Final digi pack

This is the final for the front of my digi pack, i used photoshop cs4 to create this, i got this programme from the Internet on a trial and it was good because i was able to use different tools to create a unique look for my image. I had not used this programme before so it was hard at first but then i got used to certain parts and used them to work with the theme i had chosen even though this meant not being able to get the most out of the software, as there are so many complex things i could have done which would make my design better. In this image above, i have used grey scale. This meant taking the colour out of the photo and making it only black and white. I did this because it makes it simpler, and allows it to be dull and dreary, fitting in with the theme of darkness and being alone in a woods; impacting fear. I also used the text tool to write the name of the artist and the name of the song, this was information i had to have on the front so it was informing the target audience of the product they were buying. i went for white font as it contrasted with the black background, i also did it in a simple font that has similarities to the text bloc party themselves use on their other various album covers. i made the name of the artist bigger than the name of the song as i thought it was more vital that it stood out. As i had made a 'signature' font and recognisable style for the bands name and song, i made sure i used the same look each time i wrote either 'bloc party' or 'ares'. the easiest way to do this was to copy and paste it into the new file. Using other tools i was able to enhance the focus centre point by creating a sphere like shape bubble in the photo. this pulled the image forward and made it appear closer and clearer. On top of this i 'twirled' the image, making it blurred and twisted. which works with the theme of distortion and madness behind the mask. i changed the contrast and brightness in the image to start with as it was too light to work with, i adjusted the brightness making it darker and then i changed the contrast so it worked with the light, appearing sharper and bolder overall.
Below shows examples of how i did this, using print screens.

Next i had to create two inside photos that would be in my digi pack. i went for the same theme, but i didn't want to use grey scale throughout the whole thing so i tried to avoid it although i felt that in some images it looked better as there was either bad lighting on the original or there was too much going on so it needed to look more basic. for these images, i used alot of the tools i used for the main cover. i.e twirl, blur, brightness, contrast and the sphere focus.

i then used other editing techniques such as pinch. this makes the image dip or slant in certain ways that helps make it appear dipped (downhill/ on a slope) or bulge out as if it were on a hill. this was good as it makes the mask appear low and hidden, (in the dip) as if it were buried away metaphorically in the characters head. (from the video)

i wanted to keep the mask in this first shot in colour, as it appears this way throughout the video, so changing it would make it appear irrelevant. also i like how it contrasts against the green leaves. i blurred the middle to make it appear mixed in, this gives the idea of it being part of everyday life and as if it fits in with the woodland atmosphere. which is of course not case making it confusing and surreal.

For the second image on the inside of the digi pack i made sure that i kept it in colour also, it looks unique because of the way i have blurred the character in towards the mask hanging from the tree. this gives the literal and metaphorical idea of him being drawn and controlled by the mask. it also makes us think that beign inside and wearing the mask makes him feel like hes in a different world, a very strange one at that. i placed the lyrics down the side of the image, which meant it didn't take any focus away from the photo. and at the same time it gives the audience more to look at as the sides of the image are only of the trees so it makes it a little more interesting if they are able to read the lyrics. the lyrics to the song are important to understanding our interpretations and ideas, for the video.

Below is the back of my digi pack. this particular shot is in the music video as well as being on the cover.

i used the same font for the bands name as i did on the front, still keeping it white making it recognisable and simple. i also put the song name as track one and then put track two as another song by bloc party. this was 'flux' finally as this is a digi pack i said track 3 is a video of Ares. this has also been displayed and advertised on my poster. in this image i didn't change alot except the size of the character in the centre, and then i selected the mask only by using the 'lasoo' tool and managed to blur and twirl the mask. i did this so it distorted the image and made it something out of the ordinary; something you would fear.

Feedback

When i had finished my digi pack i asked people i knew to give me feedback on how they thought it looked above is a print screen of their answers.

the first person i asked said:

1. i like how it is very distorted this keeps the images looking different and unique from other album covers. this also shows a good use of photoshop. using colours such as black and white means they contrast off each other so this makes the writing clear to see.

2. i like how it is abstract, and that you have matched your advert to your digi pack. e.g colours and grey scale.

3. its good how youve put songs on the back of your digi pack, it makes it appear more realistic; also the mask in most shots helps it flow.

4. i dont like the way the image of the mask in leaves looks, i do not think it fits in with the other three.

again, it would have been good to get more feedback; like i wanted for the video. so that i could have learnt more from the audience i was aiming it at. so i would have liked to of put them on facebook and get a wider reply.