OUGD406 - Live Brief : Vinyl Covers

For our first brief in OUGD406 we have to design a vinyl record sleeve for a competition called Secret 7. In order to get a grasp on what style I should aim for with this brief I researched some existing record sleeves.

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As my work will be within the industry I would aim to make my work very simple and to the point as people want to be drawn into a design within a few seconds. I chose this design as I find the layout very visually pleasing. If I was to create something like this I think it would fit in perfectly with the kind of style I like and am good at. 

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Personally I prefer simple record sleeves as I think they work more and are too the point. Photography is used a lot in the music industry and I have chosen one which I think it interesting and works really well aesthetically. I think the use of colour against the black and white photography is very effective and eye-catching. 

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One thing I have noticed about the record sleeves I have found is that most seem to have a focal point in the centre which the design is focused on. I have chosen this design to illustrate this even though I do not particularly like it.

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As photography is used a lot within this type of design I have to explore ways in which I could do this without having to physically photograph the artists. This design seems to merge different photos with colour filters and textures. I could produce something like this for a few of the artists but it would not suit the audience for the others.

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I find negative space a very interesting effect within Graphic Design as it is simple, minimalistic but also very effective. I found two designs which feature negative space and also symmetry. One of the artists I favour is Jessie Ware, this style could work really well with a record sleeve for her.

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Like other designs there are focal points which are usually centred. This simple design is one that I find really effective as it is to the point. I could use this style with every artist which is a major positive point.

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As we are beginning to learn about layout and grid in Design Principles I feel that I now have the confidence to approach a design within a grid. I chose this example as I feel it would be a great way for me to include lots of imagery and keep the design clean and organised.

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This example contradicts the style I favour but I think it has been produced very cleverly. The central point, again is the focal point of the design which makes it quite simplistic with the addition of complicated panels around the centre which makes the design interesting.