We talked about the importance of taking your own photographs, but what happens when you need a photo that you didn’t take?

You can search Flickr and other photo sites to locate a photo that’s close to what you want. You can license the photo and pay someone to modify it. Or you can draw it yourself.

Creating your own album art is just one example of something that’s not nearly as hard as you think, but it still takes time and practice. Here are some tips for better results:

1. Plan it out in advance* and create a rough sketch using pencil or pen so you don’t waste time on mistakes.

2. Use the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid) by not adding too many details or making things too fancy to start off with. Don’t be afraid to use simple lines and shapes if it will do the job faster than trying to recreate every detail of a photograph on a computer for instance.*

3. Make sure there is enough contrast between different elements of the picture so they stand out from the background.*

4. Keep everything on a single layer* in your editing program so you can easily adjust things like color, size and position.*

5. Print out your cover art on paper so you can

As a musician and an artist I’ve always found it a challenge to create album artwork that’s not only original, but also represents what my music sounds like.

I’ve designed several CD covers for my band, Jokerman, and for other bands as well. I’ve also purchased many CDs with beautiful artwork that really catches your eye. When the cover is exceptional it can make you want to pick up the CD even if you don’t know what the band sounds like!

Here are some tips from me on how to create your own album cover art at home without spending too much money. They will help you design a cover that’s both original and professional looking.

Tip

Making your own album cover can be an exciting and creative process. It’s a great chance for you to make something that looks unique and get more into the details of what you want to convey with your music.

All it takes is some creativity, a few hundred dollars, and some time.

There are two main ways to make an album cover: either by hiring an artist or by doing it yourself. Some bands prefer one method over the other, but both have their pros and cons.

As you can see from the image above, there are some traditional elements that most band covers share in common. Here’s an overview of what those components are and how to do them right.

· Fonts: Your cover doesn’t have to have them, but fonts are useful if you want to add the title of the album or any song names in addition to using graphics. There are several free options on sites like DaFont, but there are also several services you can use to create custom fonts for your cover art.

· Graphics: If you’re going for a minimalist look, this is all you’ll need! In fact, many graphic artists would argue that adding graphics to your album cover is counter-productive because they might distract from the music itself (or at least

Album artwork is often overlooked, but it plays an integral part in the enjoyment of a piece of music.

It’s the first thing you see when you look at an album; it creates an image in your mind about what that album sounds like and what kind of emotions you will experience from listening to it. Your artwork can either enhance or deter from someone’s experience with your music, so you have to make sure you’re doing everything you can to create something that is visually appealing for the listener.

TIP

1. Find an album cover you like and use it as a template.

A couple of years back, I was working with a group of musicians to build an online community for sharing and discovering new music. We also wanted to create a platform for musicians to sell directly to their fans.

As you can imagine, the art we used on our website was quite important to the whole experience. We wanted it to feel like the bands were sharing it themselves, so we needed a way for them to be able to create their own work.

The result is Bananafish: http://bananafish.io/ It’s still in early beta right now and we’re still looking for more bands, but it’s coming along nicely 🙂

We’ll be demoing it at SXSW this year, we’d love to see some of your guys’ band art!