In today’s digital world, the physical album is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Though your fans may purchase more of your music online than in a brick and mortar record store, there’s no reason to skimp on your album design. Your album cover will still show up in several places, making a first impression on new listeners that can work for or against you.
Keep Other Mediums in Mind
Image via Flickr by the.barb
When you’re working on album art, you will naturally picture the image on a physical album or iTunes listing first. However, a good piece of album art is incredibly versatile. You can use it on t-shirts, posters, key chains, flyers, and social media. Choose an image that’s sharp and easy to appreciate on an MP3 player, but interesting enough to translate well to larger prints as well.
Use Your Own Images
Image via Flickr by BigTallGuy
The Internet offers a wealth of album cover inspiration, but it should never serve as a source of actual imagery. It’s extremely difficult to find images that are not covered by copyright. If you’re not a photographer or artist yourself, hire a professional and commission a unique piece for your album. Just as it’s worth investing in a good music studio like Carriage House, so too it is worth the investment for a good album cover.
Keep the Image Front and Center
Image via Flickr by Catface27
You need to shift your focus from the audio music recording to the visual aspect of your work when you’re creating an album cover. Customers will judge your talent and tone based on the album cover before they have a chance to appreciate the skilled mixing and mastering in the finished product. Step away from the recording studio and consider the purely visual elements associated with your music.
Though your stellar vocals and talented recording engineer can’t help you here, your time spent in music production can offer valuable inspiration. The rustic feel of our Connecticut recording studio may inspire a similarly styled piece of art. Likewise, if you’re living in and pulling inspiration from the city, you might want an urban slant for your cover.
Choose Typography with Care
Image via Flickr by tarale
Your artwork should take precedence over the band and album name on your cover, but this doesn’t mean you can ignore typography completely. The font that you choose says a lot about your music’s tone. Avoid overused or immature typography, like comic sans and Times New Roman. Branch out and experiment with a unique font that’s as original as your music. Make your choice interesting but readable.
You may want a font that will stick with you through multiple albums. While the imagery will change, your typography and band name can become a constant theme that strings all your work together.
If you’re looking for the perfect spot for your recording adventures, book a space at Carriage House Studios where quality equipment and a rustic location create the ideal environment for creativity to thrive.