All In - Mixtape Cover

[Livia]

Hii I'm new if you've not seen my introduction post.

Right well this is a mixtape cover for The Game's Black Wall Street - European division (record label). Basically my client said 'I want poker chips and cards, here's the pic of me, find one of Clyde please..' So I went with a illegal gambling feel, which usually take place in run down buildings apparently. I wanted it to be a gritty, unsaturated feel but with the reds sticking out (if you know about Game you'll know why). Didn't want it too fancy, so kept the shines to a minimum but clients always love a few shines lol.



The C-notes and the B* are both logos for the label. I know the title is pretty small and not in you're face but I wanted it on the card. The client actually wants me to fit two extra guys in there, but I'm waiting on infos for the back cover so I can do them both at the same time. So any thing you spot would be able to be changed then too :]

It's made for printed use - when I tested it on my printer it turned out great I hope the same will happen with the prof. printers.

Thanks.

[Abev]

First thing I notice is are dice falling from the heavens. Second is that is just feels too busy. Third the name of the album is completely lost. and lastly the white guy is too big in comparrison to the african guy.

[Livia]

Okay thank you for you're feedback.
I'll be changing the sizes again when I have to add the other two guys in it.

As for the dice.. I must be the only one who sees this but his had kinnnnda of looks like he just rolled the dice and then brought his hand up waiting to see how it lands.

The business hmm.. It's not an album cover it's a mixtape cover, there's a big difference in the styles. Mixtape covers tend to be super busy, usually a LOT of glows, renders, stock manips and what not. Have a look on here to view some good mixtape covers.

[SupaSonik]

I've done a few mixtape covers myself a few years back! Its something, if u want to be really good at then you really need to be skilled with Photoshop.

It all looks very dark if u ask me! Also look at your shadows! Look at the shading on the black guys face, well looking at the other guy the light is coming from the opposite direction!

Have a look at some other mixtape designs for inspiration! Nowadays they are all very bright and full of life and colour und usually packed with filters!

2 of the top artists few years back wer Deftone & Tansta! Google them, even if they arent still doing this type of work their work will still be around! One of my e-friends does alot of work aswell check him out KIDEIGHT.COM :: Nominate me @ The Justos | MySpace.com Even look at MixUnit.com - The World's Largest Hip-Hop Store - Music + Fashion + Entertainment and other sites like that!

[Amusekd]

I don't know "the business" very well, but it is a busy album cover. The words "All In" take the role of a secondary element in this piece, the guys are in the center, the dice is in the center, the center is a strong focal point. My eyes don't want to travel around the piece, the viewer may miss the album title. I did not make the connection between the white guy's hand and the dice right away, maybe if the dice were blurred to look like they were rotating (instead of falling from the upper-left) I would make that connection. There are covers on that site you provided that are less cluttered and give the title more emphasis, for example this one works well.

The individual elements of the album cover are nicely rendered and I like the background you created (although it is a bit dark). With some repositioning of the elements and minor touching up I think you will have a successful piece.

-Brent

[Livia]

Thanks for the feedback.

haha Sonik they still are big designers within the whole mixtape scene, and yeah Tansta and kid8 still are and yup they love there bright colors, it's there style however I don't want to follow someone else's style and this cover had no need to be bright and full of color. Infact many people who use the whole bright colors, flares etc like those three big guys (also Mike Rev is dope) get accused of biting a lot. It's sad to see when someone apparently seams to own a technique and it's only biting when it's just obviously the same. Anyway back on point...

I will take the shadowing into mind when I go back to this soon (as soon as the bloody pictures are sent to me lol).

Also thanks Brent I will definitely try the blurred dice. Only problem with the title is 1. Client wants it on a card 2. without the card there the text would be hard to see also (especially as two more guys will fill the spaces on the sides on the revision). Maybe I could make it more visible on the card though? Draw the eye to it more.

The darkness.. well I initially thought that so I went off and I printed it, it came out really crisp and the colors seamed just right. Shouldn't be much difference with the pro. printer should there? I don't get a lot of my work I do for print (because most clients are in the USA) so I miss out on seeing how it turns out.

Oh Brent, the example you showed me is out of the question as this kind of style was requested. I do whats asked unless it's a completely dumb idea lool and I've heard a few of those in my short time at this haha.

Thanks again for the feedback, everything has been noted.