ANM 324 Project 5
Creating a CD cover/back brings together all the design and technical skills we’ve studied this semester. These are small works of marketing art that, if successful, demand attention and help sell the artist they represent.

Here’s my general grading criteria for this project:

95-100- CD cover, spine and back is complete and artwork is challenging. Type has resonance and is very readable. The CD has excellent shelf appeal and demonstrates your clear command of the Illustrator toolset. Production info/upc included. The CD cover is a work of art!

90-95-CD is very well done but there are some minor flaws in concept or execution. Type styling may not resonate with the content or theme of the product or you may have created a less than spectacular composition of image and text. You may have omitted production info/upc. Images linked but not embedded in your ai file!

85-89-CD is good but may not completely communicate the essence of the artist in either type resonance or design elements. Production notes missing. Or did not demonstrate significant skill with vector drawing..too dependent on placed images.

80-85-Label has obvious technical and design issues that will prevent it from having good shelf appeal. Type doesn’t fit or image is too complex to be clearly understood by shoppers.

70-80-CD cover is not effective is communicating the essence of the product and major requirements are missing. There are significant technical flaws.

70-below very late work

Note: If you did not follow the layout cover location( -5) there will be a deduction. Late work will be down-graded by 10 pts

Frazier Group

Courtney Allred- Your overall execution of the CD design is excellent. I wish you had submitted an illustrator file so I could more clearly see what work is vector and what elements are placed images. I know this wasn’t a specific requirement but it would help me appreciate your original artwork. Visual hierarchy on the front is excellent and the font style for Continuum resonates this strength. Type readability and the juncture of the concentric rings at both front and back is a bit compromised. The stroke around John Mayer helps but could probably be a pixel or two larger to establish clear contrast with the background. I especially like the color of type on spine…I might consider sampling a color from the cover for the track list type?

Ramona Pinto-I am assuming that the backgrounds for both the front and back are placed images. They provide a rich texture to support the Old School theme. The “Old English” type style does somewhat reinforce the theme but I would consider a graffiti font style to reflect the existing wall-art. I get your decision but just offering what I think would be a more consistent look. From a readability perspective, the track list is marginally readable against the background due to the font style being a little thin..bold, if available, would be more effective. The word BAD on the front is trailing off onto the darkest area of the cover making it harder to read at a glance. What if you just moved left over the brighter brick or modified the background image to brighten the right side. I don’t see the required upc.

Joanne Tien-
You’ve dominated the cover and back with large images…that’s fine but, as a result, you have shown me the minimum amount of vector work with the type. I do like the font selection, which emulates the Maroon 5 logo. I think it would be more interesting if you had been a little more innovative with the design. You should have placed the cover on the right side, as if the CD was opened and laying flat. I do like the playlist at bottom with the red highlights…that’s a nice touch. You have included all the minimum required elements.

Regina Zerne-Your CD represented a collection of music from your middle school band. Because you submitted as a pdf I can’t tell what elements are images or vector art. I will assume that the background is an image and the other art is original. I do like the cover emblems contrast with the background. The Chuck Norris approved finger pointing is a little hard to clearly “read” at a glance. The type style fits but the top arch of letters appear to be compressed. This effect combined with the type style does affect readability. Your scroll on the back is a creative backdrop for the “tune list” but I think you could have been more precise in illustrating the scroll. You could have applied gradients to give it a much more interesting 3D look. UPC and production info works for me!

Yekaterina Skryagina-You didn’t submit an ai file (pdf and jpg), which would help me determine what elements of your layout are vector art. It looks like most of the drawing is original…that’s great. You have established clear hierarchy on the front and the stylized illustration certainly compliments the theme. My only question is are those tree trunks or a fence line below the trees. I would probably make non-trunks look different with color or style. The brush scrip font you’ve used resonates the period look of the cover for this Jane Austen classic. You’ve also chosen a very inviting color palette. All required production elements are included. Project was submitted late.

Rosenwald Group

Carla Barrett-Your CD cover was one of the most creative and successful in the class. I say this because you incorporated your cover image very effectively with the addition of vector artwork (ribbon elements). Your choice of color and type also reflects a excellent sense of style and consistency. The track list is readable and again, consistent with the overall look. My only suggestion would be to consider sampling (eyedropper) some of the colors on the cover image for the frame around the back that’s now yellow. I think a yellow-green might be more effective. This is purely my personal opinion. Your cover looks great!

Samantha Hafner-I wish you had assembled your cover with the front on the right, as if you opened up an actual CD. I say this because in the current layout the artist’s image looking to the left leads the viewer’s eye off to the left. It would be more effective if correctly arranged. I do appreciate the vector artwork with the multiple rainbow designs. I’m not familiar with this artist but must assume you are and the theme compliments the track titles. I question whether FU is accurately represented by happy faces, sunshine and rainbows…hey, I guess it could be! Track titles are readable but I think you could have designed a more effective background for the list..looks rather arbitrary and perhaps a last minute effort. The type style for the artist’s name doesn’t work. It’s a brush script that is very hard to read as all capitals. You are missing the upc and production notes.

Andrew Mrowka-I can’t wait to see this movie…based on your choice of it for your cover, I suspect you are a fan too! You’ve done a good job incorporating the placed images to compliment the vector art. The back is stronger than the front…I say this because type is very readable and the visual hierarchy works well. The title on the front is crammed into a very small area…looks like you had to make it “fit” based on the image you used. The title is the most important “brand” it needs to be clear..I would consider using the style of the Vegas welcome sign for the title and not including the sign in the composition..just a thought. Good production notes and upc but your spine type has been modified to fit that narrow strip…as a result, hard to read when compressed.

Natallia Ramaniuk
- Your cover looks beautiful! It looks absolutely professional and is one of the most successful in the class! I really appreciate your exceptional use of vector art for the background…I also love the way you integrated the front and back with the swirling band of color..that’s really attractive. Your choice of imagery is excellent and fit’s beautifully with the vector art. Type styles are excellent and very readable throughout all panels. Wow…outstanding work! Takes my breath away.

Joseph Staron-Your Black Flag CD is very eye-catching with the black and yellow logo. You’ve done a good job of replicating that logo. I did note that both of the large images you’ve incorporated are completely covered by art…it seems to me that the band, especially on the front should be more visible. In my opinion, the back of the CD is more interesting and creative…I don’t know if there is any significance to the number 7 but the circular path, with the tracks, is a strong design element. The white type in the track list is very readable but is compromised where the black words cross the dark background. You have included all the necessary production elements.

Stacy Carlton-The falloutboy cd cover is very attractive. You’ve done a good job of applying an interesting cutout font over the image of the group. It would have helped if you included an illustrator file so I could evaluate your vector art beyond that used to set the type. Is the logo original or did you use an image of the logo? Just asking. The track list on the back is very readable and the font style resonates a simple hand lettered style…fits the theme and works well in the minimalistic background. You’ve included all the required production info and upc.

Kroencke Group

Jessica Beckett-You’ve done a great job of integrating the image of the jelly fish along with your illustrations. This demonstrates good vector drawing skills as well as a strong eye for layout and composition. The font style is playful and resonates the fluid motion of those jellies… that, along with the deep blue background, is very attractive. The darker backside reflects a different jellyfish background but it is equally effective with the complimentary illustrations and very readable track-list. Your cd is very complete and would be eye-catching to consumers. My only note is that the images you used were not embedded in the ai file…they are linked. Keep this in mind if you need to send ai files to clients. Overall, excellent work!

Scott Ewalt-You’ve obviously put a lot of work into your CD project to include a folding booklet. I’m a little confused….which panel is actually the one you would view on the front of the CD? Your notation indicated that the “front cover” is the image of the stylized castle but the center panel in the folding booklet has the title and spines along the side. Do you see why I’m a little uncertain? My overall opinion is that you’ve demonstrated excellent skill with the layout and composition. It seems to me that the cover image (dark castle) should include name or logo. That logo is very strong and even at small scale would be very effective. Type selection looks good and is readable with excellent contrast on all panels. I don’t see the upc and production notes that were required. Overall, very creative and more complete with booklet that other submissions!

Renee Thompson-The CD cover for Empire of Potential is very intriguing. There is some visual trickery going on with the unexpected combination of images. What do bananas, pyramids, the sea and a highway have in common? This definitely challenges the viewer to make sense of the imagery..it’s fun! Your type selection is rather conventional but it is effective and very readable. My only suggestion is to consider fully utilizing your dominant color palette, which is the complimentary orange/blue. The sign, which I assume is the artist’s name, looks a bit out of place in both scale and color. I get the sign along the highway of knowledge or fulfillment. What if the name was actually placed in the bottom half of the highway in very strong perspective. This would establish stronger visual hierarchy that leads the eye to the imagery at top. I still think the bananas at the left look more like yellow peppers…we can agree to disagree with that. Good job with all the added production info. I do appreciate the creative effort.

Sarah Wall-The John Legend CD looks very professional. I especially like the diagonal type in the background and see how you set this up in your illustrator layout. In spite of the busy background, the track list is very effective and readable due to type selection and contrast. Your use of type adds elegance which resonates throughout the panels of the artwork. I should note that your ai file did not include the embedded image of Legend. Just be aware that placed images in an illustrator layout are linked. That means they do not stay with the file unless you specifically select to embed them. If you send as a pdf or jpeg the images will be viewable but as a stand-alone ai file they will not be viewed. Excellent design work.

Anita Kunz Group

Brittany Williams-Yes I was surprised! I’m wondering if you are a Great Dane fan or if this is a project you are working on? In wither case, the overall design is very attractive and professional looking. As expected, you’ve demonstrated outstanding skill with the Illustrator drawing tools. Your Great Dane and the professor are expertly rendered.
The type selection and layout of the Academy on the front is very engaging with the metallic gradient and visual hierarchy leads the eye through very effectively. Your image of the small dane on the spine adds consistency to all panels. All the required production elements are included. My only comment, preliminary sketch feedback not provided for this particular design. ”Wuff-wuff”, very well done!

Amy Pearson-It definitely looks like you had fun with this bright playful CD design. The color and illustrations definitely reinforce the Sound Waves title. I would like to have seen the ai file so I could appreciate your original vector work. It looks like the title name is a font style you found…it certainly fits the theme! One minor point, the cover should be on the right as if the cd was open and laying flat. Your track-list on the back is very readable and I especially like the layout you’ve used to flow the titles around your “explosions” of color. That’s very well done and you’ve included all the production info at the bottom. Very creative and an eye-catching design.

Sahista Shobna-I appreciated the opportunity to provide feedback on your initial submission. Your final project is stronger and more effective with the minor changes you’ve incorporated. You’ve incorporated a good balance of imagery with the musical notes as well as original vector art with the dancers, speaker and radial gradients in the background. It all seems to come together for a vibrant style that resonates the dance/music theme. There are a couple things I would consider modifying; the title looks too spaced out at the top. I think with Dance 2013 closer together it would be more effective. I would also suggest making either the notes or type on the spine aligned the same direction. Typically, the title would be aligned horizontally rather than vertically for improved readability. Your color palette is bright and engaging and production notes are complete!

Margaret Temple-Thanks for including both the ai and jpeg file so I could see what parts of your design were placed images or vector art. Ms Pac-Man is definitely old-school. You’ve relied on images for the background and the main pac-man cover image. I do appreciate the vector art in the maze designs and the selection of type, which is a very precise pac-man looking font. One thing I would mention is that your ai file does not have the images embedded. When you place images in illustrator they are linked so they must be selectively embedded in order to show up when you send the ai file to someone. You have included the required production notes and upc (use the align feature to set upc strokes to a nice flat top!