Research on album covers/booklets

Target for this lesson:

Research past CD covers of your chosen band/artist and research the designers who created them.

I then looked in to a great amount of depth original CD covers conveying this in an effective manner for the target market audience as a whole. by doing this it will enable me to develop and generate my ideas in an effective format of manner. Through the use of a great amount of graphical elements they convey through these covers in a format of manner suitable for the target market audience.  There are many good elements within these original forms of designs as a whole for the target market audience but a great amount of elements that could be improved and developed further. I could incorporate some of these original elements within these designs in to my own original design as a whole.

I first looked at the hold me down album created and generated for the you me at six band. This will enable me to help develop and generate my ideas for my final design to enable this to be suitable for the target market audience (teenagers).  There are a great amount of techniques used within this CD cover to enable this to suit the target market audience. There are a great amount of graphical elements within the base of the CD cover design to ensure this is suitable for the target market audience and to contrast with this typographic imagery and font are used to convey the album and the bands name.  The techniques mainly used within this are graphical imagery generated on the Photoshop software to enable this to blend in an effective manner with the typographic imagery. The use of a retro effect within the background of this containing washed out colorization conveys to the target market audience a dated effect. However the use of the bust of colourastaion over powers this effect conveying within this the bands and albums name.  Through the use of this graphical format of imagery relates well to the title hold me down suggesting to be interpreted as being held down in a good way. Such as the person holds the signer down and keeps them from wandering away. Wandering away as in maybe daydreaming too much, or being unfaithful to others. the use of the creative piece conveys the sense of a day dreaming and thoughts and the format this is conveyed as a burst and overpowering sense of color. Witch relates well to the washed out background. the lighting within this focuses on the art itself thus making this key to the design suitable for the target market audience. However no photographical elements are used to help convey this message to highlight through the use of facial expressions what the album is all about for the target market audience. The complex amount of detail within this helps bring this message across. The sue of the pure black typographic colorization enables this to stand out a great amount and contrasts well within the base of this art work.

The artist:

The artist of the main paintings used within this design to ensure this is suitable for the target market audience was Simon Helm. In the past he has created a great deal of past CD covers ranging from the years 2013 to 2005.  such as the cd covers:  roll deep. Roll Deep are an English grime music collective. And  were founded in the year of 2002, by rappers for example Wiley. Simon has a great amount of experience  (15 years) in the field of youth branding however he also has the areas of fashion, retail, brand development, and consumer experience and brand strategy. His most recent roles have been Art Director, Head of Design and Design Director and currently working as a freelance Art Director. He is currently known for creativity, positivity, motivation and inspiration of others.  And currently great all different form of artwork to ensure they are suitable for the target market audience. This style of art work is in a completely different format compared to the you me at six album. Instead of using paintwork to help convey the band in an effective manner for the target market audience he uses photographic, graphical and typographic imagery. Making the target market audience more familiar with the band within this and by combining the use of these elements conveys the information in a completely different complex manner. He has also created CD cover designs for many well know artists such as: Eliza Doolittle and Seth Lake man for the album Hearts & Minds.

The base of this design as a whole is in an abstract format to convey this album through the use of artist format witch is a great deal more different to there past album designs. The design is original conveying a different feeling related to the design itself. The use of the great amount of detail within the design itself also conveys the since of abstract art. The composition of the typographic imagery itself is positioned at an angle however this is blended in a great amount to the base of the graphical format of design making this less effective for the target market audience. The typography itself is a smaller so therefore doesn’t stand out from the powerful use of coloration used within the base of this. The proportion of this enables it to blend in with the base of the CD cover design leaving the bands name in a bigger since of proportion than the albums name. The use of the typographic imagery fitted within the design banner is in proportion with the main body of the CD cover making this less focused in the background of this design.  They’re for conveying a sense of less importance.

Evaluation on the CD cover

Overall my favorite part of this design as a whole is how the use of the burst of colorization and graphical imagery conveys the sense of i8magination suitable for the target market audience.  The combination of the graphical and typographic imagery used within this design blends in an effective amount there for conveying a professional feel to the design as a whole.  Unlike other previous designs the message is conveyed through a great amount of detail. This cover has inspired me to look in to depth about what imagery I could use to convey a hidden meaning for the target market audience in the best format of manner possible. I will take these elements on board to ensure within my design relates effectively to the album itself. I could use the typographic element within my design to ensure the logo of the band is still included to ensure the target market audience can relate to this and ensure this is successful. After looking in to detail within the design i could use hand drawn and computeristic elements and combine this with typographical elements within the Photoshop software to ensure this is conveyed in the best format of manner possible for the target market audience.

I then looked  and analyzed the you me at six sinners never sleep album.  This will enable me to develop and analyze me ideas for the main body of the CD cover design/booklet. There are a great amount of techniques used within this CD cover to enable this to suit the target market audience. There are no graphical elements within the base of the album cover within the base of this it has a really simple base complex to this. With typographic imagery added. Using a bleached style effect within the base of the photographical imagery conveys a sense of a dated effect implying this has sat in the sun for a great amount of years. Using the dark format of colorization within the cover itself it conveys a sense of seriousness with a deeper meaning to the album that the design itself isn’t implying for the target market audience. The use of the photographical imagery used within this conveying an unknown person holding a crime style board displaying the name of the album with the use of typographical imagery conveys a sense of a crime scene. The typographical imagery has been added through the use of the Photoshop software after the photographical image was taken to add a range of effect to ensure this is suitable for the target market audience. The photograph within this was inspired by the name of the album.  This suggests to the target market audience the sense of someone doing something wrong the bands name however doesn’t relate or isn’t conveyed through the use of this photographical and typographical imagery therefore not conveying this in the best format of manner possible.  Within the cover no facial expressions are used and visible only showing the main body. The use of the lighting within this is in a bright format therefore highlighting the photographic imagery to ensure this is visible and effective for the target market audience. The target market audience for the base of the band and cover is aimed at mostly teenagers and through the use of the many simplistic elements within tis design it suggests this and are used to attract their attention.  Such as the symbolic imagery and symbolism is in a simple format and cleverly done to express a hidden meaning within the songs that are used. the use of the pure white as  the base of the colorisation within this cover conveys the sense of innocence witch is very ironic within the message its conveying for the target market audience.

This design was created in the year of 2011.

What things/ style/ Art movement have inspired the design?

The base of the cover as a whole is a realistic format because the photographical imagery relates well to real life situations combining the sense of people have sins and the consequence of them. This is also abstract because the design is original conveying a different feeling related to the design itself. The use of the great amount of detail within the design itself also conveys the sense of abstract art. The composition of the typographic imagery itself is positioned at an angle to enable the target market audience to focus of the main body of the album title and less at the photographical imagery used within the background. The use of the pure white within the typographical imagery ensures this to stand out a great deal from the base of the background. the proportion of this enables it to blend in with the base of the CD cover design leaving the bands name in a bigger sense of proportion than the albums name. The use of the personal holding the card is in proportion with the main body of the text making this less focused in the background of this design.  Therefore conveying a sense of less importance.

The artist

The album was recorded in the American state earlier in the year of 2011, with the producer garth Richardson, a well-known artist. The album is also to feature guest vocalists Oli Sykes and Winston mccall respectively. Alex Cowper designed the base of this cover for the you me at six album sinners never sleep. In the past he has created a great deal of past CD covers ranging from the years 2013 to 1996 such as:  Once was an evil by Laura Marling in the current year of 2013. Alex has had 13 years worth of experience within the field of graphics design.  He is currently Senior Art Director of EMI Music Group where he is responsible for the creative development, design of well-known CD covers.  Back In the year of 2012 he was awarded a D&AD for his work with the artist Laura Marling In the CD cover design. The kind of style the artist manly has is combining photographical imagery with typographical imagery mainly based within the black colorisation within the art work created.

Evaluation of the cover:

Overall I think my favorite part of the base of the cover design is the use of how the typographical imagery blends in with the base of the photographical imagery within the cd cover design. the use of the hidden message within the cover cleverly relating to the name of the album sinners never sleep. Relating to the sense of prisoners and how they are sinners therefore making this a great deal effective and suitable for the target market audience as a whole. this cover has inspired me to look in to depth about what imagery i could use to convey a hidden meaning for the target market audience in the best format of manner possible. I will take these elements on board to ensure within my design relates effectively to the album itself. I could use the typographic element within my design to ensure the logo of the band is still included to ensure the target market audience can relate to this and ensure this is successful. After looking in to detail within the design i could use photographical elements and combine this with typographical elements within the Photoshop software to ensure this is conveyed in the best format of manner possible for the target market audience.

I finally looked and analysed the take off your colors album cover design by the artist you me at six relisted in the year of 2008. The style of music this is conveying is a rock indie genre witch is conveyed through there songs within the album itself. There are many techniques used within this to create the album cover in the best format of manner possible suitable for the target market audience such as: The use of graphical elements within the main base of the design as a whole creating a visually illustrative piece suitable for the target market audience. the use of the blending techniques to ensure the typographic imagery fits in effectively within this artwork is used. visual editing such as Photoshop software was used to create the typographic imagery conveying the bands and albums name. Using this visually piece of artwork within the base of this cover ensures this suitable for the target market audience not conveying any inappropriate forms of imagery however using the dark use of colorization makes this less attractive. This conveys a retro feel to the design washing out the color within the artwork. This is used to ensure the typographic imagery stands out a great deal from the base of this design. This also emphases the sense of they do not have a great amount of interest within the design of the album cover itself as this is a great deal dull and not suitable for the target market audience. However the use of the burse of colorization used within the base of the illustration including blue and purple suggests the bands identity. This links a great deal to what the bands song is all about. (Someone who should stop hiding who they are and show their “colours”).  People can relate to this design and the hidden message conveyed through the use of these elements therefore making this a great deal suitable for the target market audience.  The use of this bright colorization conveys the bands genre of burst of rock sound within there songs. Using the pure white conveys a sense of innocence and power. The imagery within this has been chosen to represent and convey the theme of colors and symbolizes this through the use of the paint pallet. This blends in a great deal with the retro format of background symbolizing this in an effective format of manner.  The use of the lack of complex imagery conveys the sense of that they care more about the music than there design and promotion of the album.  The lack of graphical elements I think is used to relate to the albums message. Its all about showing the target market audience who they are instead of hiding a plot ideas within the album.

The layout within this CD cover conveys the name and the title of the CD in the center base of the cover. This conveys the sense that this is the key importance within the cover.  However by using the main name of the band is in a larger perspective than the albums name signifying this is the most importance. Overall the cover is abstract conveying artistic elements therefore not making this a great deal realistic unlike the sinners never sleep album it doesn’t contain any photographical imagery therefore has an artistic theme to the base of this design. I think the main base of the font used conveying the bands name in a bold format make this stand out from the base of the cover design in a simple format suitable for the target market audience. The use of the lack of spaces within each letter in the font is different to any of the other designs singling this out. However using the “take off your colors” in a separate font makes this stand out less and having this in a smaller scale makes this harder to see within the base of the CD cover design. Using this in an handwriting font conveys the sense of freedom and flow to the music and shows this through the typographic imagery.

The artist:

The artist from this  cd cover is by Monkey See Monkey Design. However i couldnt find a great deal of information of them through the use of the internet secondary sorce so i compared a well known designer to this work to see how these differ from each other through the contrastr of elements used. I looked in to deph on the designer of the oasis single and how this differs from the you me at six album “take off your colours”.

Brian Cannon

He is a British graphic designer, art director, photographer, band manager and music video director. He is best known for his  graphic design company and its work in the 1990s, which created the album cover for Oasis’ record breaking debut album, in the year of 1994. He has futhermore designed record sleeves for Ruthless Rap Assassins,Suede and Super Furry Animals. He is currently (2011) celebrating 21 years since the establishment of Microdot and alongside his work for the music industry & corporate sectors regularly lectures at British universities. Finally he  was given The Lifetime Achievement Award by the global Annual Design Awards in November 2011. He is a fully trained graphic designer and has a perticualar intrest in photography conveyed through his art work designs however enjoys printmaking while compiling collages that he enjoys.

Evaluation of Brian Cannon CD cover design and how this differs from the you me at six album cover:

After looking in to a great deal of detail within this album cover i analysed how the elements within the base of this design differs from the you me at six take off your colours album. Within the oasis album cover design to help convey this message a great deal photographic imagery is used to help convey the band. The retro colourasation within the design itself conveys a dated feel to the art cover. This message is more symply conveyd to give the target market audience a feel to what the band is like visually. The use of the compisition within this cover conveying the bands name using this in the position at the top of this design doesnt overpower the main body of the photographical imagery therefore not distracting the main element.  However within the take off your colours you me at six album the message is conveyed through the use of symbolic elements while analysed what the song is about. Such as the use of the paint pallet conveys through the use of the symbolic imagery the “colours” within the album title.  Within boath of the album cover designs the colourasation within this conveys washed out retro feel to the design having an old feel to this. Within the oasis album cover the contrast between the logo typographic imagery and the album title conveys these in differnt formats of fonts highlighting the key information having boath the same scale of lettering. However within the base of the take off your colours album the text is centred directly within the base of this having in line with the illistrative piece. Like the oasis design 2 differnt fonts are used between the bands title and the albums standing out a great amount from the base of this CD cover design.

Evaluation of the take off your colours cover:

Overall i think my favorite part of the base of the cover design is the use of how the typographical imagery blends in with the base of the artistic imagery suitable for the target market audience the use of the lack of spaces within the main body title of the band ensures this stands out effectively and unlike another design they do not use this. The use of the hidden message within the cover cleverly relating to the name of the album takes off your colors. Relating to the sense of don’t be afraid to show who you are therefore making this a great deal effective and suitable for the target market audience as a whole. This cover has inspired me to look in to depth about what imagery I could use to convey a hidden meaning for the target market audience in the best format of manner possible. I will take these elements on board to ensure within my design relates effectively to the album itself. I could use the typographic element within my design to ensure the logo of the band is still included to ensure the target market audience can relate to this and ensure this is successful. After looking in to detail within the design i could use artistic elements in a creative form of manner and combine this with typographical elements within the Photoshop software to ensure this is conveyed in the best format of manner possible for the target market audience.