Creating the CD Cover for Kings of Leon - On Call

Before starting to create our CD cover, we decided between us that, we should stick to the dark, grungy theme which was seen in our music video. This is because it would look unprofessional if we were to produce a dark video and then produce a luminous, vibrant coloured CD cover. It is better to be consistent with out work.

As a Graphics student, i decided Adobe Photoshop CS5 would be the best programme to use.

First, I added in a textured background. The CD cover needs to be eye catching in order to make sales. I decided that a textured background would look much better than a plain one.

After researching and analysing a few CD covers, it was apparent that the artists name and the title of the album or track is always visible, on the front cover. It would look best if we made the artist name large, to stand out. And added a dark shadow also.

With the artists name being clearly visible and sticking to the dark theme, i decided to throw in some strips of colour, then add effects. I decided to add effects not only because it would look better but also because the song itself has effects in. I also added 'strike outs' to the 'E' and the 'F'.

Due to the title 'On Call' i decided we needed some reference to this in the image. I typed out some random phone numbers and threw them in, i changed the opacity so that they were visible, but not over powering.

I then added a picture of Kociela and I with our instruments and distorted the image. We added 'on call' and made this partly blood red, due to the connotation to blood within our music video. We then added the music label 'Song Music' and 'Parental Advisory' in order to make it look more professional. Here is our INITIAL final front cover:

Here is an alternative front cover design:

After looking properly as these designs we thought it wasn't to our best ability and couldn't really be sent off as a professional CD cover so we decided to redesign.

Although with the previous design we said a textured background was better we decided against this so chose a plain black background and it instantly looks more aesthetically pleasing. I then also added the band name and song title, in white textured text.

This was quite plain by itself so I decided to add a border like structure to it. Also, I decided the yellow writing wasn't great so changed it to white. I also decided to make the space behind the text slightly brighter, to illuminate the text.

I then added some lower opacity numbers behind the text in order to show reference to the song name 'on call' linking to phones, linking to phone numbers etc. I also added some dark patterns to each corner of the border.

This is our FINAL front cover.

When starting the back cover i decided to stick to the theme that was visible on the front cover; dark with with border like structures.

I then decided to add the text, we are promoting only one song by the artist so i decided on the small album there would be 5 different versions of the song. I used the 'horizontal type mask tool' and typed on a crumbled piece of paper I scanned in, in order to give it a textured look and avoid boredom.

Here is the final back cover to our album:

When starting the inside I decided that i should do a contrasting theme, for instance on the front and back, the theme is black with bits of w

hite, but i have decided to make the inside white with sections of black. I chose to do this because a full dark CD could be considering as off putting.

Where the CD would go i decided to put a painted black wall which i edited myself, this looks effectives and goes with the fact that our video had outside/street themes.

The other side i decided I would add abit of text, the text being lyrics and a distorted picture of a guitar, which would obviously go with the rock band theme. I think the contrast between black and white looks professional and gives the cover a 'sharp' look.

Here are both inside panels: