ALBUM ADVERT INITIAL DESIGN
ORIGINAL IMAGE This is the image I have chosen to use for my album advert. I decided upon this particular one as both girls are looking at the camera with a similar expression on their faces, seemingly enticing the reader. I like that it differs from the image used for my digipak, as it is a long shot, therefore showing a broader perspective.
I have kept the area surrounding them deliberately very plain, in order to match the minimalistic house style. This will also allow me to experiment with text placement.
In general, I like the colours within this image. The golden sand and red hoodie both stand out amongst an otherwise fairly muted colour scheme of black, white and variations between. The one thing I most dislike about this image is the green algae growing on the wood where they are sitting. I feel as though this makes the image look less professional, as it takes away from the already established colour scheme.
This picture is also not quite straight, which is something that immediately detracts from its level of professionalism.
EDIT 1 In this image I have only made a few subtle adjustments. I used Photoshop to slightly brighten it and increase the contrast, in order to even out the levels.
Within this version of the image, I have straightened it out and cropped it so the band is central. I chose to place the girls central within the frame, which subverts the traditional rule of thirds, because it will make for a nice composition once I have included text.
The biggest change that I have made is to the wooden groyne on which the girls are sitting. I didn’t like the colours in the original image, as I felt they didn’t fit the overall aesthetic, and detracted attention from the main focus: the subjects. By converting this to black and white, it now blends more easily into the background.
Although I am happy with the image now that I have added a focal black and white point, I feel that it needs a more colour to be brought back in, so that it is more interesting to look at.
EDIT 2 I decided to bring colour back into this image by using the same overlay as I have on the digipak. This is definitely a way of carrying through a constant house style.
The overlay has been used twice, as can be seen from the red streaks going both left and right. I chose to break the theme of symmetry in this pattern because I didn’t want it to look too polished. There is a slightly unfinished quality to the style of the song that I’ve used for my music video, and I wanted to convey this in all other aspects of the promotional package.
By experimenting with a few different effects, I have very subtly altered the overall tone of the image. I tweaked the properties of the image that has been placed on top of the original, so that it softens what is underneath. It is also made slightly brighter and more yellow in colour. This makes the overall aesthetic feel warm and inviting, which is an important quality for an album advert.
EDIT 3 I have added basic text to this design, so that I can visualise where each element will go on the page. There is more text that I am yet to include, such as: the release date, where to find more information (such as a website, app or QR code) and logos of distributors.
Although there are still crucial aspects missing from this design, I think it gives a good overall impression of the style I was aiming for. It fits well with the digipak and music video, as I have once again utilised the overlay and the same text.
One concern I have about this version of the album advert is that the text isn’t bold enough to stand out. I want it to be eye-catching whilst generally conforming for the minimalistic house style. For this reason, I will get audience feedback on my design and possibly experiment with alternatives.