WHAT IS GRAPHIC DESIGN? (MUSIC PACKAGING)

I chose to follow the route of CD packaging design and promotion which was one of the chosen categories in our group. I found this would be the easiest option for me as i spend a lot of time in and around the music scene of leeds and listen to lots of different types of music as well as collecting records. I have Also designed gig posters and Cd Packaging for artists in the past.  Therefore, i came to the conclusion that i could explore this particular area of design in detail.

I initially researched some graphic designers and companies who specialise in the area of music packaging design...

BIG ACTIVE

"Big Active is a D&AD award winning creative consultancy specializing in art direction, graphic design and the representation of leading image-makers. Big Active believes in creative networks - its aim is to produce creative design and commercial art based upon ideas with an accessible common touch" source // Big Active Big Active is made up of a number of different artist, illustrators and designers and have created 100's of music artwork for artists such as... Beck, The Subways, Mark Ronson, Nero, Noah and the Whale, White Lies, Muse, Snow Patrol, Simain. Just to name a Few. TOTALLY ENORMOUS EXTINCT DINOSAURS MARK RONSON AND THE BUSINESS INTL SNEAKY SOUND SYSTEM DAS POP DAS POP - CUSTOMISABLE SLEVES The idea of this project was to give everybody who buys a 'DAS POP' record a unique and original copy. I like this idea as it makes the customer more likely to want to spend their money to receive something that has been hand crafted by an artist. Also runs to a limited 100 copies so its also the unique factor that there is only one of these in the world and nobody else has it. BECK "The album is designed to be sold featuring blank packaging. Each CD contains 1 of 4 different sticker sheets, each featuring original images by 20 different artists commissioned and curated to form almost 250 different stickers in total. The idea is that the listener is then free to customize their CD or create their own album cover and booklet using the kit of source material contained within, participating in the album experience in a way that is highly reflective of Beck’s idiosyncratic style. The listener is then further encouraged to scan and upload their individual designs to share with other fans online. The packaging was conceived to clearly differentiate the physical album artifact from the digital download version of the release." Source of words BIG ACTIVE I love the idea of this CD also much like the 'DAS POP' record where you get a unique copy. This time though, you can design your own front cover to the album by arranging the stickers provided. A very clever unique idea and another way to make people want to buy the album more rather than shamefully illegally downloading the music AND KILLING THE INDEPENDENT MUSIC INDUSTRY! PROMOTIONAL POSTER FOR THE ALBUM GOLDFRAPP - (PROMTIONAL POSTER FOR ALBUM) MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS WHITE LIES THE SUBWAYS ATHLETE ATHLETE - LIMITED EDITION ALBUM WITH HARDBACK AND DEBOSSED COVER Again i love this idea of having something a bit different that just a CD cover. This is a clever idea of having a hardback book to hold the CD in rather than just a case. It makes the album stand out to people and is aesthetically nicer to have something you can hold with really nice stocks debossing on the front ATHLETE - PROMOTIONAL BILLBOARD KEANE KEANE - HARDBACK BOOK/CD COVER KEANE - PROMOTIONAL BILLBOARDS I like the idea here on the billboard promotion. They have made the image 3D rising above the billboard. Clever idea and it makes it more noticeable to passers by.  SNOW PATROL - PROMOTIONAL POSTER TOY HORSES - DELUXE EDITION - HARDBACK COVER - EMOBOSSED AND FOILING ALL IMAGES ABOVE SOURCED FROM BIG ACTIVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF VINYL PACKAGING Just some photographs i have taken of my some of my favourite vinyl packaging and the different methods and styles the artist have used. CARIBOU - SWIM FRONT COVER INNER SLEEVE - USINGS GLOSSY FOILING TECHNIQUES VINYL - SHAPES MAKE TRIPPY PATTERNS WHEN THE VINYL SPINS On this vinyl i like the use of glossy textures on the sleeve. They have not only created the patterns in colour but then gone over them with more patterns just in a glossy texture so you can't tell unless you feel it and look at it in the light. Gives the vinyl a much more aesthetically nice touch than just a standard print onto card. TALKING HEADS - TRUE STORES FRONT COVER / INNER SLEEVE BACK COVER VINYL  One of my favourite album covers EVER. Love the bold typography, the italics and the contrasting colours of red white and black. Simple too the point. Brilliant! THE XX - XX FRONT COVER FRONT COVER / INSIDE SLEEVE VINYL VINYL SLEEVE AND POSTER I love the design for this Vinyl Sleeve! They have thought outside the box and not used just print onto card for the finished piece. The band has created this image of the 'X' to be a symbol that you instantly relate to them. I love how the design is so simple! you can spot this from miles away. They have not used any imagery other than a BLACK cover with the 'X' cut out of it then a WHITE sleeve inside. So simple but so effective.  CRYSTAL CASTLES FRONT COVER  VINYL  VINYL AND SLEEVE CABARET VOLTAIRE - LIVE @ YMCA FRONT AND VINYL LTD EDITION STAMP PRINT  Like the cover of this vinyl because it is really simple. It is a white card sleeve with a stamp of the band name, live at YMCA and the date. The was a limited edition run of about 200 vinyls that was a recorded set of a live gig. I like the idea of just having blank sleeves and stamping this information on it. It is to the point and doesn't need any fancy design covering it! KRAFTWERK - AUTOBAHN FRONT COVER BACK COVER  Another one of my favourite ever cover designs. Using the two colours and simple imagery of the road sign it is easily memorable and easily recognisable in any situation. It relates to the meaning of the song and does it job perfectly. Iv'e also added the vinyl design on there just because i love the old school vinyl designs!