Summary: Tips and insight into designing the best album cover for your music.
When someone is flicking through albums at a record store the first thing they are going to notice is the graphics. If the graphics aren’t eye catching then they are going to go right past that record until they find one that grabs their attention. If they’re interested then they will listen to, and hopefully buy that record. So it is key that when you’re putting together your artwork that you make it as noticeable as possible.
Think about what the music on the album is saying. Does it tell a story? Are there characters in your songs? What atmosphere does your music project? Based off of the answers to these questions take the time to come up with some kind of imagery that really conveys your message. Also, make sure that your cover fits into your genre of music, otherwise a potential listener may pass it by thinking that it isn’t going to be their taste in music.
When adding text to your design, whether it be the main title and band name on the front or track listings on the inside you want to make sure that the text isn’t too cluttered or difficult to read. Also limit the number of different type faces that you use. The design can become overly complicated and in-consistent by using too many fonts. In addition, it strains the eyes. The main title and your band name should be easily recognizable so that someone who is viewing your album knows exactly who they’re looking at.
Whether you are coming up with the design yourself or are hiring a designer to put something together for you, you should think about these points. A designer will be able to come up with a much stronger design if they are aware of the answers to these questions. If you do hire a designer, make sure to keep in close contact with them during the process. If you do not like something, don’t be afraid to be honest. After all, you are the one who will be using the finished design.
By: Cat Wise
Cat Wise is the Head of Graphic Design at Distrophonix LLC. Distrophonix LLC is a music marketing and distribution company based in Baltimore, MD. They design graphics and designs for musicians, as well as offer digital distribution, CD pressing, and mastering.
