CD cover design

PistolPete

PistolPete

Member
Working on a cardboard sleeve for an upcoming CD release. I'd love to hear your thoughts.


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It seems a bit basic compared with your posters, a little light on design?

I would try and make more of such an iconic building.
 
Wardy said:
It seems a bit basic compared with your posters, a little light on design?

I would try and make more of such an iconic building.
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'Basic' :(

I was aiming for 'tasteful' & something that would hint it's a little folkier than some of the other stuff I have out there.
 
Second one is nice.

In the first. Is that an old post card?

If so, I think it would look much better a lot bigger but the fact it's portrait will make it more challenging in the square, CD format and it's not the usual landscape you'd expect from a post card so less obvious.
The drop shadow would be more visible which would help.

I think it just looks too small and a bit low in the composition which is what I think Wardy might have been getting at.
 
Yes, something like that.

Try pushing everything up (aren't names usually at the top on these things?) and the building could be a tint of brown maybe.
 
I'd be a little tempted to add some interest to the textured paper background like staining/age or something but that's just me.
Probable because I've been doing a lot of Ps work with vintage/aged stuff recently.

Maybe something like an old postage mark an shit like that.

On a slightly different note I came across a site recently and thought of you.

Has some great free resources and tut's which I thought were up your street.

www.retrosupply.co

PS. Check out the boxing poster tut + freebies.
 
scotty said:
Second one is nice.

In the first. Is that an old post card?

If so, I think it would look much better a lot bigger but the fact it's portrait will make it more challenging in the square, CD format and it's not the usual landscape you'd expect from a post card so less obvious.
The drop shadow would be more visible which would help.

I think it just looks too small and a bit low in the composition which is what I think Wardy might have been getting at.
Click to expand...

Yes, it's an old postcard I found on ebay. Postmarked 1974, it actually predates when it was saved from demolition and restored. Most postcards of the high house seem to be portrait - I assume it's just a bit easier to get it in the shot that way ;)

I had a play around with getting it a bit bigger:

Th5wlIx.png
 
scotty said:
I'd be a little tempted to add some interest to the textured paper background like staining/age or something but that's just me.
Probable because I've been doing a lot of Ps work with vintage/aged stuff recently.

Maybe something like an old postage mark an shit like that.

On a slightly different note I came across a site recently and thought of you.

Has some great free resources and tut's which I thought were up your street.

www.retrosupply.co

PS. Check out the boxing poster tut + freebies.
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm trying to get out of the habit of making everything I do look like it's been torn out of a water damaged notebook, but it is tempting.

Retro Supply is great. I've found the free vintage colour catalogue really useful for getting stuff to look tastefully retro. Some of the fonts are lovely too. I've yet to find a use for the cellophane wrap textures, but I kind of want to...
 
I think It's a case of not over egging it if you do go that route, this would be the perfect candidate.

Retro Supply is good and I've found it useful.

I've been doing some Ps collages prints for a restaurant in London and the building it's in is where the Rolling Stones, Yardbirds and others started and I downloaded a pack from Retro Supply which was helpful and made it fun. :D
 
I've had another stab at this from a somewhat different angle. Trying to channel a 70s vinyl release vibe. I think it works better, but I'd still be interested in what the professionals think ;)

I'm hoping to get another photo of me for the front of me actually standing outside the high house, but I actually think this one works pretty well in the context.


Timber Framed LP Cover Draft copy.png Timber Framed LP Cover draft back.png
 
Totally digging that!

Just a couple of niggles.
I'd be inclined to put what's at the top... at the bottom and maybe in a complementary colour panel and not white.
Maybe an orangey or cream colour for that 70's vibe.

I'm finding that the font choice for "Timber Framed" could be better.
The M's look a bit heavy to me.
Maybe the "stereo" font would be worth a try (I think it's Cooper Black) or something a bit more handwritten?
Try that at the top.

Besides that, this album cover, will KILL! ;)
 
Sorry. missed the bit at the bottom as it's on a white background.
I'm talking shite because I'm tired.
All is cool. :D
 
The album title needs to look more like a title. It should be dominant, top of the hierarchy, it should show all the other text that it is the boss. At the moment, it just looks like a typed out bit of text placed at the bottom with no real thought put into it.
 
Ooh yes, title in orange Cooper Black, like Scotty says. Should be at the top though I think, your name at the bottom.
 
Thanks for the the thoughts.

I did try the album title in Cooper Black before I settled on Akenaten & I didn't think it worked - for me it shouts "I'M TRYING TO DO 1970S!" just a little bit too loudly. I'd also tried Dude Patsy as well.

I went for Akenaten partly because it appears here:
Jacksonbrownedebut.jpg


I also tried shifting the white strip to the bottom & also didn't feel it worked so well - it wasn't so evocative of an old record.


@GCarlD said:
The album title needs to look more like a title. It should be dominant, top of the hierarchy, it should show all the other text that it is the boss. At the moment, it just looks like a typed out bit of text placed at the bottom with no real thought put into it.
Click to expand...

I'm curious as to why you say that? To me it seems very obvious it's the title & if I print it out actual size it's still readable across the room. It's certainly not unheard of to put an album title at the bottom of the page either - see Nevermind/Aladdin Sane/No Jacket Required etc...

Any how after trying out most of the changes you guys suggested (& then reversing them - maybe I'm stubborn) I ended up with this, which is only slightly different, but I think works a little better?

Timber Framed LP Cover Draft copy.png
 
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