Album Cover Mock Up

Mock Up Album Cover

 

Heres a mock up of my album cover which i created on Photoshop. The right square will be the fronto of my album which will include the Artist Name at the top so its the first thing consumers will see, i want to make the sure my artists name is big and bold and stands out above any other album covers. I will also have a shot of my artist on the front looking into the camera, i am yet to decide which photo i will choose. I also will create a name for my album like Rihanna has with hers like 'Rehab' and 'Good Girl Gone Bad'. This makes the album have a name, and promotes one of the songs from the album which is normally well known. Sometimes the album cover tells something about the artist or relates to a event that has happened recently.

 

Here are some copies of Rihannas Album covers, the first one has Rihanna's name clearly printed across the middle, where as the second one is a more recent so she is more well known so her full name is unessecary to print as most people recognise her as she has had nearly 10 years of being in the media limelight.

 

 

 

Here are some of my most sucessful shots and the ones that i like the most. My next challenge will be to look through them and edit them and then decide which one i want to use for my album cover. It may come to the point where i have to use more then one depending on how the design of my cover turns out. I feel confident and i am glad that i took a wide range of shots with different locations as now i have a wide variety to choose from and i can try different photos out. As you can see from the above shot, i have started editing some of the images in different colour tones, such as sepia and black and white as i am exploring what looks best and what will look best on my album cover.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the final photograph i am going to use for my Album cover. After looking at some of the best various ones i took i have decided that this one is the most suitable and looks the most effective. I have experimented with this photograph and changed the tone to a black and white as i feel this makes the photograph feel more edgy and the light shining through in the background looks really effective and it makes her look dangerous as she is peering through the metal bars.
I have changed the font and have placed it around various parts of the photo to see how it looks. This is my first draft of this album cover and i plan to change the font and move it to the side and see if that improves how it looks and i believe it is good to experiment and try out different things.

 

Here is the same photograph from above but i have changed the position, font and colour. Personally i prefer this compared to the last idea i had. I feel that the stencil font is more edgy and fits the mood more and position of the font in the middle stands out more.

I changed the position of the font, and brung the 'Pour It Up' song title and placed it underneath her name, i also changed it to the same stencil font. I believe that this looks more effective as all my target audiences attention will be drawn to the middle of the photo. Where as before it was seperated, it also connotes with the Rihanna album cover above as for her album cover she had her name centered in the middle and then the album name underneath. I also like the red, as the photo is black and white, the bright red really stands out and it draws a lot of attention to the middle and people will look at it straight away. It also looks fiesty,edgy and dangerous which are the 3 main elements i wanted to capture. I believe the font is street like from the stencil graffti look and the bright red could connote blood and danger and makes the image look even more effective.

 

 

 

I am unsure about what the colour of the image i should use for my magazine advertisment and cd cover. I am going to get some audience feedback to help me decide and influence my decision of what colour image works best. I like the black and white image best but does it have a purpose? and does it reflect my music video well even though theres no black and white clips in the video. But that is also something i could change. I want my target audience to give me their view and their opinions on what one will work best.

 

Clips from Filming

Below are some short clips from filming with my music artist Grace, these are potential clips I want to use and will eventually put them together to make my video. Some of the videos show grace walking behind a caged fence which I feel looks effective and edgy and this relates to the song and the style that grace is dressed in. Its also something that would be likely to appear in Rihannas music videos. There are some other clips of Grace lip singing into the camera, I feel that these clips work because its focusing on her singing the song, her face and is introducing her to consumers that are watching. The backgrounds are all isolated, empty and consist of green and dark colours, im happy with these clips and will be producing many more within the next few days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photography Continued

 

 

This is the exact same image, the top is the orginial and the bottom is edited. I have changed the lighting in the bottom one and the colours. I kept the original because i feel like the mix of colours really works and there is a wide range of bold colours that create a really interesting image to look at. Where as i have completley changed that for the bottom one by making it darker and wiping out the original colours. These are both long shots and allows the audience to see the complete outfit that Grace is wearing and it shows the double denim clash that many artists pull off and the grunge doc marten boots with the blue bandana, red lipstick and gold chain. This is Rihannas style completeley and i feel that i have styled my arist in the right clothes and right colours.

 

 

 

 

Heres a fun shot of Grace with her leg perched on the branch and her pulling a face baring her teeth, i have created a light blue effect on this photo, which creates a night time effect and makes it look secretive and enclosed. You can also see the clothes she is wearing again although her face isnt so clear. She looks fiesty and fierce by the way she is standing and the background of the image looks private and creepy from all the fallen trees and leaves.

 

 

 

This is another shot i have edited in black and white contrast colours. You can see Graces body posed slightly at a angle and standing with her arms back and body forward, this makes her look bold and confident and her clothes are clearly shown. The background is plain and empty with grass and trees and has captured the isolated feel again.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photography of My Artist

Before the shoot of my video i dressed my artist in the clothes i selected and started a photo shoot, taking photos of her in the location that my video was gonna be set in. I took various shots of her doing different things, if the photos work and look effective i may even use some of them to create my magazine spread and my cd digipak. I was pleased with the outcome of the photos i took, and i believe some of them capture the exact look that i was planning to make.

 

I changed this photo to black and white because i believe that it makes the original photograph look more poweful. Grace crossing her arms and looking straight into the camera makes her look fierce, confident and controlled. Her oversized denim jacket and thick gold chain relates to Rihannas style and the paleness of her face stands out against the dark background. Its a mid shot so you can see half of Graces body but also the background around her which is isolated and empty which adds to the 'urban, street' feel i wanted to capture.

 

 

 

Here is a close of shot of Grace i took with her standing infront of a wired fence. Her teeth baring and the gold chain are on show which connotes with the rigid background and makes her look chilling. I edited the photo in black and white to make it look more intimidating and urban. Her piercings are also on show which shows her confidence and her independence.

 

 

 

This is a original shot with no editing. The background also looks empty and isolated and the bright bold colours really make a statement in this shot. Its also a mid shot like the first with half of her body on show and the gloomy sky with the healthy greens around her. Her outfit colours work well togeher and work with the red lipstick and blue bandana. I felt like her straight face pose makes her look tough and fierce and her arms folding relates to this aswell.

 

 This is also a original shot and i felt like no editing was nessecary. Its pretty similaur to the one above and i think the empty background adds to the photo because it creates a more isolated and dangerous feel as she is completley alone. The clouds in the sky create a unerving feel and it still has that urban edge i wanted to portray.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Storyboard

 

Here is a storyboard i made, with images summing up my sterio typical audience member. These images include many social networking sites and technology. Most young girls aged 13-19 are on rather facebook, twitter or instagram and sometimes all 3. Fashion, clothes, makeup are also a huge part in young girls lifes and Rihanna has her own clothing range in River Island which has been very popular. My target audience also normally meet up, go shopping, cinema and have sleepovers where they play music and chat about boys and there favourite celebritys. Although the girls in my age range go to school, music plays a massive impact in there social lifes and even in lessons.

 

 

My Artist

To give me some inspiration when styling my artist iv been researching different hairstyles and makeup that Rihanna has when starring in her music videos. I have also been on various clothes websites such as Topshop and Rihannas River Island brand. I want to make sure that i create the right look and style her correctly to make sure she fits in with the video but relates to Rihanna's style.

 

Here is a collage of the many hairstyles Rihanna has had, she is constantly changing the colour and style of it. She has had fringes, side fringes, long perms and short bobs. Any style i choose should relate to Rihanna somehow as she has probably had it at some point!

 

 

Rihanna also is known to change her hair colour alot, she has dyed it different shades of blondes, reds and browns through the years. My artists hair colour is brown so it is unessary to change her hair colour as it will relate to Rihanna as it is her current hair colour and is her natural colour. I dont want to copy Rihanna but i want to be inspired and include some features from Rihannas look into my own artists look.

 

I want Grace to have her hair up decorated with bandanas and bows to show her style and it also links to Rihanna as in most of her music videos her hair is styled differently.

I tried to portray Rihannas style in this image, with the matching bandana and similar denim jackets with consistent colours such as red and blue. Also i have styled graces hair to be up in a bun which is how Rihanna normally has her hair.

 

Final Outfits

 

 

Here is a full outfit that my artist Grace will wear for part of my music video. I carefully selected each item to ensure it was right for my genre and artist. The grunge doc marten boots are a key item to this outfit as there a pair of shoes Rihanna is normally seen in and relate to my artist being edgy and dark. The basketball socks add a fun and sporty element along with the red and blue basketball top which uses the two key colours I want to use on my artist throughout. The acid wash denim shorts are a fashion item that many girls are seen in and they are also Rihanna's favourite type of shorts aswell, I feel that they compliment the outfit and add a element of street.The blue bandana and red lipstick also keep the consistency with my colour scheme and the gold chain adds some bling to the outfit which is vital for a edgy street look. I feel like this outfit works and will fit in great with my music video for when I start my filming.

 

 

 Here is my second full outfit I created for the other half of my music video. I have changed some elements of the outfit but kept the era of the style the same. I have kept the striking red lipstick there as its a trademark look for Rihanna and it feels necessary to keep it throughout the video. I have also kept the grunge Doc Martens and the edgy chain to compliment the outfit and keep a part of it the same throughout. I have replaced the acid wash shorts with some gothic leather leggings to add a different twist but have brung it back to my themes with the blue Aztec top. This outfit is also something similar that Rihanna would wear and is current and edgy.

 

 

 

Here is a comparison showing the fur gilet Grace will be wearing with the second outfit and a photograph of Rihanna wearing it. Fur gilets are a statement accessory for any outfit and Rihanna pulls them off all the time, my aim is to do the same with Grace in my music video. Its also a current piece to match with a outfit, and should look good with the outfit I have planned to match it with.

 

 

 

 

Here is another comparison photograph showing Rihanna wearing an oversized denim jacket which I am going to include in the first outfit with the basketball clothing in. This again shows that I have based my clothes and styling around Rihanna and that Grace will be dressed in the video how Rihanna would be dressed in hers. Rihanna is also wearing a lot of red, blue and black and so is Grace, I thought carefully about colour schemes and certain items of clothing so it links to Rihanna as much as possible. The oversized jacket will make Grace look tough and masculine as the denim jacket I have is for males. This will relate to the theme of my artist being edgy and tough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location for Filming

For my music video i want it to come across as fiesty,dangerous and dark and i want my artist to come across as independent and strong as throughout the song she seems to be comparing herself to someone and saying how she has more money and its always on her mind. The beat to the song is also quite low which could relate to the dark background i want to use.

Heres a shot to the opening of the woods, from the park i want to use. The big enclosed trees will work well as it will seem hidden when i am filming as i am planning to go deeper into the woods. The dark colours will also work well as the colours around this area consist of greens and browns. And it fits my description of wanting the location to be dangerous and dark, my aim is to film when the weather is rainy and windy to make it look even more overcast and gloomy. I have even thought about getting my artist to sit high on one of the tree branches to make her look authorative and higher and will show her power more as she will look more tough and mighty.

 

 Heres a more open shot of the location i want to use,  it shows a wide open piece of land and the main colour is green with a dark fence along the side this connotes to my dark theme and contrasts the music video because my location is natural where as my artist is highly unatural with dyed hair, covered in makeup and piercings. I wanted to do this to create a different feel and put a fiesty artist in place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lyrics Of My Song

Above are the lyrics to my song that i have choosen and will be creating my music video to. I have annotated the lyrics and have included descriptions of what i am going to do and have planned seperate sections. I have included camera angles, and have described why i am going to do what i have planned to. 

Research into Artist/Genre

RIHANNA

 

 Robyn Rihanna Fenty is best known as Rihanna and was born on the 20th February 1988 and is a Barbadian recording artist, fashion designer and actress. She has had many songs chart within the top ten including her huge number 1 hit 'Umbrella' which stayed at number 1 for a shocking 6 weeks. She has collaborated with artists such as Calvin Harris, Mikko Eko and Eminem. She also has 6 grammys, 5 American music awards, 22 Billboard music awards and  2 Brit awards. She has sold over 30 million albums and 120 million singles worldwide. She is one of the best selling artists of all time.

 

 

Here is a print screen from the official River Island website which is a huge clothing brand located throughout the United Kingdom. This will be the third season her designs have been made and sold into the store.

'The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here — Rihanna’s Fall 2013 collection for River Island has been revealed! Keep reading and watch the video.

Rihanna has managed to surprise us again with her amazing new collection, as part of her very own clothing line, RiRi for River Island! The Fall 2013 collection looks like clothes straight out of RiRi’s closet and we’re totally obsessing over it all! The collection isn’t available to purchase until September 15, but you can get your first look right here!'

 

Above is part of a advertisment, advertising the new brand and it announces Rihannas newest collection will be out this fall! It seems that there are high hopes for her new line as they are  describing the new collection in a postive way. 'Were totally obsessing over it all'  there seems to be high expectations for this seasons Rihanna collection.

She is highly recognised and is always in the public eye, she is normally spotted in newspapers and magazines after paparazzi have snapped her after being out with other celebrity friends or being shown in a highly revealing clothing with her trademark red lipstick and numerous hair styles.

She is viewed as a role model to thousands of young girls and her music videos always tell a story and are captivating and unique. Theres a sense of danger and fierceness about Rihanna when she stars in her music videos, she has a strong attuitude and shows through her fierce facial expressions and her style and attuitude.