Monday, 24 October 2011

Live Music Brief

University of Kent at West Kent College

HND Graphic Design

Year 2, Term 1

Project: Live Music Brief

Module: Graphic Design and Typography 2 – project 4

Context

Working with a client is one of the most important skills a designer can develop. In this project you will work with a music artist or band to create an identity and CD cover. You will work to your client’s requirements and will take responsibility for researching what the client wants and whether or not your designs meet their needs.

You should make sure that you have some contact details and are able to set up developmental meetings with your client.

Please note that you will be assessed on the typographic module so what ever else you do with your design, you must pay close attention to your type choices and applications. Remember that your client may have opinions about this too.

The Brief

You are to design a “brand” identity for your allocated music client, which must include a logo. This should be applied in the first instance to a business card. The rest of the information for this must come from your client,

You are also to design a CD cover ad CD label for your client (artist or band). There may be an insert as well. The styling and format of this must be created in negotiation with your client.

You will be assessed on these items only. However, if you wish to continue this project with your client you may build up further portfolio pieces.

Specific Learning Outcomes

Please refer to the Module Guide on Moodle for specific learning outcomes against which you will be assessed. You will receive feedback on the project but it will be graded when the entire Type Portfolio is submitted.

Research

There will be an initial meeting with your client on 18^th October and further meetings with them will be needed.

You should make sure that you have sufficient research material and that you understand the style, genre and ethos of your client’s music persona. You are advised to obtain audio research as well as visual and verbal.

Make sure you take notes and have some form of contact details – you may set this up through staff if you prefer.

Set Date: 18^th October 2010

Submission Date: Crit :Weds 16th November 14.00-16.00). Late work will be capped.

Meeting with music students

I was paired with a 7-part band called Loose-Knit Funk, and describe themselves as;
"Loose-Knit Funk are a 7-Piece band from Kent, UK... Performing the music of New Orleans, Louisiana! They also provide you with some classic 70s Motown, Blues/Soul hits... and even some experimental Jazz pieces!
This is an incredibly versatile outfit with many interesting tones and textures, including a tasty 2-piece horn section! "
I asked a few general questions to get the ball rolling and found cd art work they are inspired by is a band called 'The Meters' which I will look into and are influenced by artists such as Corrine Bailey Rae and James Brown. They gave me a broad idea of what they would like the branding to be like, they like the idea of showing the band in a live feel using bright colours quite outgoing and fun. The band told me their Facebook page which contains pictures of them and their existing logo which is what they want to me to almost follow/develop which gives me a clearer idea of what they want, However I will do another design to see if they like this or wish to combine to give them the option and an insight into something out of the comfort zone? But obviously will do what they want as well. Also looking on their Facebook page other influential artists are;
'James Brown!! The Meters, Jon Cleary, Neville Brothers, Jaco Pastorious, Sam & Dave, Miles Davis, Al Green, Little Feat, Otis Redding, Steve Gadd Band.' Which I will research into, to get an overall feel of music genre, style and colouring.
This is their current logo/artwork

The idea of it being night and dark helps emphasise the jazz feel, my connotation of jazz is a dingy? cozy american bar, very dark lighting and people relaxing and chilling? this maybe different to the bands representation of jazz so I will have to relate to theres rather than mine.

Understanding the genre.

Loose-Knit Funk! - The Chicken

Here is a sample of the work they do and to give me a better understanding of what modern jazz/soul/funk sounds like, if there is even a modern version of this genre? I will look further in to it as I'm not so 'in' with soul music. This video is also posted on their Facebook page so if this does not load, check their page out. I'v listened to this quite a few times now i overall i had quite a happy feeling from this music, without knowing i was bopping my head and feet along with the beat. So would class it as quite dance like and fun rather than the original connotation of jazz and soul music which was slow and which i closely related blues with this too (not sure why.) with literally just piano and saxophones.

Researching into Jazz-funk which is the genre the band describes themselves as, Jazz-funk is a sub-genre of jazz music characterized by a strong back beat (groove), electrified sounds.(James Brown.) So to me Jazz funk would be the contemporary approach, the genre is fairly recent, well I say recent I mean around the 70's and 80's. The idea of jazz-funk was to add a danceable rhythm to the music and became popular in the UK nightclubs. I instantly thought of the film 'Dreamgirls' associating it with jazz funk, I will watch this to get a further understanding of the lifestyle and heritage.

Emailing

Hi Kayla,

Track listings:

I Feel Good by James Brown

Let's Stay Together by Al Green

The Chicken by Jaco Pastorius

People Say by Jon Cleary

Soul Man by Sam and Dave

Just Kissed My Baby by The Meters

All Blues by Miles Davis

Born Under A Bad Sam by Sam and Dave

Please can you name the album: Loose-Knit Funk

Thanks!

From: kala_7@hotmail.co.uk
To: beccahurrell@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Graphic student
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:20:02 +0000

Hey,

That sounds great, I have a few ideas so ill try and mock them up as soon as and email them over to see if I'm going in the right direction. Also another question do you have an album name? Or do you just want the band name placed on the cover?

Thanks Kala

also sorry forgot to mention this... can I have track listings or any other info you would like me to include.

From: beccahurrell@hotmail.com
To: kala_7@hotmail.co.uk
Subject: RE: Graphic student
Date: Sun, 30 Oct 2011 12:33:07 +0000

Hi Kayla,

Anything New Orleans inspired would be good, bright colours with a party and up-beat vibe. New Orleans culture comes from all round the world, drawing on culture from: France, Africa, Caribbean, Haati, Germany, Ireland, with the main influence being African.

'The Meters' artwork as discussed is probably the best kind of artwork that highlights what we would be looking for.

I am aware that I'm leaving it quite open to what you could do! (Apologies if this makes things difficult!)

Becca

From: kala_7@hotmail.co.uk
To: beccahurrell@hotmail.com
Subject: Graphic student
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:40:18 +0100

Hey :)

It's Kala the graphic student chosen to create a brand for your band Loose-Knit Funk. I was just wondering if you have any more tracks/recordings you could send me so I can get a better understanding of the style of music and you as a band etc. Also if you have any further ideas or thoughts you would like me to consider?

Thanks.

General CD Cover Research

www.smashingmagazine.com

From the given links on moodle, inspirationfeed.com, smashingmagazine.com and bestdesignoptions.com. Here our a few examples of the art work that inspired me and what I found interesting. I like the simplicity of most of the pieces which I like to think is my style of work. I like the idea of the imagery catching the viewers attention and quite elegant/subtle rather than the other way around. The top two examples from smashingmagazine the colouring drew me in, I have a fair idea of what the band want in their design. They want me to go along the lines of Old Orleans and mardi gras and big festival, so I am going to research into that but initially I have thought of warm colours yellows and reds to relate to this theme.
The colouring in these art works is quite subtle and mellow which I really like and thinkI have chosen to research them as I have intial idea of what the band want already. Below the 'make do and mend' cover I really like, the style is similar to the photos I had done for the magazine spread project. The effect is a high exposure making it quite raw and slightly retro which may work really well as the band is jazz-funk and are influenced by 60's and 70's musicians. I also like in the majority of these pieces there are no photographs used it's mainly illustration which I think I would like to play and experiment with.

www.bestdesignoptions.com

www.inspirationfeed.com

New Orleans

In recent emails from Loose-knit funk they have specifically asked me to look into new orleans which is the birthplace of jazz and famously known for their Mardi Gras events. Here are a few points i Picked up on new orleans and theMardi Gras festival.
- New Orleans is well know for distinct french creole architecture.
- Cross cultural heritage
- Birthplace of jazz
- Has a notorious nightlife
- Has a french quarter which links in with that cross cultural element.
- Mardi Gras is french for 'Fat Tuesday'
Mardi Gras
- Largest music festival people come to experience the food, music and the arts, featuring local and international artists and musicians.
- Latin American and African cultures
- Use european instruments with African rhythms
'New Orleans was the only Northern American city who allowed slaves to play native music in public.'
This quote gave me a wider understanding of New Orleans culture and how it differs from other countries around the time of slavery, it's more open and shows some signs for equality.
the festival contained rhythm and blues, were was such thing as voodoo drumming and dancing and it was multi cultural so had mixed races.
'It was the meeting and mixing, of the essences and emotions of many people, of many cultures.'

Here are a couple of pictures I have collated from google images of a Mardi Gras festival in New Orleans. I have been to a Mardi Gras before in America and remember lots of beads, feathers and masks usually in yellows greens and purples. The party vibe was unbelievable it was just loud, lively and fun, colours everywhere loads of things going on everywhere you don't know where to look! So much fun. Traditionally it's the last day for catholics to indulge before ash wednesday when they begin fasting for lent.
'French royals, feather-covered showgirls, Energizer bunnies, painted clowns, masked lions—you can find them all (and countless others) in the streets of New Orleans at Mardi Gras. By dawn on that most famous Tuesday, people have claimed the best spots on the streets to watch fabulous floats, outrageous performers, and visiting celebrities go by. Many travel hundreds of miles to be a part of the excitement.
Marching bands, some of them founded more than a century ago, also take to the streets with music and festive dress. They open the day by spreading jazz music through the city before the more than 350 floats and 15,000 costumed paraders take over the scene. Crazy costumes and wild make-up are the order of the day for paraders and parade-watchers alike. The most lavish get-ups can be seen at the cross-dressing beauty pageants in the French Quarter, where bawdy costuming may reach new heights (over seven feet, in heels)'
www.infoplease.com/spot/mardigras1.html

The Meters

The Meters were an american funk band formed in 1965 until around 1977 based in New Orleans, The Meters defined New Orleans funk and played an influential role as backing musicians and rarely made it into the mainstream, their sound is classed as earthy and a homey rhythm. New Orleans still hold large Jazz Events and still known for it's jazz heritage. Below are some album covers for The Meters, the top 3 are more recent ones than the ones below. The Meters are a band mentioned by Loose-Knit Funk who inspire them and are a fan of the art work and was advised to research them to understand the style of work. Overall The album covers are fun and quirky, for example The Meters Jam album cover is quite ironic and playful as jam is a word associated with musicians but it is also using the reference of a jam jar making it comical. also with the Kickback cover using a hand written text makes me believe that as a band they are quite relaxed and laid back about their music and style. Typography wise they are very experimental with their type, they don't tend to follow a specific trend through their covers. the band name in the jam jar cover uses a variety of sizes to fit in together again giving me the impression that it's quite fun and unconventional/raw. I think looking at over soul-funk album covers they all try to include an element of fun to emphasise their music style with the use of colours of experimental typographic designs.

To the left the album is quite simple compared to pervious covers and my connotation of this was it reminded me of The Beatles famous road crossing album cover, only because of the idea of the road and the band on it, a strange connotation I know, it's just what I instantly thought of when i saw this. This cover in particular differs a lot from the previous two using a high quality image and it's graphical if thats even a word, it's more dynamic and looks more controlled than say the album cover above, the type has dramatically changed looking more contemporary and well positioned.