FINALLY. the time has come. Since I can't make more covers until my computer is fixed, here it is the long awaited tutorial for The Hall of Games cover ;-;

Important note:  This is more a "step by step" rather than a tutorial, because since I didn't use photoshop to make this, I figured a step by step thing would be easier for everyone to follow. (everyone meaning, everyone with different editors) --I used gimp to make this.

Also, this is a "object based" cover, if you want to know how to make a mone manip-like cover, see my Tutorial #1. Hope you find this somewhat useful, if you recreate this cover or use this tutorial please let me know, I'd love to see it :)

Things you need:

Background:  "Dark sky" by Koko-stock on Deviantart + a swirly vector png (you can google these)
Crown: I looked up "crown" on pinterest, I'll leave the link to it in the comments. You can make this with whatever crown you'd like.
Palace: "Castle 2" by Starbl00d-Stock  on Deviantart, and "Castle CLEAR-CUT" by WDWParksGal-Stock on Deviantart.
Font: FoglihtenNo04 Medium
Textures: Any sparkly golden particles texture will do. I'll leave the links of the ones I used in the comments (if I find them lol)

♦♦♦ STEP 1: the background  ♦♦♦

The background is just a simple black layer, and added the cloudy dark sky over it. I dakened and colored a bit so it had more of a grayt-blue-ish tone (but not very saturated, it's mostly gray). The dark sky layer, set it in "light only" and about 50% opacity (so is not as you, know...light and striking, you wanna make it blend~).

Then add a new transparent layer, and make a simple circle or dot in the middle with a more saturated blue and then change the layer setting into screen and 50% opacity. This way you'll have a pop of color in the background.

Lastly add the swirls in overlap in 20% overlay. The swirls must be white, (if you have black ones, just invert the color. If it's a png, better)

  ♦♦♦ STEP 2: the crown ♦♦♦ 

I wanted the crown to kind of look like a castle, so I had to put two castles (one that was large but not tall, that way it covered the width/base of the crown... do I even make sense? hahahaha, and another one for the top part.) I thought this way it would look better but depends on your crown and your castle, you decide how you want to do it. Also, if you want to make it like silver (or any other color for that matter), it's just the same steps but remember totry to make both crown and palace the same kind of color so they fit together (...or not... again, whatever floats your boat m8)

I shaped the bottom castle to match the chape of the crown, added the top castle in a layer behind it, and colored them yellow (let's pretend it's gold- we'll make it gold in a sec)

then add the crown, if it's a png better but you can cut the crown or even-if it's a very light crown- set that layer mode on screen or light only and you'll have the same results (that's what I did because I was too lazy to cut it hehe) 

Once you have the crown and the palace together (and their color matches), add a layer with golden sparkles to make the buildings look like gold and more shiny (and like they are actually part of the crown). Set this layer in "screen" and about 60% of opacity. I also added some light and shadows to make it more 3D.

♦♦♦ STEP 3: MORE SPARKLES ♦♦♦ 

Add dust particles and color them blue, erase the middle of the layer, so these blue dust particles are only in the corners of the cover.
Now add smaller sparkle particles near the cover, color them yellow/gold. Set this layer in light only. A more sparkles where you see fit cx

♦♦♦ STEP 4: Text ♦♦♦ 

this is kinda difficult for gimp, there is a lot of try and error so bare with me. If you have photoshop it's easier cuz you just make a golden 3d text, you have a ton of tutorials on the internet on how to make them, and it's pretty easy. But in gimp specifically here is how to make it:

Make a normal text. I use FoglihtenNo04 Medium in all caps. Then add a layer of a golden texture on top, try to find a texture that kind of resembles the shiny gold texture of the crown. Select the text layer, right click it and then choose "Alpha's select", then go to "select > invert". Now go to the texture layer and delete what is selected. You'll have the text with the layer like in the second pic below. 

For more dimension, add a shadow behind it, and a new transparent layer in "overlap", Alpha select the text again, go to this new layer and with a soft brush (in black) paint the bottom of the text.

♦♦♦ STEP 5 : details♦♦♦   

Add details like coloring, play with shadows and light layers. add the subtitle and author and there you go

if you have any questions please comment them below :)