Professional album cover design to ensure fans covet your release!
You’re a musician or are in a band, and will soon be releasing your (perhaps very first) album? Whether it’s on an established label or you’ll be releasing it yourself, you’ll need professional album cover design for it.
No matter how great your music may be, who wants to buy a record or CD whose packaging looks amateurish?
Low-resolution photos… JPEG compression artefacts… Overpowering Photoshop® filters… Typefaces that not only don’t fit the music, but which are also ugly… Amateurish typography… Unimaginative layout… Weird colour schemes… Spelling mistakes and typos in the text… Ugh!
On the other hand, if your album looks professional, you increase the chances that your audience will covet it and want to buy it!
Maximise your album’s sales potential
You’d like your album cover and packaging to look amazing, in order to tempt potential buyers?
But you don’t have the skills for this, and prefer to concentrate on your music?
I’d be pleased to save you the effort, and design an album cover/complete layout which not only looks great, but which also fits your music.
Who am I? At a glance
- Experienced (> 20 years) album cover designer • artworker • layout artist • typesetter • all-round print file troubleshooter
- Music industry specialist
- Creative skills
- Technical skills
- An extraordinary eye for detail – I can spot a double space or ugly ‘typewriter’ quotation marks from 50 metres!
- Thorough and reliable way of working
“I have worked with Paul for over four years now, he has designed all the artwork for my record labels and events since 2016, when I first started my record label in 2014 the first two releases were designed by someone else and the artwork looked amateur and I wasn’t truly satisfied with the results but I have always been really pleased with the artwork Paul has designed for my projects, he has also always been extremely reliable over the years and never let me down, he has always met all the deadlines which have been set and turned the ideas I have had in mind for the artwork into a extremely high quality professional looking finished product.”
Album cover design – the packages
Album cover design – one format – digital only
Your release will only be appearing as a download/stream? Nonetheless, it still requires appealing ‘cover art’.
- I conjure up something that looks great, based on the cover/packaging photos you provide me with
- The files you receive from me comply with the relevant platforms’ specifications
Album cover design – one format – vinyl or CD
You’re releasing a record or CD? It’s no good without an attractive album cover design and packaging layout.
- I conjure up something that looks great, based on the cover/packaging photos you provide me with
- The files you receive from me comply with the relevant manufacturer’s specifications
- Artwork for your digital release (stream and/or download) also included
Album cover design – two formats – vinyl and CD
You’re releasing your album on both vinyl and CD? I create an attractive cover design and layout, ensuring that the artwork for each format complements the other.
- You receive everything from the package ‘Album cover design – one format – vinyl or CD’, but also including a supplementary second format!
Album cover design – prices
You’re after a professional album cover design? Your investment for this when you engage me.
- I design appealing artwork for your digital release
- You provide me with the desired cover/packaging photo(s)2
- You receive files that comply with the popular platforms’ specifications
- One round of corrections included free of charge3
- I design appealing artwork for your physical release, in one format (vinyl or CD)1
- You provide me with the desired cover/packaging photo(s)2
- You receive press-ready PDF files that comply with the manufacturer’s specifications
- You receive pack shots in various formats/sizes, for use in print (such as magazine adverts) and online
- Artwork for the digital version also included
- One round of corrections included free of charge3
- I design appealing artwork for your physical release – in two formats: vinyl and CD1
- You provide me with the desired cover/packaging photo(s)2
- You receive press-ready PDF files that comply with the manufacturer’s specifications
- You receive pack shots in various formats/sizes, for use in print (such as magazine adverts) and online
- Artwork for the digital version also included
- One round of corrections included free of charge3
* All stated prices are net prices, not including legally applicable VAT.
1 The scope of this package is as follows: ‘Vinyl’: Standard or gatefold sleeve, up to 4 labels (so for two records), a printed inner sleeve or two-sided insert, hype sticker. ‘CD’: Jewel case or up to 4-panel Digipak® oder Digisleeve® or similar, up to two on-body prints (for 2 CDs), up to 8-page booklet, hype sticker. Are you releasing a 12" single in a basic disco bag, meaning you only need labels and possibly also a hype sticker? Or are you planning a luxurious box set containing multiple records or discs, along with a thicker booklet? Anything is possible. Price upon request.
2 I’m neither a photographer nor an illustrator. Although I have sometimes taken photos or drawn something for previous projects, this is not always achievable or practical. I therefore request you make your desired photo material available to me. Or I can find stock photos from a photo agency (at your cost – this means you receive the relevant usage rights from the copyright holder).
3 Any additional corrections at additional charge.
Album cover design – combi package
- Album cover design (one format) + Standard website
- You receive everything from the packages ALBUM COVER DESIGN – ONE FORMAT und STANDARD WEBSITE
- In this way, you can build fan loyalty without being so dependent on third parties (social media platforms) and their algorithms and conditions
I’d like that!
I’d like my vinyl or CD to also be regarded as a work of art, meaning people are keen to buy it!
You’d prefer to create your album cover design yourself, but need assistance with the print files?
Musicians often have other creative talents. Perhaps you’ve photographed, painted or drawn something suitable and have created your own album cover design?
You’re reasonably well-acquainted with Photoshop® and are able to create your own album design layout?
But you’re not confident creating the press-ready files, so that the artwork will print without problems?
Perhaps you created your own print files in the past, but they were always rejected by the printers? And you didn’t understand the accompanying cryptic messages? And you had no idea how on earth you were supposed to be able to solve the problems described?
“The bleed is missing… It’s in the wrong colour mode… The colours are outside the printable gamut… The inks would be oversaturated… The text is tiny and in raster images…”
So you’re fed up of your press-ready files not being quite so press-ready?
Save yourself the hassle – I create the print files for your album cover design
I’d be pleased to create press-ready files from the album packaging layouts you create yourself. These will comply with the manufacturer of your choice’s specifications. Whether vinyl or CD, with basic or lavish packaging.
Over the years, artwork for a whole load of records and CDs has left my computers in order to be printed without problems by various manufacturers in Europe and North America (and also recently in Asia for the first time!).
You can therefore rest assured I’m able to recognise and actively prevent any of a range of problems that could typically occur.
So you retain complete control over your design and layout, but don’t have to worry about any of the technical stuff.
As of the end of 2019, I have worked on the following number of vinyl records and CDs – whether complete design, assistance with layout, creation of new formats or editions or inspecting and correcting print files.
I create the press-ready files for your album artwork – prices
You don’t want any hassle from the printers? You’d prefer that I create the press-ready files for album artwork design? Your investment for this when you engage me.
- I inspect the layout files you supply me for your physical single release, in one format (such as 7" or 12")1, for any potential problems. If necessary, I will also give you technical recommendations on how to achieve the best print results
- You receive press-ready PDF files that comply with the manufacturer’s specifications
- You receive pack shots in various formats/sizes, for use in print (such as magazine adverts) and online
- One round of corrections included free of charge3
- I inspect the layout files you supply me for your physical release, in one format (vinyl or CD)2, for any potential problems. If necessary, I will also give you technical recommendations on how to achieve the best print results
- You receive press-ready PDF files that comply with the manufacturer’s specifications
- You receive pack shots in various formats/sizes, for use in print (such as magazine adverts) and online
- One round of corrections included free of charge3
- I inspect the layout files you supply me for your physical release, in two formats – vinyl and CD2, for any potential problems. If necessary, I will also give you technical recommendations on how to achieve the best print results1
- You receive press-ready PDF files that comply with the manufacturer’s specifications
- You receive pack shots in various formats/sizes, for use in print (such as magazine adverts) and online
- One round of corrections included free of charge3
* All stated prices are net prices, not including legally applicable VAT.
1 The scope of this package is as follows: 7" single or 12" single (also 10" and other special sizes), standard cover or disco bag, up to 2 labels, hype sticker.
2 The scope of this package is as follows: ‘Vinyl’: Standard or gatefold sleeve, up to 4 labels (so for two records), a printed inner sleeve or two-sided insert, hype sticker. ‘CD’: Jewel case or up to 4-panel Digipak® oder Digisleeve® or similar, up to two on-body prints (for 2 CDs), up to 8-page booklet, hype sticker. Prices for other, more extensive packaging options upon request.
3 One round of corrections included free of charge, so that any recommendations I make can be implemented. Any other alterations, such as design and layout changes, at additional charge. (Remember, you have already created your own design and layout, and have checked everything!)
Over the years, labels such as these (excerpt) have benefited from my skills:
…and many, many more!
How I create your album cover design or similar – things to know about the process
- After receiving your detailed enquiry, I contact you.
- We clarify the scope of your project and I submit a quote.
- If you agree to my terms, depending on the nature of the project, 20% of the net price may become payable upon awarding of the order. This is in case you don’t realise your project for any reason. If this applies to your project, I will inform you in good time.
- As soon as any such payment arrives in my account, I will book your project into the system, so that I can make a start within a short time.
- All prices stated are net prices, without applicable VAT.
- One round of corrections is included in the price. Any additional corrections or edits at additional charge.
I’d like that!
I’ve got no interest whatsoever in oversaturated inks! Sort it out – I’ve got better things to do!
Breathe new life into your back catalogue, and earn money from it!
Do you run an established label? Perhaps it’s time to monetise your older releases by releasing them in new editions or formats? Whether new vinyl editions of old CDs or new CD editions of old vinyl!
I’d be pleased to convert your existing artwork files. And if they no longer exist, I can recreate them on the basis of various sources, which involves meticulous reconstruction work.
Over the course of many years I helped cult artists Current 93 and Nurse With Wound bring older records and CDs back to life. I also played a role in the realisation of entire series of reissues from pioneering punks Crass, Subhumans and Rudimentary Peni.
How I help you with new editions of the releases on your label
- Vinyl editions of older CDs
- CD editions of older records
- Expanded editions
- Collector’s editions
- Change of packaging type
- North American editions of European releases and vice versa – this helps labels in the respective territories save enormous shipping costs
- Whether on the basis of existing computer artwork files or original source material
How I make the process easier for you
- Planning the design/layout: How can this record’s artwork be translated to the intended type of CD packaging? (And of course vice versa!)
- How many booklet pages and surfaces are available to us? How can we best utilise them so the design remains true to the original while at the same time taking best advantage of the possibilities the new packaging offers?
- Creation of the new layout and press-ready files on the basis of the existing computer files. Even if the software that was used for them is no longer so commonplace or indeed available
- Scanning, retouching and optimisation of original pictorial material, such as original photos, paintings and drawings, or camera-ready artwork and transparencies. And at a pinch, also archive copies of the record or CD itself (last resort!)
- Creation of vector files for band or label logos etc
- Identification and hunting down of typefaces
- And because I also earn my living from words, proofreading/editing of booklet/insert text etc (only British English). Even the most talented musicians are not always able to write error-free English
I’d like that!
I’d like to refresh my back catalogue and therefore generate sales!
Custom work – contact for price