CD-7

Instructions: Please read all of the following information carefully:

Create a new folder on your “My Documents on daisy” student folder, call it “lastname_CD.” All of the work for this CD 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_CD folder. Open this file in Photoshop.

This CD 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 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: Punk/Pop
Artist: The Academy Is...
Album Title: "Almost Here"
Short Review:

Good pop-punk is actually a hard thing to do. You have to have the attitude of good pop-punk bands, but keep hooks large enough to capture your audience. Most bands fail, as seasoned punk fans probably know by now. This band, however, succeed easily. This ten song debut is one of the best written albums i have heard from a band in this genre for a while. Truly a pleasure.

Attention grabs your ear right away (Attention, attention, may I have all your eyes and ears...) and continues to be a marvelously catchy song. Whenever I hear a great opening song, I get really excited for a great new band, but wait for the disappointment of the end of the album lagging. This album does no such thing, though. Seasons is a fast paced catchy song that finds lead singer William Beckett pleading "So show me something we haven't heard yet." Slow Down was initially my favorite song on the album. It starts off slow enough, but then stays true to his word when he proclaims "And then we'll turn it up and we'll play a little faster." The song takes off and leaves you quite happy by the end.

The Phrase That Pays starts off with an amusing slow acoustic intro, and then takes off to become one of the better songs on the album. Black Mamba was an instant love of mine. Bitter lyrics spit at the listner backed by sugary sweet music. One of my favorite combinations, and really what pop-punk should be about. Skeptics and True Believers is a great song, but will probably leave you hoping that this isn't the beginning of the demise of the album. It is truly a great track, but lacks some of the pop sensibility of the rest of the album thusfar.

Classifieds dispels all of these thoughts, though. This is my favorite song on the album. It starts out slow, but massively catchy, and trust me it only gets worse. I find myself wondering how they got to be so good at what they do during this song. Checkmarks is the loudest of the songs on the album. It is certainly out of place with the other mostly happy and catchy songs, but certainly holds its own in its other ways. Down and Out is a song you will be singing all day the second you hear it. It is one of the more irresistable songs I have ever heard. Almost Here is a great anthem to end the album

The Academy Is... is a great pop-punk band. The emphasis is very largely on the pop part, but you can certainly see the punk influences in songs like Black Mamba and Checkmarks. This band is amazing, and is equally as amazing live for anyone interested. They are energetic, perfect in sound, and clearly want to be there performing for the crowd. For anyone who is into Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, or any other pop punk band, you will love this. For all you hardcore punks who are hating me for this, well why are you on here anyway? This isn't for everyone, but it certainly makes me smile from ear to ear
Sound clips from your album:

-Clip #1: Almost Here

-Clip #2: Skeptics and Believers
Song Listing:

1. Attention
2. Season
3. Slow Down
4. The Phrase That Pays
5. Black Mamba
6. Skeptics And True Believers
7. Classifieds
8. Checkmarks
9. Down And Out
10. Almost Here
Production Company: ©2005, Fueled by Ramen Records

 

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_CD” 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 CD project when needed. Please save these two files as .JPGs into your “lastname_CD” 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.
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_CD” folder. Using “My Computer,” COPY your “lastname_CD” folder to the class drop box on the M: Drive. (If necessary, see highlandtechnology.org FAQ page regarding this step)