“I’m a photographer and a designer, but this is the first time I’ve ever designed an album cover. How do I know what makes an album cover interesting or ‘not-gettable’?

Good question! Here are some tips to avoid your album cover looking unprofessional and too easy to steal.

You should never use clip art on your album cover. Clip art makes you look amateurish and unoriginal. You can almost hear someone saying, “Hey, I could make that.”

Never use anything that looks like it could be a stock photo. If people have seen it on a billboard or in a magazine, avoid it. If it’s already been done once, you’re better off doing something else.

None of these rules apply for the back of the album. On the back you can use whatever images you want because people rarely see it.”

With the emergence of digital technology and the Internet, album cover design has probably become one of the most difficult things for a band or an artist to get right.

The following four points will show you exactly how to avoid making common mistakes that can stop people from looking at your artwork.

1. Use bright colors

If your album cover looks dull, then people are going to ignore it. Try using some bright colors on your design. This will catch the eye of potential buyers much more quickly than a dull color would. It is worth noting that using too many colors can be risky as well as using too few, so try and find a balance between the two extremes that works best for your album cover. If you are having difficulty deciding what colors to use, then you could ask others what they think would look best on the front of your album cover.

2. Don’t make it too busy

Too many different images on your album cover can be risky as well as having too little. You want to do everything you can to get people to notice your product, but if you have too many images on it then no one will be able to decide which one stands out and this could result in fewer sales overall. If you are unsure about what information you should include or

So, you have a new album coming out and you need an album cover. The record company has given you a budget of $0, the art department is on vacation, your cat has just died (again) and you’re fresh out of ideas. Let’s look at four common mistakes people make when designing an album cover.

1. Not enough banana: This is the most common mistake I see repeatedly. If you’re doing a food-themed album, just having a plate of food on the cover isn’t enough — it needs more banana! It’s okay to break some rules for this one but you should know what rules if you do so. For example: if your album is about bananas, don’t make a picture of bananas the dominant element on your cover. If your album is about food in general, then make sure there’s enough fruit to give it that “edible” feel.*

2. Too much banana: You really want to put as much banana as possible on your cover right? Wrong! Remember that banana is an accent color, not a main color. Make sure there’s plenty of white space around the banana so that it can be clearly seen against the background color. Also remember that nothing says “banana” like yellow and black —

So how do you know if your album cover will look appetizing to a potential thief?

There are four main common mistakes that all too many designers make, and this is what makes an album cover look plastic and unappetizing. These are the things you need to avoid in order to achieve that “wow” factor.

As an artist and designer, one of the most common questions I’m asked is how to design an album cover that will sell records. If you’re an artist or designer and not asked this question, it’s because you haven’t been around other artists and designers for at least 6 years. It’s a question that comes up so regularly, that I even put together a presentation about it back in 2008.

So I’ve come to the conclusion that most people asking the question have no idea what they really want from their album cover design. And if you don’t know what you want from your album cover design, it’s very unlikely that you’ll get it.

I’ve also come to the conclusion that there are 4 major mistakes people make when designing their covers:

Mistake

First off, you have to find a good designer. If you don’t have any idea on how to pick one, here is a guide to help you: 4 Reasons Why A Designer Is The Key To Great Album Artwork

Secondly, make sure the designer understands your band’s style. If your music is punk rock, make sure the designer understands that this is what you want him/her to design for.

This means if your music is more on the edge of stoner metal or alternative rock, don’t ask a punk rock designer. He’ll end up making something that doesn’t match your music or message.

Thirdly, get a reference of what you want the album cover to look like before you hire a designer. This prevents confusion and wasted time as the designer will be able to create exactly what you are looking for without wasting time.

Fourthly, do not rush the process of getting your album cover designed by a professional! Take as much time as needed with every step of this process! Rushing will only lead to an unsatisfied product and a bad reputation for your band!