Creating my Record

Label Design

Research and PlanningBefore I created my record label design I researched existing labels in my chosen

genre. The record label which Lightning Bolt(the band who’s song I am using) are

signed to Load records, an American noise/experimental independent which prides

itself on having an avant garde and hard-listening roster of musicians. For these

reasons Load records is a good example to use as research.

This is Load record’s label design. The image combines a simplistic pastiche

of a coat of arms. The funny element of this image shows that the genre

does not take itself too seriously and can subvert the stereotype of stuck-up

art kids who take themselves too seriously. It also is something which would

marginalize the label and make sure that listeners know that the music is

not part of the mainstream. In this way it is both self-referential and a

comment on the ease with which you can put people of your music. I think

the design is successful as it reflects the nature of the record label and the

acts signed to it well. Because the genre has limited appeal and artists rely

on a cult following to stay in business, artistic choices such as the label

design and label name are aimed at trying to attract a certain audience.

The relatively new genre has fans stereotypically ranging between 18-30

and probably male. The aim to get a male audience is shown in the record

label design of Load records in the toilet humour.

The nameThe name of the label is very important as it gives further indication of the style and

genre of the acts on the label e.g. Def Jam is synonymous with rap music. The can

also be part of a wider ranging franchise for example virgin records. I made a shortlist

of names and then used audience feedback from fans of the genre to decide which

one I chose.

Noise records

Awesome Welles records

Yossarian records

Lightning Records

After audience feedback I decided to use Awesome Welles records. The reason I

chose this was because it had the requisite level of humour and I felt would attract

an audience who would be more inclined to like the style of music.

Creating my design

I first found an image of the actor Orson

Welles and put it into photoshop.

I then used the paint brush tool and the fill

tool to paint block colours over the image.

The aim of this was to create a faux pop art

style image. I left the eyes unpainted as this

looked more effective. I used a soften

edges effect to make the image look more

smoother.

Final Design