CD cover - feedback welcome
- Thread starter Nightfire
- Start date
no to start anything but there's ALOT more to design then just reading a design theory book and jumping in.. not saying it can't be done with some success but it's kind of insulting to the field..
it's like saying
just read a book on mixing, ignore the most of what you read and you'll be fine...
design and engineering have the exact same issues... everyone and their dog who has photoshop thinks they are a designer... just like anyone with a computer and a mic thinks they're an engineer. Not that you can't learn either.. I just hate cheapening these professions because both are not at all as easy as some people will have you think.
Myriad_Rocker
New member
TerraMortim said:
Well, that's still my opinion.
Not sure why you think the album name has to be a song from the album. Alot of times it is a line/phrase from one of the songs on the album. Take the Rush album, "Hold Your Fire", which is the first line of the song "Mission" "A Show of Hands" is a line from "Prime Mover" (which is from the HYF album but is NOT on the ASOH live album, but anyway )
Richard Shindell's latest album "South of Delia" is a line from the song "Lawrence, KS"
I'll agree with some of the others regarding not naming your album "Homeward Bound" or "Crossroads"
Also agree that some of the photos have some issues. The one of you standing in the field by that sign, you are really underexposed. Know anyone in your area with Photoshop? I would do some Levels or Shadow/Highlights to lighten up the subject (you!) while keeping the background/sky intact. Photography (just like recording/music) is an art with lots of things to be aware of.
Good luck with the album!
)Richard Shindell's latest album "South of Delia" is a line from the song "Lawrence, KS"
I'll agree with some of the others regarding not naming your album "Homeward Bound" or "Crossroads"
Also agree that some of the photos have some issues. The one of you standing in the field by that sign, you are really underexposed. Know anyone in your area with Photoshop? I would do some Levels or Shadow/Highlights to lighten up the subject (you!) while keeping the background/sky intact. Photography (just like recording/music) is an art with lots of things to be aware of.
Good luck with the album!
yes I forgot to mention that too...
there's absolutely no rule saying you have to use a song title as the album name... listen to your album.. get a feel for it .. something will come to you..
no offense at all.. but i actually think naming the album from one of your songs is actually very uninspired and unoriginal.. i'm sure you can figure out something that you really really like to name it.. you spend alot of time writing and recording.. the same amount of effort should be spent on representing your work.. (cd name/artwork... it's the first thing people will see when the decide if they're are going to listen to it/buy it)
I think many artists drastically under estimate the importance of album art
there's absolutely no rule saying you have to use a song title as the album name... listen to your album.. get a feel for it .. something will come to you..
no offense at all.. but i actually think naming the album from one of your songs is actually very uninspired and unoriginal.. i'm sure you can figure out something that you really really like to name it.. you spend alot of time writing and recording.. the same amount of effort should be spent on representing your work.. (cd name/artwork... it's the first thing people will see when the decide if they're are going to listen to it/buy it)
I think many artists drastically under estimate the importance of album art
Nate74
HR4FREBR
I agree there is a lot to design work. I worked as a student intern at a desing house while I was in college and what those folks did was breath taking for certain. But I certainly wouldn't say that everybody with photoshop "thinks they are a designer."
I also have to think that for a self produced, self recorded, self promoted album, why go to a design company who's fee might rival the total project cost? Keeping it all in house saves money and for the typical local act (like most I've ever been in) that's the driving factor.
I also have to think that for a self produced, self recorded, self promoted album, why go to a design company who's fee might rival the total project cost? Keeping it all in house saves money and for the typical local act (like most I've ever been in) that's the driving factor.
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it's true.. but there are alot of artists out there that are itching to work with bands and musicians.. (myself included) because it offers a little more creativity and more chances at getting some portfolio quality work...
for this reason likeminded designers are more likely to work out deals for independant artists.
I, for example, would never charge an independant artist my regular $45/hour (which by standards is low as it is)
I'd do it for a flat rate which would vary depending the complexity of the job.. This job for example.. the artist has photography already and a good sense of the direction he wants to go in.. I'd probably do this for around 90$ flat with 2 or 3 revisions (2 hours and trust me I'd probably work alot more than 2 hours)
I'd do this because i to am a struggling musician and i know how it is. And this is more the area of design that I want to focus on if at all possible and jobs like this add to my portfolio.. it's win win for both the artist and me..
I know there are ALOT of likeminded designers out there..
for this reason likeminded designers are more likely to work out deals for independant artists.
I, for example, would never charge an independant artist my regular $45/hour (which by standards is low as it is)
I'd do it for a flat rate which would vary depending the complexity of the job.. This job for example.. the artist has photography already and a good sense of the direction he wants to go in.. I'd probably do this for around 90$ flat with 2 or 3 revisions (2 hours and trust me I'd probably work alot more than 2 hours)
I'd do this because i to am a struggling musician and i know how it is. And this is more the area of design that I want to focus on if at all possible and jobs like this add to my portfolio.. it's win win for both the artist and me..
I know there are ALOT of likeminded designers out there..
Nate74
HR4FREBR
eeb said:
Geez, you may be getting an email the next time my band puts out a small run CD.
From my time in that design house ('96 to '97) they were doing a lot of presentation/trade show work for some of the local aerospace companies. I remember hearing things like $400/hr consultation rates plus some milestone payments in the thousands... I guess those number always stuck in my head for sort of the "going rate." Of course they had salaries to pay, rent, other costs of doing business etc...yet another reason to look for the local "little" guy I guess.
Eeb, you should update your personal info with some of your design stuff, never know who you could help out around here.
$400/hr consultation rates sound rediculous! you must have talked to some "top notch" firms or something..
now some design firms are super expensive...
but if you look for freelancers it's usually between 30-100$ an hour..
the idea for me is to get lots of work and hopefully develop a good following of people who enjoy what i do.. then i can start charging a bit more.. I make all my money off logo designs and corporate id anyway.. as i said before the music stuff is almost just as much for me as it is for my business..
i'm also living in a smaller city so overhead is a lot less than say toronto or new york...
but yeah i will update some stuff on my profile
now some design firms are super expensive...
but if you look for freelancers it's usually between 30-100$ an hour..
the idea for me is to get lots of work and hopefully develop a good following of people who enjoy what i do.. then i can start charging a bit more.. I make all my money off logo designs and corporate id anyway.. as i said before the music stuff is almost just as much for me as it is for my business..
i'm also living in a smaller city so overhead is a lot less than say toronto or new york...
but yeah i will update some stuff on my profile
timboZ
New member
eeb said:here.. I had a few extra minutes to show you what I meant (this is by no means a final, just a quick 5 minute job to show you what i meant and i'm sorry to be a jerk but i put a watermark on it considering this IS my profession hehe)
I like this one that eeb did. But who about if Mike (the person) was in color and the background in B/W.
Nightfire
Aspiring Idiot
First off, thanks for all of you and your help I appreciate it.
Second, Nate thanks for the feedback and that pic looks awesome, and yes we do have a Manitoba Moose hockey team but we're not that good that people in the States would know about it, I was suprised you did.
Ok now, I do have Pshop borrowed from a friend but I am not very good at it and do no think I can make swanky CD art as nice as some people on here can. Everything about this CD needs to be pretty basic, nothing flashy, very earthy and personal. I have a good idea of the direction I want to take now that I've seen and heard everybodys ideas. I havent seen that many CDs that I can remember with someone walking down the road but I can imagine that concept is pretty played out. Heres the 2 options Im facing, let me know what you all think.
1) I came up with a phrase about a month ago that goes "confessions of a rambling heart" and really like it. It would make a great CD name however I dont really see how the connection can be made to the CD, other than the fact that the songs reflect what Im feeling, but theres no line in the CD that matches. On top of that, I liked the phrase so much that I kind of have it set apart as a book title of a book Im *trying* to write. If I would choose it as the CD name, I would go with a black and white nostalgic look like eeb posted.
2) A line in one of the songs goes "tell me, why are skies so blue?". I could name the album "skies so blue" and leave everything black and white BUT the sky in every shot.
Any ideas/suggestions? Its mainly a demo CD and I want to do as much of the artwork myself, thats why it needs to be basic. With help of tutorials I think I can achieve both of the above options in Pshop.
RayC, gotcha on the road safety thing, I like your rendering of me on the far right side, almost out of the picture. I think thats the way Ill crop it.
Thanks all,
Mike
Second, Nate thanks for the feedback and that pic looks awesome, and yes we do have a Manitoba Moose hockey team but we're not that good that people in the States would know about it, I was suprised you did.
Ok now, I do have Pshop borrowed from a friend but I am not very good at it and do no think I can make swanky CD art as nice as some people on here can. Everything about this CD needs to be pretty basic, nothing flashy, very earthy and personal. I have a good idea of the direction I want to take now that I've seen and heard everybodys ideas. I havent seen that many CDs that I can remember with someone walking down the road but I can imagine that concept is pretty played out. Heres the 2 options Im facing, let me know what you all think.
1) I came up with a phrase about a month ago that goes "confessions of a rambling heart" and really like it. It would make a great CD name however I dont really see how the connection can be made to the CD, other than the fact that the songs reflect what Im feeling, but theres no line in the CD that matches. On top of that, I liked the phrase so much that I kind of have it set apart as a book title of a book Im *trying* to write. If I would choose it as the CD name, I would go with a black and white nostalgic look like eeb posted.
2) A line in one of the songs goes "tell me, why are skies so blue?". I could name the album "skies so blue" and leave everything black and white BUT the sky in every shot.
Any ideas/suggestions? Its mainly a demo CD and I want to do as much of the artwork myself, thats why it needs to be basic. With help of tutorials I think I can achieve both of the above options in Pshop.
RayC, gotcha on the road safety thing, I like your rendering of me on the far right side, almost out of the picture. I think thats the way Ill crop it.
Thanks all,
Mike
Hell man, to call a CD something you dont have to have it in the lyrics of a song!
Call it what you want. their are loads of bands like that, the most obscure thing i can think of is Linkin Park- Hybrid Theory no line in the songs that mentioned that as far as i can think!
What about Joe Satriani- Surfing with the alien he doesnt have a single lyric in any track!
my 2 cent
Call it what you want. their are loads of bands like that, the most obscure thing i can think of is Linkin Park- Hybrid Theory no line in the songs that mentioned that as far as i can think!
What about Joe Satriani- Surfing with the alien he doesnt have a single lyric in any track!
my 2 cent
Nightfire
Aspiring Idiot
Ok, I fooled around in Pshop a little, figured out some masking and such. How am I doing? I honestly like the black and white one because it feels more folky/acoustic while the other one seems more like a rock album or electronica
Road to Redemption https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/NightfireRodder/roadtoreemtpion.jpg
Skies so blue
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/NightfireRodder/Skiessoblue.jpg
Both of the above themes combined
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/NightfireRodder/CoverRoadtoRedemptionwithblueskycop.jpg
BTW, these are just quickies to figure out the filters/masking layers, I know my ear isnt masked off and the bottom isnt masked of nicely either.
Mike
Road to Redemption https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/NightfireRodder/roadtoreemtpion.jpg
Skies so blue
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/NightfireRodder/Skiessoblue.jpg
Both of the above themes combined
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/NightfireRodder/CoverRoadtoRedemptionwithblueskycop.jpg
BTW, these are just quickies to figure out the filters/masking layers, I know my ear isnt masked off and the bottom isnt masked of nicely either.
Mike
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cello_pudding
Well-known member
i like the first one. much improved from the initial one.
rayc
retroreprobate
Road to is a really great improvement - the other two are fine except the blue makes the title too literal for my phase altered senses.
See, a little idea, a bit of perserverenceenceenecenec and you make great leaps forward.
Graphic designers are just that & are often great at it thouigh often lose sight of art for the perfect walmart placement.
Do have a squiz at a few design texts, ART design as opposed to graphic then apply the basics of good design to your ideas whilst murdering them as well - old pablo (the asshole) learnt a lot about & from accidents.
Remember most photographers take a squillion shots then chose the cream, them crop & manipulate. The art come from recognising what works more than anything else.
And here endeth the diatribe....
Oh I used micrographx ppicture publisher I really simple prog that came with an old flatbead scanner - I thought p/shop would be too high faluten for my skills or a quick demo (& my copy is a few years old anyway).
See, a little idea, a bit of perserverenceenceenecenec and you make great leaps forward.
Graphic designers are just that & are often great at it thouigh often lose sight of art for the perfect walmart placement.
Do have a squiz at a few design texts, ART design as opposed to graphic then apply the basics of good design to your ideas whilst murdering them as well - old pablo (the asshole) learnt a lot about & from accidents.
Remember most photographers take a squillion shots then chose the cream, them crop & manipulate. The art come from recognising what works more than anything else.
And here endeth the diatribe....
Oh I used micrographx ppicture publisher I really simple prog that came with an old flatbead scanner - I thought p/shop would be too high faluten for my skills or a quick demo (& my copy is a few years old anyway).
Myriad_Rocker
New member
eeb said:
Something like that is pretty easy using the history brush. Duplicate the original layer, make one B&W or brown tone, then use the history brush to brush away the B&W, leaving the color.
Nate74
HR4FREBR
Has anybody asked what the demographic is for this and what the sales channels are going to be? I have to think that a CD only sold at live shows might have different requirements than one that will be sold through retail.
And the Manatoba Moose jersey is about the coolest I've ever seen!
And the Manatoba Moose jersey is about the coolest I've ever seen!