Need record jacket design inspiration?

I know how it is: you've got the music all together for your upcoming CD, everything sounds great, but... what about the jacket? You need inspiration, you need an idea, that perfect design that screams "buy this record!" Well, friends, look no further, for inspiration abounds at the Life's Railway to Heaven - Wholesome Gospel Family Record Covers flicker pool.

But be warned: I've got dibs on this one. I am SO sticking a picture of my head on that guy's body for my next release...

posted by flapjax at midnite (12 comments total)

You know, you're joking, but I DID this for my RPM Album in 2006.
A while before I had found a record from 1967 or so at the Salvation Army and bought it because it was a churchy dude with the same name as someone I know. Turns out the album has a killer song on it about the evils of drug use called, "It Depends on You."
So ya, I used the cover, (the guy looking up, heavenward, wearing a turtleneck with a V-neck sweater on top) for the RPM album called "One Shitty February."
posted by chococat at 6:10 PM on April 15, 2009

You know, you're joking, but I DID this for my RPM Album in 2006.

Haha! Fabulous!

but don't be so sure I'm joking...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:20 PM on April 15, 2009

This has always been my favorite album cover, which I one day hope to manipulate and usurp. It has everything: a potted plant on a beach, a dog, cool shades, a giant amp, a keyboard, a party-inspiring missive (in quotes, no less). Every time I gaze upon this picture, I think, "Why, yes, I think I will get directly down, thank you."
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 8:50 PM on April 15, 2009 [4 favorites]

you don't like this guy? he's the first thing that popped into my head when you mentioned album cover.
posted by mexican at 12:41 AM on April 16, 2009

Yeah, actually, mexican, I do have a soft spot for that guy, and I'd put him on a jacket, but he won't sign a release form... he's just too busy dancing all the time.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:44 AM on April 16, 2009

I never knew Bob Barker had a career before The Price Is Right.
posted by InfidelZombie at 10:09 AM on April 16, 2009

This has always been my favorite album cover, which I one day hope to manipulate and usurp. It has everything: a potted plant on a beach, a dog, cool shades, a giant amp, a keyboard, a party-inspiring missive (in quotes, no less). Every time I gaze upon this picture, I think, "Why, yes, I think I will get directly down, thank you."
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 10:50 PM on April 15 [2 favorites +] [!]

Um... I thought he was blind and the dog was his guide animal.

As supporting evidence, he approved this album cover, so he MUST be blind.
posted by Ynoxas at 1:22 PM on April 16, 2009

I never knew Bob Barker had a career before The Price Is Right.

i don't know that drew carey's going to have one after it
posted by pyramid termite at 12:55 AM on April 17, 2009

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I want to pick some brains, and I'm not sure this needs its own thread . . .

Musicians are often in need of images (for flyers, record covers, whatever) but many of us are not image-makers. So what does one do? Do any of you have favorite go-to royalty-free image websites? Forums where you strike deals with artists for designs? Old magazines you cut stuff out of? I suck at making flyers but I have to do it regularly. Any of you in the same boat?
posted by arcanecrowbar at 3:41 PM on April 20, 2009

If you're talking images for flyers for your local gigs, you really needn't worry, I'd say, about royalty-free. But... IANAL. And yeah, cutting stuff out of old magazines and whatnot is probably a good way to go. Analog! Old school!

Once you get into CD jackets, that's a whole other thing, of course, cause you're making a product, selling it... you can't just go slapping someone else's image on there.

I've done a fair amount of CD jacket designs (for my own releases and others as well), almost always using my own photographs. You can see some of my designs here (although that site hasn't been updated lately, and doesn't include several of the newest jobs). But I'm interested in doing more CD jacket design, so anyone interested can contact me via MeMail and maybe we could work something out.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:16 PM on April 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

The library has lots of public domain images. Flickr is good for Creative Commons material (you can search by the specific license you need).
posted by doubtfulpalace at 4:59 PM on April 20, 2009

Soviet-era propaganda poster art in the public domain (meaning, not under copyright as part of some private collection) makes for an abundant and somewhat ironic source of art for commercial CD packaging. A lot of propaganda artwork is really amazing.
posted by saulgoodman at 10:29 AM on April 21, 2009