How to Make a Cd With a Show From Your Art
They say to never judge a volume by its comprehend, and while we'd like to remember that the same goes for albums—it'south the music on the inside that counts—there's something to be said for a well-designed anthology cover. It's your risk to catch the attention of new listeners and requite a visual representation of the music inside. A great anthology comprehend can inspire someone to fish your vinyl out of the stack, encourage a streaming listener to learn more about you, and add a whole new layer of artistry to your work.
Although having an original and expressive anthology cover blueprint is of import, the process itself doesn't take to be daunting. We've assembled a comprehensive guide to designing your album cover, from the early brainstorming stages to finding the blueprint style that syncs perfectly with your music.
Contents
- Before you first your design procedure
- Go on an identity quest
- Discover inspiration
- Key components of designing your cover
- Color
- Typography
- Imagery and style
- Don't forget the details
- Think big…and pocket-sized
- Finding the right designer/creative person
- What's side by side?
Before yous start your pattern process
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Yous might exist tempted to immediately start sketching your vision for your album cover, but the first step in any blueprint process should e'er be to accept a few steps away from the design entirely. Instead of launching right into ideas for your comprehend, focus on doing a lilliputian identity quest first—it will help you later when it comes to thinking about design.
Keep an identity quest
1. Who are you?
You tin get as existential with this one as you like, but really focus on who you lot are every bit an artist, ring, musician, etc. How would y'all define yourself?
two. Who is your audition?
Before you jump to answer "everyone," think about this ane a little more deeply. Who are yous trying to attain with your songs? Who are the kinds of people standing in the front end row of your show? While information technology'south a great goal to accomplish everyone with your music, y'all likely accept a slightly narrower audience. Figuring out who that is can help you lot cater your anthology design to their interests.
three. What do y'all desire your listeners to feel when they hear your music?
Music tin can sometimes experience intangible—how could yous describe it in words? But whenever someone makes music, they have an thought of how they want people to respond to it. Think about the emotions y'all want your listeners to take when they hear your anthology.
iv. Elevator pitch your audio: what are the key words?
The elevator pitch is only as of import for a band or artist as it is for the founder of a visitor—you should be able to succinctly describe what information technology is you do. So, if you're in an elevator with someone and you lot've got 30 seconds to describe what your music is like, what would you lot tell them?
Take notes
Accept some notes from your identity question session. Write down the words that take the near meaning for you so that when it comes to thinking about design elements, you'll already take a proficient sense of what y'all're hoping to accomplish. Ultimately, your album embrace is a style for you to express your band's identity—just similar you exercise with your music—so it should be in line with your sound.
Find inspiration
As a musician, y'all know that inspiration is of import. Music does not just occur out of nothing; it needs to be pulled from somewhere. When information technology comes to song writing, yous may be inspired by an event, a slice of art, an image, a sound, a feeling, etc. You can retrieve most designing your album encompass in a similar way—what is inspiring that visual representation? Perhaps y'all'll call back nigh the aforementioned inspirations that struck you lot in your vocal writing, finer translating that musical inspiration into images.
In add-on to thinking about the inspiration for your own work, it'southward always helpful to recollect well-nigh who you adore and draw ideas from their work. What are some album covers that you are drawn to? What do you like about them? Exist sure to take some notes—combined with your identity notes, these will assistance you narrow your design process.
Key components of designing your cover
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There are several elements that come into play for every anthology cover, from the colors and imagery used on the forepart cover to the typography and text on the back. Isolating each component will help you take things step by step, rather than getting overwhelmed with the whole design all at once.
Colour
Color pick is an important aspect to all blueprint, and the same is true of album covers. Even a blackness- or white-heavy anthology cover represents a thoughtful decision on colour: information technology evokes a different feeling than a vibrant, multicolored comprehend, right? With and then many colors to choose from in the spectrum, nosotros've come upwardly with a few different means to help you place what colors to use in your pattern.
Color psychology
There is a lot more to colour than might run into the eye, and to learn more about colour theory and how it is used in branding, be sure to cheque out this in-depth guide. But for at present, the quick explanation is that colors can make united states feel a certain way. They take emotional attachments, which is why companies often use specific colors in their logos or product packaging. The aforementioned can be applied to album covers, because every bit a musician, you want your audience to feel a sure style when they hear your music. The album comprehend—a visual representation of your music—allows yous to enforce that feeling in some other manner. If, for example, you want your listeners to feel happy and playful when they listen to your music, you might desire to lean into yellow and orange in your cover design. For more than subdued and melancholy music, darker colors, especially night blue and gray, will help prepare the tone in your album cover design.
Color scheme
If you've identified a color that yous'd similar to use in your album cover, you lot may want to stick with it throughout—if it worked for The Beatles with the White Album, it could work for you too—merely y'all may not be looking for a minimalist, monochrome look for your cover. Fortunately, color theory likewise identifies complementary colors to aid you select secondary and 3rd hues to go on with your dominant color.
Monochromatic basically means using all one colour—only it tin be one color in many shades to offer some more dimension. The overwhelming feeling of a monochrome cover is one of simplicity and minimalism. It tin can be selected to tap into a sure mood, or can exist used as a way for the artist to have the music speak for itself. This tin terminate up being a very bold choice.
You've probably seen a color bicycle before, which is a great key into choosing colors that work well together. For complementary colors, the rule is, the color directly across from the color on the wheel is the well-nigh complementary—so if yous've chosen yellow, violet would naturally represent. Complementary colors bring out the best in each other, and tin create dynamic visuals.
You can as well go for coordinating colors—colors that are close to each other on the cycle, and so they naturally work in harmony. This gives you lot more dimension than monochrome colors, but they can still have a blending effect—they may non stand out equally much as complementary colors.
Another option is picking triadic colors, which finer draw from 3 equal sections on the color cycle. These tend to be more than stimulating than analogous colors, simply the color meanings may not mesh likewise if you're trying to tap into color psychology.
In add-on to working with the colour schemes in a higher place, another choice a band or artist tin can make is to go for more anachronistic colors. Instead of adopting colors that work in harmony with one some other, you tin opt for stark combinations to elicit a different kind of feeling. It can suggest nonconformity, throwback to psychedelic inspiration, or simply shock the viewer. Take a look at the clashing colors in the Foes anthology design by JETARTS—it certainly makes yous experience visually shocked when you look at it. Of course, you'll desire to become dorsum to your identity questions and think about what you want your listener to experience before adopting wild color combinations.
Typography
Only similar colors, the fonts y'all choose for your album cover can help communicate your band'south personality. It's also important to call up nearly all of the dissimilar places you'll want typography—the album championship and band proper name, track list on the back, and even the inner jacket, which is album cover adjacent.
Serif fonts are the sometime-standby when it comes to fonts. These are noted by their serifs—the little feet at the end of letters. Serif fonts are thought to exist more serious and traditional, Times New Roman and Cambria are common examples. Serif fonts pair well with classical, acoustic or operatic music.
Sans serif fonts are fonts without serifs, significant fonts without the piddling feet. Helvetica and Arial are normally used sans serif fonts. These fonts are often considered more than modern and streamlined than their serif predecessors. Sans serif fonts can be used with a variety of music, including electronic and indie rock—it's a versatile choice for modern music.
Script fonts are cursive fonts that emulate handwriting. These can range from very traditional and ornate to playful and even messy. The dissimilar styles of script fonts mean they can be used to invoke a variety of feelings. Script fonts are used for a broad range of music types—scratchy, messy fonts might be used with alternative stone, where a precise signature style might be used for a contemporary solo artist.
As the proper name suggests, display fonts are decorative and meant to display. They are also referred to as novelty fonts and can often exist found on book covers or signage. Like script fonts, there is a range of styles for this type of font. Gothic display fonts are often featured on heavy metal anthology covers, and a playful, bubbly brandish font could be used for a children'southward music album.
Because you'll need to use text in different places on your album cover, yous can employ a combination of font styles. For example, you could opt for a script or display font for the album title and band name, and a more easily legible font for the track list and other pertinent information. The typography on the forepart of the cover can be more artistic than on the back, where readability is more important.
Imagery and fashion
After colors and typography, imagery is an of import aspect to any anthology comprehend design. Musicians usually utilise photography, especially of the band or master artist, but nigh anything is possible, from abstract graphics to drawings and collages.
We talked a bit about color psychology, and there'south some psychology when information technology comes to images as well. Images of faces—whether a photo or drawing—tend to jump out more than other pictures. If you lot're trying to grab the attention of a potential listener, using an image of a confront—forth with choosing the right colors and fonts—can aid ensure that your comprehend gets noticed. Faces also convey expressions, which can reflect on the viewer's mood or feelings. This can help tie into the feelings you desire your music to inspire in your listeners.
And an important, legal annotation: If yous decided to use photography or artwork for your cover, exist sure to take the image rights!
Whatever graphics that are used on an album should communicate with the album itself, then it'southward important to use them thoughtfully. A painted watercolor mural might connect well with a mellow, instrumental album, but it would probably send a mixed signal if the album was EDM. Similarly, the choice to non include graphics should feel purposeful, and not like you merely couldn't think of something to put on the encompass.
Minimalism can besides make a statement in album cover design. Going elementary allows the focus to ultimately lie with the music within the album. Minimalism is an on-trend anthology design fashion though, then information technology'due south a good thought to endeavour to stand out in a unlike way—possibly y'all opt for an all-black encompass, but instead of using white type, you lot opt for a colorful ombre.
Shown in a higher place, designer Artistic Spirit took the simple graphic of a vintage microphone and cast it in a punchy salmon color, overlayed on mint green. Although information technology's undeniably minimalist, the designer's colour choices make the cover experience more assuming, while maintaining a counterbalanced, simple design. For the encompass design on the right, designer Edina plays with the album's title From Scratch and made scratch marks the focal point of the minimalist embrace.
The overall manner of your album cover is the combination of colour, imagery, and typography. These three elements should work together in harmony to create the desired issue. Calling back to your identity questions and your inspiration, you should experience like your design is in line with that practise.
Don't forget the details
When designing your anthology cover, it'south okay to go swept away in the design—it can be really fun! Only when you come down from your design buzz, be sure to call up the integral album components y'all need to include.
1. Band and anthology proper noun
You lot don't have to include the ring or anthology title on the forepart of your album cover, but it needs to be on the spine. Sometimes the album proper name or ring name is the master design element for the cover and in this example, the name has to stand up out. A reason why there'south currently a trend to non include names on the cover design is because people are now commonly listening via streaming services, where artist, title, and album name are all listed beside the cover thumbnail. So if graphics are important, you lot can free upward some necessary design space past leaving names out of the picture. This is a nifty option for digital-simply album releases.
ii. Track list
The back cover of the album should include the album'due south runway list. Although the typography can be different here than on the front of the embrace, information technology should nonetheless communicate stylistically and be easy to read at the aforementioned time.
3. Licensing and legal data
Be certain to take a space on the back cover or inside for all licensing and legal data.
4. Easy on the Internet
Resist your impulse to put social handles anywhere on your album cover. While Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are used regularly today, who knows what will be the dominant social trends in 5, x, or fifty-fifty twenty years. Using handles can unwillingly date your anthology. If yous want to include your band's URL, do so on the dorsum cover or liner notation.
5. Liner note
While not technically part of the album embrace, the inner jacket should be designed with thought to the mode of the album cover—it should feel like an extension of the design. You'll want to use similar fonts for song lyrics and band information and choose a color scheme that communicates with the overarching pattern.
Call up big… and small.
Designing an album cover in 2017 is not like it was in 1977. Yous need to think about multiple formats when considering your design. For example, if y'all're releasing vinyl, y'all need to think of what your design will look like in that size, every bit well as the size of a CD. You lot as well demand to consider how the cover will await every bit a thumbnail, as people will probable see it on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, and other platforms. The image should not crave squinting or illicit confusion from the viewer.
Finding the correct designer
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Having thought through your band'south identity and all of the necessary style points for your anthology, y'all're ready to hire a designer! Although you may be wary of letting someone else take the reins of your anthology cover, a professional designer is non but super capable and experienced in illustration and graphics, but will also ensure that your ideas are brought to life in the all-time way. They'll know what'south possible, what will look the best, and they're efficient and effective. While DIY has its place—say, a handmade Valentine?—investing in a well-designed comprehend will ensure y'all're putting out the best product.
Communication is key for both you and your prospective designer, and so it's important to brand sure you're accurately relaying your needs. If you're articulating what you're looking for, a professional designer volition be able to realize it for you.
A potential designer cerise flag? Your designer seems more interested in their artwork than your vision. While it's helpful to have artistic feedback on your ideas, it's important that you practice not let your project migrate away from the cadre of what your music is all about. Rather, you should be working together to make sure yous're creating a product y'all're happy with.
Originality is important. You'll share your inspirations with your designer, simply y'all'll as well want to stand out. And so, be open up to suggestions and brand sure that your designer can depict from inspiration while creating something new and fresh.
A good manner to get a design yous experience good about is to launch a design contest. This will allow y'all to run across dissimilar design options and provide feedback for what works for y'all.
What'south next?
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In one case you accept your album cover design complete, your anthology is set up to amaze your fans and captivate new listeners. Whether you're doing a digital-only release or a vinyl album, your album cover tin assist you draw in the crowd. Time to rock!
Looking for a professional album cover that is in tune with your music? Kickoff your album comprehend competition today!
Source: https://99designs.com/blog/design-other/how-to-design-album-cover/
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