Just finished mastering? Now you need artwork for your album cover.
There are basically 6 ways to get album artwork for music releases:
– Hire a designer or illustrator
– Make a photoshoot
– Create it on your own
– Use a free licence image
– Find an image that you like and ask the creator to allow you to use it
– Get a premade cover
Hire a good designer or illustrator
PROS
- You can ask the designer to transfer your own idea to the artwork.
- The work will be professional
- You will not have any problems with the files. Or if any, the designer will be there to help and provide you with ready to use files.
- It will be easier to make changes or create new related artworks (e.g. memorabilia) in the future.
- Your artwork will be unique and you will probably have all the rights of it.
CONS
- Good designers charge a lot. (And this is exactly what they should do).
- It might take a long time for a designer to create your artwork, depending on his schedule. Try to start working early on your artwork.
- Designers are not mind readers. Even if the designer is a good professional, the result might not satisfy you, but you will have to pay.
Plan a Photoshoot
PROS
- You will have a nice image of you (or your band) on your album cover, that will communicate well with your audience and improve recognition.
- You will be able to use these images for all your communication/advertising on social media etc.
- The work will look professional (if the photographer is a professional).
- Your artwork will be unique.
- You will probably have all the rights of your photos (you should discuss that with the photographer).
CONS
- Good photographers charge a lot. (And this is exactly what they should do, too).
- You need to spend some hours too to participate in the photo-shooting. You must take care of your clothes, hair, make up etc (probably extra cost).
- Even if the photographer is a good professional, the result might not satisfy you.
- After shooting you must spend time to choose the images you like, and then work with the photographer for photo editing.
Do not forget that after photo-shooting you will need a designer to create the album artwork files (add titles if needed, resize, etc). If you spend money on photo-shooting, it is not worth doing that on your own.
Create it on your own
PROS
- Affordable or no cost at all.
- You can do anything you want (if you have design apps and you know how to use them).
- Your artwork will be unique.
CONS
- If you know very little (or nothing) about drawing and typography, even if you like what you just made, there is a large possibility that this result will not help your music.
- It is hard to transfer your thoughts to an artwork, if you are not a designer.
- In order your artwork to be suitable for distributing platforms (or printing) it should match some criteria. If you make mistakes, the distributing procedure will be delayed and you might also have to make the cover again, from scratch.
- Engaging in this task consumes valuable time and energy, which could otherwise be channeled towards your primary goal of creating exceptional music.
Use a free licence image as album art
PROS
- No cost.
- You can choose an image that you like.
- Fast. You do not need to wait for someone else to make it for you.
CONS
- Your artwork will not be unique. Many people use free images to create a lot of stuff, such as covers, banners, prints, packages, flyers etc.
- You must spend time to create the album artwork files files (add titles if needed, resize, etc) which should match some criteria. If you make mistakes, the distributing procedure will be delayed and you might also have to make the cover again, from scratch.
- You learn about the rights and the way you will be allowed to use the image.
Find an image that you like and ask the creator to allow you to use it
PROS
- There is a chance that the creator of the image might allow you to use it for free.
- You can choose an image that you really like.
- Fast. You do not need to wait for someone else to make it for you.
CONS
- You need a designer to create the album artwork files (add titles if needed, resize, etc) which should match some criteria. If you make mistakes, the distributing procedure will be delayed and you might also have to make the cover again, from scratch.
- You might see your artwork used again somewhere else.
- The image must be of a high resolution in order to be distributed/printed. You must ask the creator for this info and find out what kind of file he/she can give you.
- You must make an agreement with the creator about the rights and the way you will be allowed to use the image.
Get a premade one
PROS
- Affordable.
- You can choose an image that best suits your music. The artwork will be professional.
- Fast. You do not need to wait for someone else to make it for you. You can download it and use it immediately. (Even if you ask for adding titles and names, it is usually done in a few days). In music-artwork.com we believe that text is not always necessary. Read here why.
- Your artwork will be unique, (unless acquired from platforms that offer non-unique pieces).
- The files will be of a high resolution, suitable for distributing and printing.
- You will probably have all the rights of your artwork. Take the time to acquaint yourself with the licensing details provided on the website from which you purchase the artwork.
- You can add titles and names on your own.
- You have the option to choose between many artworks, which can be much more inspirational that you could imagine.
CONS
- You cannot have a cover exactly as you might have imagined, or ask to make edits on what you see. Even though, since you are the owner of this image, you have the right to edit it on your own.
- If you want to print, you need a designer to make the rest of the package.