Strings

I have used a smaller brush to create longer shapes that mimic strings which ties in with my theme of light hearted manipulation and control.

More Test Stuff

I have played around with the other tools on Photoshop looking at adding some more depth to my designs. I have added some pixilated graphics behind the texts and distorted the text to look more psychedelic and fun. On the left is the original first rough cut design, and on the right is the edited version.
I really like the look of the new version, however there is not much link to the idea of strings and puppets. I am going to try to find a tool that lets me create string like graphics.

Testing Colour Scheme

Using the rough cut from my previous post, I changed the hue and brightness/contrast on it and created five design ideas. I will ask members of my target audience which they prefer.

I really like the different colours of all of them, it is making me think that I will make them all part of MAX's branding. The idea of changing the hue but keeping everything else the same could be part of what makes MAX's branding identity noticeable and memorable.

Magazine Advert Rough Cut 1

This is my first rough cut for my final magazine advert. I have used the same ideas from my initial planning of my advert that I did earlier in the year.

I will be editing this on Photoshop improving it and changing it using teacher, self and audience feedback.

I will provide a deeper self feedback in due course.

Next Rough Cut and Update

After speeding up the last shots of Ben dancing around as the song crescendos double what it was originally, I need to make it even quicker. I am going to try to half the clips again so that it will be four times quicker than the original.
Regarding my schedule, I am on track for completing all the planning for my digipack and magazine advert.
My deadline for my final music video is next Friday, 12th so I need to get Ben and Rachel together as soon as possible. I will make sure that all the editing for the rest of the video is completely finished for the half term. In a worst case scenario, I would have to film in the week half term holidays and just quickly insert the final shot when I get back. This will not be an issue for me as it wont take long to edit and I am already well underway with making my print products so it wont take out of my time for them.
I am planning on downloading a free trial of Photoshop for the half term holidays so I can get a good start with my final print products.

What I Have Taken From Digipack Research

• Similar Imagery: All of the images in the digipack will have similar imagery and colours. I have found this is a theme in all of the digipacks that I have analysed with the desert tones for Danger Days, the blue suit and pink monkey outfit for Hesitant Alien, the multi-coloured illustrations in Life in Cartoon Motion and the beach/hippie vibes in Oracular Spectacular.
• Artists Name: I will be using the name of the artist, MAX, as the most prominent piece of text information on the front cover, as seen with the large MIKA protruding past the smaller illustrations on Life in Cartoon Motion and the MGMT digipack cover.
• Iconography: The front cover will have a piece of iconography that is associated to my artist and their branding like the spider stamp on Danger Days, the blue suit on the artist in Hesitant Alien and the hippie clothing in Oracular Spectacular.
• Title Repeated: Album title will be repeated in a smaller text on the back of the cover like in Danger Days.
• No Spine Significance: I do not plan on creating a spine for my digipack, but I will look into it if I have spare time at the end of my project. It wont be used significantly however, like it is for MGMT's album.
• Psychedelic:  I want the whole digipack to be 'trippy' in a light hearted way using colours like in MGMT and MIKA's album.
• Simple Inside Cover: Like in all except Hesitant Alien, the design on the inside will be a lot more simplistic than the imagery on the outside.

Rough Cut 4

This is my edited version using the teacher feedback from last lesson.

Rough Cut 4 from Elleah Stanton on Vimeo.