Wellington Beck Music Group | Nashville, TN
This was a new series of country music covers from regular clients Wellington Beck. The “American Pop Goes Country” series included both compilation albums and popular country singles. This country music art design covers the ubiquitous Train hit song “Hey Soul Sister”.
Country music art design story
I stayed with the basic theme of my client’s previous “American Country Hits” series. The same Western fonts and tribal elements of the original’s main title are still present here. However, for this “pop idol” themed series, I modified the original series logo. I “painted” it on the grungy stage wall with a rounded circle incorporated. This gives the piece’s logo mark an overall smooth feel. I basically merged the original ACH logo with the famous American Idol mark.
I based all of the country music art design elements, other than the logo, on actual stock photographs. Out front, the vintage Shure “Fat Boy” microphone stands out against the weathered stage. Clad in a red bandanna, it beckons the viewer to take the stage and sing along. The lighting rig overhead and the opened red curtains frame the warm orange tinted scene in. I used a few high contrast, glow, and shadow effects to give the digital album art a crisp, high end feel.
The “American Pop Goes Country” cover song series became a big hit. These singles and compilations are still available online today. The label exclusively offers them as digital downloads. Outlets such as iTunes and Amazon Music carry it for streaming and purchase.
Let me design your country album artwork
Are you a musician or perhaps an country music record label? Do you need album artwork created? I have years of experience designing one of a kind CD and digital download art. Contact me today to get started!
Stellar Kin | Bowling Green, KY
I made this CD graphic design for Kentucky indie rock band Stellar Kin. I founded the hardcore emo trio in 2000 while studying at Murray State University. By 2002, the lineup was solidified and we began recording and touring. “We Need to Know” was our 2004 full length sophomore release on Bad Apple Records. It features conceptual design and photography by myself, as well as posed photography by the famed Neil Visel. My friend Holly posed for the front and back covers.
CD Graphic Design for Kentucky indie rock band
The album lyrics cover serious spiritual themes. Therefore, the art consists of black and red colors and stone faced expressions. I set the main titles in the tall serif Big Noodle Titling font. The letter spacing varies to fit phrases into each outside panel, which spell out “What we don’t know is hurting us. Now more than ever, we need to know”. I set the CD graphic design’s track listing, along with other information, in the classic Gill Sans font.
The front and inside of the booklet tell the story of a young woman who has been tied up by an assailant. On the front cover, she grasps hold of a kitchen knife while cutting herself free from the ropes that bind her. Finally, she stalks her kidnapper with the knife on the booklet inside. The empty chair sits alone on the back cover. I reversed the words We Need to Know out, using the wood paneling from the photograph.
Lastly, the CD cover features a simplified, one color image of the rope. I simplified the individual band member headshots to grey, which gives them a ghostly feel against the black background. This is same grey hue also fills the words Stellar Kin on the front cover.
I’ll be your Album Art Designer
If you are a band or a solo artist, then you need professional artwork for your next record. Contact me today to get started.
Nathan Morris | Owensboro, Ky
Singer songwriter Nathan Morris is an old friend who hails from Owensboro, KY. I designed this CD slip layout, which he used for his 2004 debut EP. Since “Natmo” dug the previous stickers and pop album art design I’d made for him, he hit me up again to create this CD art.
Pop album art design story
First, Nathan supplied me with the posed photography from a session he had taken at a local laundromat. His only directions to me were to keep it simple. He instructed me to use a color scheme that was both minimal and cool. I combined a mint green shade with a dark sky blue in order to achieve the effect.
First, I converted the front and back photos to black and white. Using Adobe Photoshop, I then cut out Nathan from the backgrounds. I did it in a sloppy, imprecise manner to give it a homemade, DIY feel. By keeping Nathan in black and white, while colorizing the background behind him, I made his image a focal point that really popped. This is ideal to introduce a solo artist via pop album art design.
Throughout the design, I used a combination of two fonts. The main title font has a feel that can only be described as retro futuristic. I supplemented it with one of my favorite fonts, the tall and bold face Big Noodle Titling. At the suggestion of my then-roommate Adam, I tilted the song title list on the back at the same angle that Nathan is leaning against the wall at. I also tilted the main title text on the front of the CD slip, displaying it on top of white strips which faux electrical tape. Finally, I simplified another photo of Nathan to make a silhouette on the CD face itself. I repeated the white strips as a 90 degree border, and also turned the text itself on it’s side.
Contact me to design your pop CD layout
Are you an independent musician who is in need of the perfect pop album art design? Why not contact me today? You already have a record that perfectly represents your sound. I’ll make you look your best, too.