I prepared a JPEG image sized 1565 × 2500, which (almost) corresponds to the size recommended by Amazon (ratio: 16.1:1). I followed the instructions of the Scrivener Manual for covers, and the display of the cover in my reading devices works as intended.
With one exception: The cover image is displayed with a white margin on the left and right (vertically, it fills the frame). This can be seen more drastically if I change the display to landscape mode, the margins expand and remain white as in “background color = white”) .
The usual display of kindle ebooks is supposed to be with a black background color. Can I achieve this behaviour somehow by using a different compile option in Scrivener? The JPEG itself is borderless and “flat”, of course.
I used the following procedure: Import the JPEG file into Scrivener, putting it into “Front Matter”. In the compilation process, I tried both options for the cover image: Select image object or take the first image from Front Matter. The preview within Scrivener does not indicate any margins or “padding” at the sides.
As I said: It looks “almost” as it’s supposed to be in portrait mode with those small white margins on the left and the right. The margins in white become more pronounced in landscape mode as was to be expected.
It’s my assumption that “background color” is the issue, it’s not a fact based on my knowledge of function.
Addendum 1: I checked – the image file was properly copied into the Scrivener project folder.
Addendum 2: I created a new image 1600x2560 as indicated in an Amazon support document as “best”; this certainly reflects the 1:1,6 requirements. Same results as above.
Addendum 3 (a bit later): I changed the display on the reader from “black script on white background” to “white script on black background”. Voilá - the background of the cover is now black. Just checking. But that’s obviously not how one can achieve a “standard black background” for an ebook cover usually. I could probably dive into the HTML coding … but I’d rather avoid that.
Addendum 4 (still a bit later): I had a look at a commercial ebook from Amazon and “extracted” the over image via the view image function and compared that with the standard reading view of the cover. There definitely is provided a black background behind that commercial cover image as can be seen by the black “padding” on the sides.
Addendum 5 (even later): I created a new Scrivener ebook from scratch with a cover in “weird dimensions” i.e. smaller and landscape format. Yes - background color on the reader is white. So it must be something which I am consistently doing wrong, possibly in handling the Scrivener (compilation? preferences? image handling?) side.
I realize this is an old thread, but did you ever get it sorted out? I’m asking because I’m having exactly the same issue. I have an image that is the Amazon-recommended 1600px wide by 2560px high (Mac puts it in that order, w x h) and I’m getting the white background on the sides where the image doesn’t reach the edges of my screen. I’m testing this out on my Kindle Oasis as well as my Paperwhite. I’m also following the method described in the Scrivener instructions, meaning I put the image file in the Front Matter folder. I’m not averse to getting under the hood to get better results, so if there’s a way to get the cover to either fill the page, or at least make the sides black instead of white, that would be great.