Appreciate the design of Album Art!

Once again, I am noticing a category of design that most people may overlook. Just about everyone owns at least a few CD's with their jewel cases or digipacks. Everyone has gone into a record store at one time in their life and gazed upon the endless sea of artists, each trying to grab your attention with their album cover. If they're lucky, you might pick it up and look through the back and track titles, and maybe ever purchase it.

After designing my own album art, I realize the many steps it takes to do so. There is the front cover, back cover, inner back cover, 2, 4, 6, or 8 panel booklet, and the on-cd screen printing. They all have to be specific dimensions and resolutions. There is a lot of proofing involved when dealing with a replication company like disc makers as well. Hours of designing and editing for the 2 seconds a person may glance at your album in a store. With digital music taking over, the need for the album art is descreasing. It is a shame since its what gives more personality to the CD and the artists themselves.

This Beatles album cover has a lot going on and can draw a lot of attention.

Weezer uses simplicity in their album covers, which triggers curiosity to viewers. Curiosity is just as powerful as pure interest as far as picking up the album to look at goes.