I wanted it for in the first place (a serial fiction icon), so now I've just straight up been misled into getting upcharged for something.
I probably should have told them to stuff it and that I wasn't paying for it, but I'm so pissed that I do not care and just want to be done with this. They don't provide a source file for this either, so I'm forever stuck with this flat image I may or may not use.
Moving on. Payment's finalized, and I get the final files. Imagine my surprise when I get all of this stuff:
Eyyyyy look they all have the title I didn't want on them, wow so cool guys
I love not being listened to five times in a row and getting a bunch of junk I can't use, thanks for that
Even if I didn't mind the title on it, guess what?
NOTHING'S. CENTERED. PROPERLY. SO THOSE IMAGES WOULD STILL BE CRAP.
Fuck's sake. Egg on my head for expecting the finalized version to actually be quality checked for basic graphic design principles in a graphic design company, I guess.
After spending $235, I still have to fix this up so that it doesn't look half-assed.
God fucking dammit.
Okay, so the process pissed me off, communication was poor, and the quality check was nonexistent. I'm sure you're wondering something: Am I happy with the art itself?
Well, I'm going to use it because I feel it's good enough and I paid for it. At the same time, my judgment is too clouded by anger to give it a fair review. It wasn't worth what I paid for it in money, and it especially wasn't worth the mental labor and significant time spent corresponding with people who either would not or could not understand what I wanted.
I would like to reiterate that I ordered this on Oct. 8th and did not get it finalized until Dec. 15th, over two months and 40 emails (not an exaggeration) later.
Over two months, and they couldn't center things. Hundreds of positive tesitmonials, and they were seemingly undone by, I don't know, the border's existence? All of the centering problems seem to revolve around that border.
But if borders are such an issue, they shouldn't have allowed it.
I just don't understand.
The Conclusion
Honestly, I'm not sure why things went like this. Is the language barrier that bad? Were the artists rushed and underpaid? Did they not have what I wanted on file for reference properly, or did they just not give a rat's ass?
Correct me if I'm being dramatic, but I feel like clients shouldn't have to say what they want more than once. They also shouldn't have to get on a graphic designer's ass for basic design principles (re: the damn centering). Wait times vary, but I also feel like two and a fourth months was too damn long--even without including the three weeks they putzed around waiting for images they already had, it seems like this was longer of a process than it should have been.
It was more stressful than it should have been, that's for damn sure.
The Breakdown
The Pros:
Good color theory
Design was nice enough
I like the sketch more than the final in some ways
The Cons:
Can't center worth a damn
Language barrier
Blatantly ignores your wants
Upsells you on falsely advertised stuff
Poor communication
Long wait times
Not cheap enough to justify any of the above; you can find either cheaper people that do the same, or more expensive people that will give you less of a headache on Fiverr
Overall Rating: 4/10. Would only suggest it to someone I don't like so that they can get stress ulcers to match mine.
UPDATE 12/19/23: I sent Miblart a rather frustrated email. I'll copy and paste it here, because I have nothing to hide.
Hello.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to be honest: the review I'm going to leave on Trustpilot will not be good. [context: Their exit message asks for a good Trustpilot review.]
All of the flat image files given are unusable (in other words, everything besides the ad image and .psd file). This is because nothing in the finalized illustration is centered properly. The border is not centered to the image as a whole, and the internal vignettes are not centered corresponding to the border. On top of that, I explicitly asked for the text to be silver and not placed on either the front or back of the book, but I was ignored. The text is gold and on the front.
There has been a pattern of ignoring what I ask for all throughout this project, in fact. This is why I did not feel that further insistence on the areas of contention would be productive and simply wanted the raw file so that I could fix the undesired areas myself.
I paid $235 dollars and this took over two months, yet I'm still having to do work on the cover to make it presentable because there have apparently been zero quality checks. This lack of a very basic graphic design principle is unacceptable and frankly embarrassing. I should not have to tell you to center things or do what I requested more than once, which made this entire process more stressful than it was worth.
I will not be using your service in the future, nor will I be recommending it to anyone.
Goodbye, (my name)
Do I sound pissy? Of course I do. It's because I was pissed.
This was their response:
I sincerely apologize for the issues you've encountered with our service. Your feedback is invaluable, and we are committed to addressing your concerns promptly.
I want to acknowledge that we have not received information regarding the text color before. Rest assured, our design team will thoroughly check all files again to ensure every detail aligns with your vision.
Regarding the centering and text color discrepancies, our team will make the necessary adjustments promptly.
Not received information? Huh. That's weird. I told you silver to match the fucking text. What did you think that meant? Why do people try to gaslight others when things are in writing?
I don't answer because why the fuck would I. A day later, they say this:
The designer has just checked your cover. She slightly fixed the position of the frame to center it even better. The text and other elements are centered properly. I attached the updated version and the screenshot with the margin lines where you may check the text alignments.
Regarding the text color. Please let me know if any changes should be made. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Oh, isn't that nice? It sounds like they fixed the non-silver text and centering iss—
...I... what? What?
This is... this is the same cover.
This is the exact same cover.
THIS IS THE EXACT SAME FUCKING COVER???
And they had the absolutely gall, the absolute fucking audacity, to say that the centering was fixed—to my face—and send me an image with guides that clearly show the border being uneven from either edge of the book!
"Please let me know if changes should be made?" I already told you the changes. Silver to match the border. It's still fucking yellow. I... I just...
I'm at a loss at this point. I genuinely don't know what the fuck is going on. Am I talking to an actual human being, or a lobotomized alien that someone hooked up to a laptop?
I feel like I'm going to need a lobotomy from how insane this whole thing has made me, actually. Anyone got an ice pick?
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