Something to consider I would like you to consider this digital process book as not only a booklet of the digital development, but as a design project within itself. Producing these books allows me to work/learn layouts, displayed in a digital format. It also gives me chance to practice my skills for Editorial Design.
Contents Approached by Sonic Router Plan of action Dimensions Research Primary Research Secondary Research Listening Research into the Label Sonic Router Packaging Research Packaging Research Listening to the Tracks Moodboard Further development and sketches Idea 1 Idea 2 Idea 3 Bad News The Final Design Visualisations 1, 2 & 3 Final Visualisation Summary & Reflection
1 6 7 9 15 17 19 23 25 29 43 45 53 59 77 87 88 89 109 113
Approached by sonic router music label from leeds In second Semester I worked alongside Kirk Barley, owner, producer and musician known as BAMBOOMAN from Leeds. He employed an artist on his EP, ‘Hollowed’ before approaching me. However, the illustrator he was commissioning before did not do his work justice and so he has asked me if I would like to get on board with another project.
1
2
At this stage, I was given all the information from the guy who was in contact with kirk from the label. I was given all relevant information on what was needed to be produced for this project. They sent me all the details in terms of size, artwork colours and the manufacturing company in which I would have the artowrk produced with. Also the contents of the A and B side of the artwork.
The two pieces marked in red above were really exciting to hear. The fact that I could have some exposure in a magazine and also that this could lead on to other porjects was very exciting. I’ve got to work straight away!
3
4
1
2
3 4
5
Plan of Action After some confusion with the pieces of artwork needed, I understood all that needed to be done. So for this project I will produce a 12x12cm square of artwork labelled - Bambooman: Hollowed. After this is completed, I will take a section of the artwork and use it as one of the on body stickers (side A) for the actual vinyl. The other sticker (side B) will have the details of the label and the details of the tracks and ‘Hollowed’ (all music produced by Kirk Barley).
6
dimensions research 7� vinyl sticker measurements
Considering the 7� vinyl template - print this off to get a gude of the measurements
7
See these examples as testers!
Look at how these printed version are made up.
8
PRIMARY RESEARCH The primary research for this project involved me going round a lot of the studios in LUSAD, Fine art and 3D asking if people could take a minute to sit down and listen to some music and draw what they feel when they hear it - it was a fun task and I got some interesting feedback.
“I feel like I’m inside a crisp packet” - Anonymous
9
above Girl from Foundation
10
11
left Guy from Viscomm
12
13
left Guy from 3D
14
Secondary Research Some research into the layouts of vinyl covers that have already been produced in industy. The cover artwork is beautiful
15
16
listening. Having a quick run through all of the tracks before moving onto drawing in the sketchbook and listening closely, I decided to write out a few words that came to mind when I was listening and do a small image page - to keep them logged in
17
18
Research into the label
I did some research in to the label I am working with on this artwork. Looking into what they produced on the label previously and what other kind of artists have produced artwork, it’s something I felt would be helpful knowing come my developments/final outcome. SonicRouter are a Leeds based magazine/ online blog and label who feature all the up and coming artists around the UK and Europe. They work with a variety of music genres eg. dub, hiphop...
above listening into the sonic routher radio and podcasts.
19
above is an example of the kind of digital context my artwork will be used in. It will be displayed in the itunes and on the SonicRouther soundcloud platform. So my illustration has to be stricly 300dpi with a 12cm circumference
20
21
22
Sonic Routers previous packaging I researched into some of the packing from SonicRouter label to see how it has been done before - this could be an interesting way in to a project prehaps
23
above & opposite page is an example of the packaging the label has produced. I feel that this could be quite fun if I have time in the end to do an actual packaging outcome however, the deadline is tight so it may have to visualised.
24
CD Packaging Research After the research into Sonic Routers packaging and my previous idea of having an outcome which related to the packing of the vinyl, I decided to do some research to get a general idea of CD packaging designs.
25
26
above gave me an idea about not neccesarily making the packaging but visualising it - although the record label will be printing the outcome properly on to a vinyl, this could be something for myself to work on after even? Give it some thought Sarah. Although I will need the actual stickers and digital drawings I feel it isn’t giving it the best outcome for my degree show - A board could be a nice turn on a project which is also rather flat based - bring some 3D visuals in to it!
27
28
Listening to the tracks Listening to each individual track I decided to listen and draw what camr to mind whilst I had the music in my ears
Track 1 Frosted
29
Track 2 Stacks
30
Track 3 Skip
31
Track 4 Sun
32
Track 5 Irish Moss
33
34
Track 6 Hollowed
35
Track 7 Irish Moss Zack Christ Remix
36
37
Track 8 Feilds
38
Track 9 Sun - Eckoclick Remix
39
40
Extra sketches
41
Changing Shapes sketches.
42
Mood board
43
-
burgundy buzzing lights/fuzzy marching airy-ness sunlight turning fallen down absorbed “just want the sun” on your knees
love these colours 2
Cuttle Bright
Wishful Thinking
Foot Steps
Cooler Burgundy Triad
Final outcome for colours I decided to do a small moodboard for my primary research on what people felt and how I feel when I listen to the music, I would like it to relate as much as possible to it’s audience when it comes to the outcome.
44
Further Development & Sketches Even though I had done a lot of initial sketches I kept having to listen to the music as I was drawing out the further developments. It helped me keep the atmosphere of the artwork. It is sometimes difficult because I’m worried about falling off track of what the label is looking for in this work.
45
46
Once I had scanned in some of the sketcbbooks I decided it could be a nice idea to go over them with in illustrator to see if they could make up a image 47
48
49
50
above these sketches are illustrations I have scanned in and moved on to work digitally on, they all hold relevance to when I was listening to the track list of the new EP.
51
52
Idea 1 This idea started by scanning in my sketchbook drawing from lisetning to the music and going over it digitally then adding colour from my moodboard. I feel it was simple but a great example of what I was hearing in the meaning of the sounds.vt
53
BAM-
HOL -
BAM-
HOL -
BAM-
HOL -
BAM-
HOL -
54
55
56
Test Printing As the artists name is Bambooman and it has a feeling of ‘organic’ in the title - I did a quick print test on this beautiful paper to see if in print it could make it feel more relevant to the artists title. I think it looks good - however, it dampens the colours which is not what I was looking for.
57
58
Idea 2 This idea developed in the same way the previous piece did. It began with scanning in the sketchbook and seeing what came from the digital works.
59
60
61
62
Test 1
Test 2
63
Test 3
64
65
Playing with this idea of Hollow
66
above these were drawings which developed again from listening to the music whilst I was working on the beginning of the scanned in piece.
67
68
69
70
71
felt testing some type
left testing some type
72
73
74
75
above although I love this piece, I sent it to the artists and he did not approve of the work - he said it needs to be more simple �not so complicated� were his words
76
Idea 3 As earlier I mentioned that the kirk (bambooman) wasn’t feeling the previous pieces and they needed to be simpler, I decided to start a new way of going around this project simple was number 1 on the list.
77
BAMBOO MA N
above sticking to simple!
78
above/below colour testing
79
80
below further colour testing
81
82
above I decided to go a little wild on the colour tests, so here is the screenshot page of some of the final choices of colour and the layout tests.
83
84
below with feedback from the artist and it’s confirmation, this is the final outcome, or chosen colours for testing anyhow.
85
86
Bad news Unfortunatly, just at this very last minute, Bambooman (the producer) has not been able to get in touch with the printers in time for his 2013 release in May - meaning this whole project is now on hold. He called me saying that the price on request is too high for what they were expecting. This has left me in a rather awkward position as this semester is 75% about the outcome, so it means I need to produce an outcome for this piece of work. I feel at this stage, the project should be coming to a close as the deadline draws closer for my own personal work efforts. For this reason, I will produce a digital visualisation of the final outcome and may print a version myself too if I can work around it.
87
The final Design This is a small visualisation of the final vinyl design - I may print it on to a paper and try bind it into a real design for the final show but I’m unsure yet now due to such a big hiccup on my
88
Visualisation developments Visualisation 1: Test 1
89
90
Visualisation 1: Test 2
91
92
Visualisation 1: Test 3
93
94
Visualisation 1: Test 4
95
96
FINAL VISUALISATION Visualisation 1: Test 5
97
98
Visualisation 2: Test 1
99
100
Visualisation 2: Test 2
101
102
Visualisation 2: Test 3 Stickers!
BAMBOOMAN Hollowed
SonicRouter
103
104
Visualisation 2: Test 4
105
106
Visualisation 2: Test 5
107
108
FINAL VISUALISATION Visualisation 2: Test 6
109
110
Final Outcome(s) This is a small visualisation of the final vinyl design - I may print it on to a paper and try bind it into a real design for the final show but I’m unsure yet now due to such a big hiccup on my expectations with the project.
111
112
Summary & reflection
Chance to do it again
Highlights
If I were to do this brief again, I would do one part differently - I’ve learned that working with a client means there view of the outcome is different to the one you may of originally had planned for the work next time I will keep in close contact with the client, sending roughs often and asking opinions on the artwork - communication is key.
the major highlight to this brief was learning how to visualise an outcome well on Photoshop. I’ve always strived for producing the final outcome by hand but with time constraints and a dip in the project due to the client, it was a great alternative to my original plan and I feel I chose the right option for a final
Positives
negatives
The outcome for me is the positive aspect of this brief - I’m really happy with the final considering how much time I had and how I felt let down once I realised this wasn’t going to be going to print on a vinyl. The visualisation does it much better justice than I think a hand cut mock up would of done.
Not seeing my work in print on the vinyl was a big negative for me - I should learn to not get my hopes up until the very end of the project.
113
Thank you for visiting my process book
114