DVD Digipak final design

So here it is, my final design for the DVD Digipak;

(Click image to view full resolution)

(Click image to view full resolution)

I have had several occasions during the creation of this where my ideas had been changed. I was initially going to create some drawing with my tablet to represent the artist, but that was before I had begun my research. It would have ended up something like the work I later created in the artist research for Julian Opie;
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGxUZYm14HaLqwRPpwHKmKccow3Bg4pAqSqwoNET3EAvoFDl0n8P5SkcAFP9L3OsdbF7qXqh125vChLoWYPWQNNRFkgCHboFZZAyKMOKPuDjt1khJn70B37C8KtHWgJb_ri8DEeXITVR91/s1600-h/Julian+Opie+style+of+myself.png).

Due to the lack of music DVDs for my genre, I found what I could from it, and then looked at CD cover artwork, as they have a similar idea for their purpose, representing the artist and using some graphical imagery to make it look cool, with artists being successful with this such as Kanye West, Kid Cudi and Drake, as I discovered from my research. I decided to follow Drake's idea due to it's simplicity. It meant that I would create a silhouette image, and then minimize the colours so that the focus would be on the character, and I think that has worked in my DVD Digipak.

I decided to follow several other ideas too, such as the 3D glasses effect from the t-shirt I found, which gives a visual illusion, instantly attracting the viewer due to it creating a blur effect when you first see it. The spine has been copied from the DVD cover for "Mobb Legacy" which I researched. I decided to use their style, again due to it's simplicity, just a gradient of two colours and then some text in a completely different colour, it makes it look professional. On top of this, I decided to include some originality into the design. This includes the 'scrapbook' style photo frames to include snapshots of the music video to act as a preview. It was created by simply drawing a white square box, and including a custom photoshop brush of sellotape/masking tape. I then tried to meet the artist's idea for himself, wanting to bring back retro styles to himself and to the music. The use of a simple badge template was placed to allow the designs for his clothing which has been sold, to advertise it also.

The silhouette image was achieved, by simply taking a picture of myself in a pose which would work in suiting the genre of the artist, hip hop/rap. I decided to go for a pose to look as if I am leaning against a wall, so I found somewhere in my house where it was a plain background, and took a picture. It was then taken into photoshop and the effect "levels" was used to darken the image to create this effect. The eraser brush was then used to finalise the image and remove any unwanted parts of the image that remain. I decided to keep the wood texture underneath, simply because it is a nice effect, and it works really well with the 3D effect.

(Click image to view full resolution)

The common/required images and text was then included; the DVD logo, PAL logo, DOLBY logo, a barcode, the artist's logo/signature, and the copyright text, to give it an authentic look, as if it was one made professionally in the media industry. The artist's logo was somewhat more difficult than I had intially made out. I asked him to draw it for me on a piece of paper, and I then decided ot take a picture of it and then upload it onto the computer. This however didn't work due to the amoung of different shades it created of grey around the design. I decided to scan it up onto my computer at a resolution of 600dpi, which came to the measurements of 5008x7008 pixels, which is a size far greater than I will need to use, which ended up being scaled down to roughly 1% of the original size. Here's an image of the design for explanation;

(Click image to view full resolution)

As you can see, the scanned image is very thin, and when cropped to a size much smaller, it will be barely visible. I was able to work around this, by applying a 'stroke' to it, meaning it has a thick outline, and then giving it a bright colour to add some depth to it. It now looks like a very nice logo.

In order to get the sizing right for the DVD Digipak design, I used a very simple technique, using guides and showing rulers to allow me to place things perfectly to where I wanted them.

(Click image to view full resolution)

So from the image, (click the image and view it in full resolution to understand it easier) I have included many guides (the cyan colour lines), to allow me to place things in the centre of whichever side it is on. I initially only used it to get the sizes right for the spine, back and front side, so that I could split them up and work on them separately, but then realised that i would be useful to me so that I could then apply the images in the correct area where they are intended, and it also helps to plan where everything will go before you go straight into it. I also decided to keep all of the layers organised with correct names/labels to allow me to know what is on each layer, so that it is easier to edit.

So, to conclude, the DVD Digipak successfully suits the genre, due to it's retro style, using a silhouette image, then creating a 3D effect and applying additional images to give the whole retro feel to it. Track listings and extra features have been placed on the back rather than a blurp due to it being the common style from my research.

Resources used;
Badge template - http://whaletea.deviantart.com/art/Button-Badge-Template-129656284
Photoshop tape brush - http://www.fudgegraphics.com/2009/01/sticky-tape-free-hi-res-photoshop-brushes-textures/