![cover image.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/learningpages/23xAnkHtdKFEBdL2YqrdASrhJW5ScuZPwBqQ4LbT7PhpLjt29f4M7dfB3EuEMJ9KUYoLe.jpg)<br/>


**I am currently working on an ePub version of the third edition of my book _Managing the Training Process_. I will describe the process for creating ePubs and other eBooks in another article, but the first thing I needed to do was to create a cover.**

I used LibraOffice to do this. LibreOffice is a private, free and open source office suite – the successor to the OpenOffice project.

LibraOffice has its own formats, but it's also compatible with *Microsoft Office 365* files (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx). It's backed by a non-profit organisation.

If you haven't  got a copy of LibraOffice, you can download one from: [https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download-libreoffice/](https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download-libreoffice/) 

I created a new drawing by going to:
`File > New > Drawing`

### Configuring the cover

Then I configured the drawing by setting the Page Properties to:

Format: A4
Orientation: Portrait
Background: Colour/LightSkyBlue
Margin: None
Master Page: Default


![properties.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/learningpages/23tcLqusWs2PPkzkpuVV3kmYieezddbzKeYztPecMqh9x3BThAz3RN9up76PwMWAKJoAD.png)<br/>


This produced a page with a light blue background:


![background.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/learningpages/23sxLi4YckVL43JVJkbiAcjP2yLjyikxumAJHrbY66EKETgMcRz26X7jRd7nvBBZkZqww.jpg)<br/>


### Title and subtitle

I could have just added the title and subtitle in a contrasting colour, but as the book is about training, I decided to add and configure a shape so that it would resemble a whiteboard.

I brought up the 'Shapes' menu by clicking on the diamond...


![shapes.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/learningpages/23tmjWHT2aZYqey5pXp83HfLuPALsFUEWDso6UwpuHbJ22GGHyun8HCVutw2f5rPttcwP.png)<br/>


...and selecting the rectangle:


![rectangle-1.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/learningpages/23tSxBYdFUEQVbw5JvtEtaqkXp9CiNwtbAVHGjUfzwYzrDLWWnZiGLmZvqDqew3ubfKjM.png)<br/>


I then 'clicked and dragged' the cursor to create a rectangle of the correct dimensions in the right position:


![rectangle-2.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/learningpages/Ep1XLEatiFV4SxkvpcBb7rdju8pUNfUfJsqD6SfPpxFLLSbGhUc6rfe9evi8np2YoJB.png)<br/>


The default colour of the rectangle is dark blue, so I needed to change the background colour to white. I did this by right-clicking the rectangle, selecting 'Area...' and choosing 'White':


![area.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/learningpages/23tcJr63T8nifCo7JcznYG5qKP9U3P9PQveF8rVtNnr4tu6ZUz7YP8cLRVR9jSwQGr1Ys.png)



![rectangle-3.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/learningpages/23x1PvnwgYcq1Qa5ZvxiHt5KALwemdLVzxcrado8LRPSzaucHgax1YJ1E3cUWwKH9PdWf.png)<br/>


I decided that a border would make the rectangle look more like a white board. To do this, I right-clicked the rectangle, selected 'Line...' and changed the colour to 'Silver' and the width to 0.20 cm.



![border.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/learningpages/23tw5ZFDvtrwoiLc4vb5AANXGaaPXsxhiz7dAF5SBAPXJvhAmcvizMxDuzynr7dDkdrS7.png)

![rectangle-4.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/learningpages/23wr1ZDKQbzEXPXce57bQmQ12MEkms4ppxggwoaewHxaAYWw5NDLBuh9scMKqNwG1MVzA.png)<br/>

I added a text box to the 'whiteboard' by selecting...

`Insert > Text Box`

...and  'clicking and dragging' the cursor inside the 'whiteboard'.

I chose a font that resembled a marker pen and a colour that matched my brand colour:

![whiteboard.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/learningpages/23u6SKKG4gL1P4BFArbcz1ascyxBMfp4bAsd2pPzVUDUTjKA6VZuUqTvj1jvf7vMyZHgD.png)


### Author, edition and publisher

The publisher and edition were added using text boxes and a black font. The author used a text box with a white font on a blue rectangle:


![cover.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/learningpages/243Bnt29quxftvdP5S2gYR8iQ6mbXa1FF4AenftiYNnGDXfV1o4BvtBtkdHMLNaNHPty9.png)<br/>

The cover can be exported as a jpeg file for eBooks by clicking...

`File > Export...`

...and selecting JPEG as the 'File type'.

To create a PDF cover, click...

`File > Export As > Export as PDF...`