I've really been focusing on my CD cover over this past week, trying to get some solid ideas down on paper for when I started moving to Adobe Photoshop. Though I did some small developmental work on Photoshop throughout the week, just so I could my brain onto the design path. Since over the years I've seemed to work better straight on the screen, messing around with stuff and seeing what happens. I think this course has changed the way I design, especially with the developmental work; I've started to prefer to design on paper first and get ideas down, develop them to see where an idea can go. It saves alot of time in the final process of designing, so that there arn't millions of wasted final designs that didn't go according to plan, because I didn't know exactly what I was doing until it happened on screen.
As the week progressed I began to gather more and more ideas, especially since I had started properly researching into CD Covers and found loads of inspirational artwork to spur me on. Even just going threw artwork that wasn't really suitable for my particular genre helped me get ideas, I really liked some of the conceptual photography for bands like 'Blur' and their cover 'The Great Escape', covers that really mean something from a metaphorical standpoint.
I've finalised my logo and really worked on the whole concept of it, due to suggestions made by Steve I made the lines going diagonal on the left edge lineup, instead of the 'e' moving straight down. I think this had made my overall logo a lot better flow, giving more structure. This gives me a stronger brand name and company recognition, hopefully making the business more money in the process as people can really recognise the whole company from just the body of this logo. Not only have I finalised the development of my logo, I've also started taking it to next generations and given it subtle effects to just add a little bit of flare and shine. I think this will help finish the logo off just that bit more and hopefully add strength.
This week I'm really going to make my CD covers into something special, start adding some major Photoshop photoshop effects. Try my best to convey the music that's on the album by with lighting effects and warps. But still trying to retain an ery natural feel, something along the sides of an Aphex Twin effect, mixing the electronic and the natural to create a biotech feel. I'm going to see what photographs I can get to manipulate and create this kind of effect.
6 comments:
I’ve also really started to like designing on paper first, as like you said it saves time in the final process and you know exactly how you what it to look (or at least have a better idea!). It also gives you more designs to choose from, if you get quite a few down on paper, so you’re not trying to make the first design you do work.
You’re come up with some good ideas and seem to be turning into a bit of an artist, with those sketches you’re drawn!
I think, like you, that prior to the course it was much easier to go straight to the screen when designing. However, I think starting on paper helps with the process a lot. For me, it helps with thinking time to apply for 4 PARC design principles. It's quite likely in business we wouldn't have time to develop like we do now, but by doing it now it will hopefully help us develop a kind of 'mental development process'.
Are we going to see your logo uploaded for feedback? I don't even know what it's like!
I agree with Tom, it would be nice to see the final logo!
I find if I go straight onto the computer to start creating something I just sit there for hours looking at a blank screen, and actually using the delete key more than anything else.
Producing roughs and a development process helps me understand what I am wanting to do and will help me decide what looks ok before I spend a lot of time doing it to figure out it looks rubbish.
Indeed where is this masterpiece? You seem to have self evaluated the development of your design, or 'Steve' evaluated the design. What about us?
Hi Andy,
Yeah, after that descriptive post, I feel that we are missing out!
I believe that before we learned the disciplines of this course, many of us would have been inclined to start the design process with mouse in hand rather than pen.
I too have been collecting CD artwork and again, much of it is not of the genre that is attached to 'Emit'; however, it has proven to be invaluable.
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Shaun Bellis
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