Graphic Design
Spring Semester 2009
Final Examination

FINAL FOR Anthony Bayne

Instructions: Please read all of the following information carefully:

Create a new folder on your “My Documents on daisy” student folder, call it “lastname_final.” All of the work for this final will be saved into this folder and the folder will be submitted for grading. Download the file called "CD_Cover_Template.PSD" and save it into your Lastname_final folder. Open this file in Photoshop.

This final is a “mini project” which will allow you to demonstrate all of the skills that you have learned over the year. It is primarily a “Graphic Design Process” exercise, but please make sure to incorporate as much of your learning as you can into the project:

• Filters • Blending Options • Fills
• Layer Blends • Attach Text to Path • Cutting Objects from Backgrounds
• Shapes • Strokes • Image Adjustments
• Patterns • Gradients • Transformations

In addition, I would like to see evidence of the various Visual Communications exercises which we did this year, as well as some of the “History of Graphic Design” problems completed this semester.

THE MINI-PROJECT:

You are a graphic designer and you have been given the opportunity to create the CD graphics for a new album. Before you get started, you should review the following information regarding your album:

Genre: Alternative
Artist: 30 Seconds to Mars
Album Title: "A Beautiful Lie"
Short Review:

From Amazon.com:

With over 15 acclaimed films to his credit, actor Jared Leto knew he had a challenge in creating a legitimate musical group, and the fact that a great many gifted thespians have pumped out some pretty awful albums hasn't slowed him at all. "Any time you have a precedent that's negative like that, you're gonna have an uphill battle," he agrees. "I've never shied away from that." Yet 30 Seconds To Mars' self-titled 2002 debut easily established the group as a fresh, new force, revealing a multi-faceted outfit that thrived on creative exploration and escape.

Three years later, their follow-up, A Beautiful Lie, catapulted the group to even greater success. Where the debut’s line-up featured Jared on all guitar, bass, synth and vocals with brother Shannon on drums, a full collaboration developed with A Beautiful Lie, including guitarist Tomo Milicevic and bassist Matt Wachter. "The last thing we wanted to do was make the same record twice," Leto explains. Hundreds of tour dates and a 1996 MTV Nomination for "Best Video" later, 30 Seconds To Mars are proving their stability and still challenging their position. "We're interested in being as modern as we can," Leto concludes. "We're striving to do something different, to look forward rather than back, to be free from the shadows of our inspiration, and to continue, with our voice to make our mark."

From Tower.com:

When rock bands include a Hollywood actor among their ranks, more often than not the results are mediocre vanity projects. However, 30 Seconds to Mars proves to be an exception to this rule, with Jared Leto (renowned for roles in FIGHT CLUB and LORD OF WAR) capably fronting this intense pop-metal outfit. On the group's second album, A BEAUTIFUL LIE, Leto is a remarkably versatile vocalist and the band's sole songwriter, leading the quartet through potent tracks that recall A Perfect Circle and Deftones. For those who like emotive, high-energy alt-metal, 30 Seconds to Mars is sure to strike a chord, regardless of its famous connections.
Sound clips from your album:

-Clip #1: The Kill

-Clip #2: From Yesterday
Song Listing:

1. Attack- 3:08
2. A Beautiful Lie- 4:05
3. The Kill- 3:51
4. Was It A Dream?- 4:15
5. The Fantasy- 4:29
6. Savior- 3:11
7. From Yesterday- 4:07
8. The Story- 3:55
9. R-Evolve- 3:59
10. A Modern Myth- 2:58
11. Battle Of One- 2:46
12. Hunter- 3:54
Production Company: ©2005, Virgin Records America, Inc.

 

NOTE: I HIGHLY recommend that you do not look up the actual graphics of this album, or if you are familiar with the album, put the graphics out of your mind, as preconceived notions will make this assignment MORE difficult, not easier.

To start, download this template file for your CD graphics and save it in to your “lastname_final” folder. You will be creating your CD cover on this Photoshop file.

You will be creating the following for your CD graphics:
1. A nice typographic representation of the Group or Artist’s name, as well as a typographic representation of the title of the Album (these SHOULD NOT look the same!) Create these two graphics on separate files and copy them into your final project when needed. Please save these two files as .JPGs into your “lastname_final” folder.
2. Graphics for the front cover of the CD (and possibly continuing onto the back cover, as well) which fit the mood and theme of the Album. This is where much of your Graphic talent with Photoshop will come in. Use your blending, cutout and filter skills here! Feel free to get images from the Internet, as needed, to bring about your graphic. Remember, the Template is the outside border of your CD, do not go over it!
3. Text for the spine of the CD which includes the Group or Artist’s Name and the title of the CD.
4. Graphics for the back of the CD which follow a similar theme to the CD. On the back of the album, you will include the Song Listing AND Track Times.
5. Include the production company information on the back of the CD as well.
6. Place your Artist and CD Title graphics onto the cover of your CD as you see fit to enhance the look of the work.

When you have completed your design, please save the work as a .JPG file and place it into your “lastname_final” folder. Using “My Computer,” COPY your “lastname_final” folder to the class drop box on the M: Drive. (If necessary, see highlandtechnology.org FAQ page regarding this step)