Mock-up of my Digipak

  Front and Back Panels 

                                                                  
                                                                        Inside Panels

Overview of 'Do's and Dont' of design work

DO	DONT
·         Use a clear font	·         Stretch images, this will make them out of focus
·         Use appropriate sizes for: 1.       Images 2.       Font	·         Use layer styles
·         Use clear photos that are in focus	·         Use unnecessary effects. Any effects used must suit the genre
·         Use photos that are an appropriate shape for the page	·         Place text across artists face
·         Use a layer that follows the rule of thirds for composition	·         Use a font simply because you ‘like it’
·         Use an appropriate type face that follows: 1.       Genre conventions 2.       A house style	·         Feel you need a separate photo on every panel- be creative
·         Be clear on where to place the font , it must: 1.       Follow genre conventions 2.       Be clear from a distance
·         Follow the conventions of the 3 colour rule and use colour that is appropriate for: 1.       Images 2.       Font 3.       Background
·         think carefully about how you use and integrate: 1.       Font 2.       Text and language 3.       Image remember that placement of text next to an image will anchor specific meaning
·         use appropriate industry logos and conventions, properly positioned: 1.       Barcodes 2.       Date 3.       Copyright 4.       Titles 5.       Artist name

Introduction to Digipak's

We were introduced to digipaks at the beginning of the course where we learnt about the programs that would create a digipcak, these programs included photoshop and quark.

Digipaks are used by record companies to promote a artists album, the digipaks can vary in size, there are 4 and 6 panel digipaks. the contents of a digipak vary on the genre.

Photoshop has amazing altering features which allows users to cut an image out and add visual effects to a picture, text can be manipulated and altered to suit the users requirements.

Quark is specialist software which allows users to create simple digipaks. simple digipaks consist of a picture of the artist or a location, record company logo and bar code. Quark is perfect for novice users as it is simple to use with very few icons. 

In the creation of my digipak i intend to use photoshop as conventional 'grime' digipaks consist of a wide array of visual effects which make the album look more urban which intern draws in a specific audience

Anylisis of 3 Adverts

The two advertisements featured above both share the same features which are they both have a mini version of the CD cover, they both include the artists official web address for further information/ downloads, they both include the record company logo. and they both have the release date for the album. from this correlation i can see that all of the featured information about the adverts are necessities which all adverts must include. The 'UK MCs' advert includes additional information such as the retailers logo where the album can be purchased, in this poster they included three retailers 'ITunes', 'hmv' and 'play.com'.

In both adverts the background is dark with white text, this creates an illusion which draws in the audience and makes them want to read it. Due to the capabilities of the world wide web posters are now having to put online retailer logos where consumers can purchase the album from.

The advert above is from Dizzee Rascals new album 'boy in the corner', in this advert information about the venues are made significant and are written in bold capital letters which interlink with the same font as the album cover. The image on the advert correlates with the album name 'boy in the corner'. The advert also contains record company logos and distributors. The album web address is featured for more information on the new release and gigs.     

Analysis of Digipaks (research)

Without Digipaks, an audience can not tell what genre a CD is. Therefore with the simple packaging of which attracts the eye tells the reader not only the artist but they type of music they are about to purchase, Below I've analysed 3 completely different CD Digipaks from artists in contrasting genres.

50 Cent: Curtis

Front:

- Simple yet clear and eye catching album cover

- Minimum of 4 colours (Black/white/blue/gold)

- Parental Advisory logo to warn for younger audience (always on bottom left of right hand corner)

- Well known gangster font with sharp designed edges.

- Extreme close-up shot for defined features.

- Use of image in correct order (eye contact with the audience)

- Lighting of dark shadow portrays the ghetto life and his style of music which is dark.

- Promotional sticker using binary colours to image which stands out. 

- Gives an overall depressed but serious look to the album.

Back:

- Using opposite colour to front cover but fades to black to link with it.

- Use of small font for tracks list, but not recognizable to read from far.

- Detailed design of a badge using gold to portray the jewellry and richness of rappers.

- Producing labels and barcode used correctly.

- Simple background design of blue with gradual black outer area and gold areas of design.

- Large font of '50' tells the audience what is he commonly known as.

Busted: Busted

Front:

- Almost like a photograph taken at a Police station.

- Long shot shows physiques of all artists and their dress style.

- No title or artist name used so they expect audince to know them by face.

- All artist in the same pose shows their childish mentality

- No colour scheme used, just a natural photograph

- No thought to mise-en-scene (seems like normal outdoor clothing)

- No use of lighting to draw attention

- A laidback normal but not as effective album cover.

Back:

- Capital letters with slim bold sans serif font

- Numbers written as '01,02,03' to show how young and childish they can be (age generation)

- Barcode and Labels used correctly

- Realplayer logo used to promote.

- Grey background using faint black lines (Theme of lines used)

- Good choice for a first album and suits the rock/pop genre.

The Saturdays: Headlines

Front:

- Bright and contrasting colours used to suit the pop genre

- Exposure of legs attract to the opposite sex

- Black and white colours used for the album name which is effective amongst the image

- Long shot to expose figure of singers

- Large basic font for band name with a glow ( suited to the teenage generation)

- Whole album is sassy and full of life to the eye.

- Background of faded blue shades almost like sorbet theme

Back:

- From shades of blue to purple for the background (both cool colours)

- Same font used as band name ( bright and clear to read easily)

- No image used as the front cover is busy enough as it is.

- Barcode used correctly.

Analysis of 3 Digipaks

The three digipaks that i have decided to choose in relation to my genre are:


Roll Deep- Roll Deep are an Urban Music Awards-winning London-based grime music collective. They were founded in 2002, by a group of MCs including Wiley. The Roll Deep digipak includes graphics relating to their new single called 'green light' which was released in 2010, In correlation to the music video the digipack consists of a three color background which is red, amber and green. The name of the song and the group name are in different fonts, this is because the group name has always been advertised in that type of font which in turn attracts audiences who may have purchased a previous digipak. The digipak relates to my genre as they are both grime digipaks and that the artist performing in my song also features in Roll Deep.     

Dizzee Rascal- Dizzee Rascal is a popular British artist whose music consists of many genres including grime, the artist latest award was in the 2010 BRIT awards where he was awarded 'male solo artist'. The Dizzee Rascal digipak cover title correlates with his new singe 'bonkers'. The digipak relaters my my genre and audience as Dizzee Rascal produces grime singles, the digipak shows the artist on the corner looking up at this   'bonkers' style font. Dizzee Racal and Wiley are both members of Roll Deep as they were able to bring the genre of grime to the attention of the mainstream media.    

Tinie Tempah- Tinie Tempah is one of the newest british artists who has already had several #1s and is still going with his first album 'disc- overy'. the digipack cover relates to my audience and genre as the artist produces grime singles and that his digipack looks frisky and astrological as one of the songs featured in his album is 'written in the stars'.  

Analysis of 3 digipacs

Rihanna's digipak includes a medium shot of Rihanna in a skimpy outfit in a bikini and a top . This is a convention of an R&;B artist as female artists tend to wear skimpy and sexy outfits to appeal to males. The colour tends to stay the same throughout the digipak, the colours consist of blacks, organge/gold colours with Rihanna in a creamy dress type outfit to fit the background. Her genre of music was very typical R&B and therefore she had to portray a certain image. This was one of Rihannas earlier albums when her image was much softer and less racier as opposed to her image below...

 This was one of Rihanna's recent albums 'rated r'. You can see by the edgy photo and dark colours that the album is going to contain much more deeper songs. The photo and colour scheme create a moody tone for the album.