CD Cover
This is my second CD album cover I have improved my skills of image manipulation using Photoshop as the editor. Using layers I included the band member and converted the image to drawing using the effects filter within the graffiti, I experimented with the artistic filters and think this gave the best effect, and still have the band member recognisable. I also improved the distortion to make it more obvious that the band member is being sucked into the box. I also used layers to include the album title and changed the font of the album cover to match in with the font on the poster. 
Messages conveyed in the poster
The message that the album cover is delivering to the audience is that it is aimed at a rock and pop franchise. This is because there is a cartoon of a monster on the album cover, this cartoon is brightly coloured and has the effect that it is cool and funky, this is aiming at the pop side of the audience but this carton also fits in with the rock audience as the cartoon looks similar to a demon and a skeleton which is more popular with the rock side of audience as it fits in with their music and it is how a rock audience would like to illustrate themselves.
This album cover has a spooky, horror theme, echoing part of the band name of ‘Nightmare’. The colours are eeire and have a dark side to them, for example the graffiti is used using spray paint, making it look like the background of the wall has been vandalized, show a rebellion to law and society. Again this is what the rock and pop audience would be drawn to. Using this effect of graffiti and colours attracts this type of audience because of the picture and the graffiti used.
The main lead signer is shown being sucked into a box, this shows a horror effect as the main signer has represented that they are going through into a different world through the monsters toy music box. This is also popular with the rock and pop audience, as they enjoy fantasy art work and that there is a different world, this is illustrated through the picture. I have asked some of my peers in class and other people out of college if this is what they see, a high percentage of the people who I asked agreed with the exact feeling and though of the album cover. This shows that the message that I wanted to demonstrate has effectively been pursued as the audience are communicating with the poster, as I wanted them to
Original studio photograph of band member introduced as a layer on to the wall graffiti background.
Poster for album launch
Second poster design I improved with the inclusion of additional relevant information, an insert of the new album cover and accompanying text. Using Photoshop editor I used the clone tool and transparency settings to copy areas of sky to better blend in the area around the hair and head of the band member. There was a pale ‘halo’ which didn’t look quiet right. 
Second poster design
Messages conveyed in the poster
The message that the promotional poster is giving off to the audience, is that the poster is more aimed at the pop audience this is because the colours used are more natural and more of what you would see on other pop group posters, this is due to the colours that the majority of pop groups using. I have used these colours to attract more of the pop genre so that the band can promote their name making them more known in the pop culture making them more publicity and a wider audience. I have also put the band member on the pier by the sea as if to say that the band has a peaceful and calmer compared to their last album, this is to give the effect that the album has been toned down. I have still kept with the original rock outfit to make the band member fitting in with the rock genre and audiences. This is also to make the band more known in the rock industry and to symbolize that they are still producing rock music. On the album cover I have still chosen dusk as the night draws on to suggest that it is still dark fitting in with the rock sector, but I have also choseen it with the light and the colour scheme overlaps with the pop industry. The fonts used on the poster suggests that it is still trying to look traditional with the oldergeneration of a rock group as they used a gothic calligraphy type font.
CD cover design for album Poster Review and Response
Dose your finished promotional poster meet with the aims of the brief?
I believe I have met with the brief of producing a poster advertising the launch of a new album. It has all the key elements required. Details of the launch, image of the lead band member in an atmospheric setting. Details of what the new album cover looks like and there are icons indicating that it is available for download from iTunes and people can like it or comment upon the album on Facebook. The things that have worked well on my promotional poster is the leading lines, the streaks of the sky the converging parallel lines and planking on the jetty the band member is standing on, they all focus to the centre where the head of the band member is approximately placed, above the horizon where the sky is palest. I think this Is affective because it draws in people’s attention in to the centre of the picture and the main band members face. For fans it is something they will identify and focus upon. For people who are not fans the image of the band member is strong, so it will stand out on the page easily, this also helps to make the band member easer to recognise in a hurry. Other things that have worked well on my promotional poster is the colours used because the colours in the sunset sky (pinks/purples) match in with the colour, clouds and tones of the band member and her skin contrasting with the black leather jacket that has plenty of highlights in similar colours of the sky.
What are the areas for improvement on the promotional poster?
The areas to improve my final product is to ensure that the band member when cut from the studio photograph and placed on to the new background that the area around the face, hair and glasses have the new background showing. If closely inspected there is some hair that has the white studio background showing, also close to the cheek on the left hand side. This should be the pale blue sky background.Other improvements I could make to the promotional poster is to add a drop shadow, and experiment with contrasting colours for some of the text, this is to give an impression of greater depth and helps to give a stronger definition to the text on a mixed colour background. Making it easier to read.This is a big change to my original idea because this picture shown will reach a bigger and wider audience
Dose your promotional poster meet with the aims of the brief?
I believe my promotional poster meets with my brief. I wanted a poster aimed at the pop/rock genre. I have managed to create this by using the atmospheric and moody lighting of the sunset with pastel colours that you would normally see with other traditional folk/pop artists. The band member wearing jeans and casually half wearing half carrying a leather jacket on her shoulder gives a moody rock look. This will also interest the audience who enjoy rock, pop and also people who are interested in fashion
How well does your promotional poster compare with your original ideas?
Compared to my original ideas I thought there would be more brighter colours making the poster look poor like a combined rock and pop poster. On my original ideas I thought that the band member would be wearing more trendy and fashionable clothing making the band known as fashion icons in the pop world. This is also where the band is aimed at. I am happier with my new idea because it incorporates both pop and rock instead of aiming it at just one of the category’s. I also know that this fits in better with my brief
What comments have your peers made about your work on the promotional poster?
The comments that my peers have said about my work are that the colours on the promotional poster makes it a bit hard to see what has been written down. Some of the other comments that my peers have said about the promotional poster is that some of the shadows on the text is in the wrong place so the shadow looks out of place.My peers also said that they liked how I managed to combine the pop and the rock styles together.
How could you improve you work based on the feed back from your peers about the promotional poster?
To improve my promotional poster using the feed back from my peers I will make sure that the writing is clear and easy to read, This would help people understand what has been written easily and quickly. I will also bear in mind the colour of the text as well in case it is hard to read. This will help the audience focus on the text more easily and make the theme of the poster fit in with the rock/pop style
CD Cover Review and Response
Dose your finished CD cover meet with the aims of the brief?
The aim of the brief was for a rock style album cover, this is conveyed by the urban graffiti background. There is some humour as well with the image of the lead band member as a drawing being sucked into the music box. The things that have worked well on my CD cover is the strong image of the band member that has been overlaid on to the background image.The lines off the nose from the mask, the streaks in the sky, the poles in the water all draw the eye to focus on the band member. These are reasons why I chose a graffiti background. The proportions of the size of the band member being a solid feature to focus upon, the face can be clearly seen for fans making her easily recognisable. Enough background visible to give an atmospheric natural environment, opposed to a serious studio shot.
What are the areas of improvement on the CD cover?
The areas I can improve on my CD cover is making the band member look more 3D on the cover. This will be done to make the band member more interesting to look at and look more affective on the CD cover.Other places that I think I can improve my CD cover on is making the colours in the background stand out more to make the graffiti picture look as if it was jumping out at the band member. Doing this would make the graffiti man more fun to look at and would make the album cover more fun and appealing to the audience. Another way I think I can improve my CD cover is by adding In shadows, this could also help the people and characters standout more
Dose your CD cover meet with the aims of the brief?
I have stuck to the aims of the brief so I have made the band member wear rock styled clothing. This is so the band member fits in with the surroundings and doesn’t look out-of-place on the CD cover. I also said that I will be in a skate park for my CD cover photo because you can create lots of different effects and you can capture other people’s thoughts and emotions through the graffiti in the CD cover. I feel that I have stuck to this part of the brief because I have followed the original ideas that I had
How does your CD cover compare with your original ideas
The original brief idea was for a rock/music promotional poster. I have stayed with original concept. The outdoor shots I had originally planned to take at a playground with a band member sitting on a swing, and using slow exposure to introduce some movement. The outdoor shots I did take were in an urban setting with brick wall and wooden fence backgrounds. I experimented with over exposure to introduce a grunge look. I was not satisfied with these images. I did follow and adapt one of my original ideas of mixing a studio shot of the band member superimposed upon a different outdoor background. My original idea for the background was for city streets with graffiti. I changed the idea about the background for something more tranquil and contrasting that better shows the band members face. The final chosen background has strong lines within it to draw the eye to the focal point of the band member. This I feel works better and will be a more appealing image for a wider audience
What comments have your peers made about your CD cover?
The comments that my peers have made about my work are that the band member doesn’t look 3D on the CD cover. They also say that this makes it look less affective on the cover. Other comments that my peers have made about my work is that it looks bold and colourful. My peers have also said that the title is too small and hard to read in a hurry
How could you improve your CD cover based on the feedback from your peers?
The improvements that I could make to the CD cover are to make the band member more 3D. I will make the model more 3D by making the band member larger and adding a shadow. Other improvements that my peers have suggested are making the title bigger. I will do this by changing the font size of the title and this will make it easer for them to read.
Were there any technical and creative choices made during the production process of the CD cover and the promotional poster, which would you change on reflection?
There were technical and creative choices made during the process of creating the CD cover although if I was to recreate this again I would still use Photoshop. This is because I am confidant with this program and all of the functions in it. Also I feel that this gives the finished product a professional finish
Overall How have your application of digital graphic design skills met with the brief?
With The CD cover and the promotional poster I have had to over lap photos to give the band member a more interesting backgrounds. This also helps to make the CD cover and promotional poster more appealing to look at. Other things I have had to use is text and text styles this is to make the information on the poster and the CD cover more appealing and fun to look at. On the CD cover and the promotional poster I have used lots of different layers to create a build up of images. This will make the images more bold and easer to separate the individual layers. This will hep with my original idea because you could clearly see the layers of the background and the band member.
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