Graphic Designer Answers!

When I was looking for email addresses of record companies so I could ask them questions, I came across one record company that had seperate email addresses for different jobs within the company. I looked at these titles looking for someone I could separately email about album art, and I found one. This is the email I sent;




Hello, I'm doing a Creative and Media Diploma Level 2 at school, and I'm doing a higher project about the difference in album art across different genres. If you're not too busy, I'd greatly appreciate it if you could answer a few questions that which would really help me out.

I saw on the Fearless Records website that you are in charge of graphic design. Does this mean you are in charge of the design of album covers? If yes, could you please explain the process you go through?

Thank you so much for your time!

Courtney Hackney
Brigshaw High School
And this is the email I received a day later!

Hey Courtney,

I am in charge of all online graphics, Magazine ads, Tents and tour graphics, album art, etc. Basically anything that has a fearless logo on it passes my desk at some point.

Album art is a difficult process because it involves so many different people.

First the band has to come up with a name for the record.

We develop a concept for the art together.

We agree on a look for the artwork.

I hire several designers to work on cover art concepts.

The band and fearless management discuss the concepts sent by designers

We come to an agreement on the correct mockup to go with.

We hire a certain designer to finish the cover.

Once we have a finished cover, we start developing the rest of the packaging. (usually I propose something like a digipack, jewelcase w/ certain number of pages in the booklet, etc.)

Either I or the designer that created the cover will finish the rest of the layout.

I send everything off to proofing for press checks.

I make sure everything is cool with the colors, pick spot colors for the disc art that match the offset print

Tell the printer how many to make.

coordinate shipping of all the product.

Thats really about it. Let me know if you have anymore questions!

Thanks,

MIKE FARRELL

fearless records

I think this is a really interesting reply. Him and his team can do everything to do with the designing of the CD, from the type of CD case to the design of the booklet inside.
I would like to look at some of his designs and see if they have some similarities or if they are all very different.
From this I have found out that if I were to go into graphic designing, I would need to be skilled in lots of things. Not even just designing, I would need to be able to communicate with bands and try and figure out what designs would suit the bands and their attitude, and decide how many to print and sell. He also mentions he designs online graphics, tour graphics and magazine advertisements! He is obviously a very skilled guy to do all these jobs. It all sound so interesting and it would be an amazing job to have.
Luckily, I only need to do half the jobs that Mike would need to do, and I'm not creating it for a big company so I have alot less stress.