Website progress

Today I made much more progress to my website. 

(Original Website Design)

(Current Website Design)

The first photo is my original design plan for my artists website, and I tried to stick to this as much as possible as I believed it was a good and sophisticated layout and design. So far, I have largely stuck to my design and have created a good looking website so far. I have however had to change some aspect due mainly to the fact I was not able to do them using the programme 'Iweb'. Such changes I have made include the use of a photo slideshow to the right of the webpage. Unfortunately I found I was unable to do this successfully on Iweb, so I decided to abandon that idea and instead borrow an idea that I saw on Modesteps (the band who wrote the song I'm doing) website. I added a list of tour dates instead as I felt this will allow my artist to seem more closer to his fans by keeping them up to date with tours so they're able to travel and see him perform live.
I have also decided to remove the twitter feed that I originally had plan and instead just placed a Twitter icon (along with YouTube and Facebook) there instead. This would still allow for the fans to follow my artist and what he does via Twitter, with the added bonus of also being able to follow him via Facebook, therefore I'm reaching out to a wider audience. And the Youtube Icon will allow for easy access to my artists videos.
I have also added an icon below the album cover to ITunes where fans will be able to buy and download the album. Easy accessibility will mean that more people will be inclined to buy it.

FINAL DIGIPAK

FINAL HOME PAGE

Final Logo Design Change

I have reviewed my final logo design in light of my Digipak, Website and Music video. I decided to add a fire element to my logo in order for it to be synergistic. Fire is a key theme throughout my band, as its closely related to destruction and rebellion. Which is the message my artist is going for. The florescent colours are still visible so it still creates a club/party vibe and adds to the 'caution sign' triangle, connotating danger along with the fire. Overall, I still believe I have created a successful logo that is suitable for a Dubstep artist. 

Digipak Finished

Today I finally finished my artists Digipak and I am very pleased with it. I originally planned to do a 4 panel Digipak but I chose instead to do a 6 panel Digipak. I initially created a 4 panel one but I felt this wasn't good enough, it didn't really look effective enough to me. I had also edited many pictures for my Digipak and so I would only have room for three more pictures, as I had already decided my logo would be on the CD tray. So a 6 panel Digipak will allow me to use more of my pictures.

This is my final Digipak design. It is synergistic as it keeps to the fire element that I have been incorporating in everything. It is very simplistic and eye catching, something that will appeal to our 'Struggler' target audience. They would not like to read lots so I had to keep as simplistic as possible, even using slang terms such as 'Famalam' to engage my audience and using as few words as possible. I have also incorporated as much as I have learned about dubstep digipaks into my digipak, for example I used very simplistic shots of the artist, this builds on the 'star persona' as a lot of emphasis is placed on him in the album. This is a common feature for a lot of dubstep digipaks. I have also used the same colour scheme on all the pictures in the digipak in order to make it look professional and eye catching. 

Front Cover
I chose this picture for the front cover because I believe it was the most suitable out of all the photo's we took that day. My artist is posed on a skate park, which had 'Life is to Live' sprayed painted onto it which was the inspiration for our album title. Unfortunately, because of my choice of colour scheme and adding a fire element to it, this was covered up. So I instead used the 'Cracked' font to write it instead, which I think works just as well. I also incorporated the mask in order to place more emphasis onto it, especially when the fans get round to watching the music video. The smiley face, the font, and the fire background make the front cover look very eye catching which is my desired affect.

Back Cover
I added this photo as the back cover as I believed it was an interesting shot to use. I like the double view you get of Dean, through the camera and just in the background. I would have been happier if I could have the focus on the camera screen and have Dean in the background blurred as I think this will look better but I am happy with how it is. I then added the list of songs to the side as it would still allow fans to see the artist as he's performing in front of the camera as it doesn't obstruct the focus of the image. The yellow font is also clearly visible and easy to read there where as this was unsuccessful in other photo's I tried this on. 

Left Cover
This was an interesting choice as dubstep usually has a playful aspect about it. As part of my research, I watched "Skrillex - Ruffneck" which had Santa doing drugs, but it still had a fun element to it despite the seriousness of the video by using drugs, i.e. the use of Santa and the slow motion run they do when the guys are chasing Santa. From that, and other research into dubstep, I realised dustep is very self aware, it doesn't try and take itself seriously, it like to be fun and random So I thought a shot of the artist and the figure who had chased my artist, playing like kids on the swings together would add a comical aspect to my digipak which the audience would appreciate.



Cover Inside
When I was experimenting with all the different affects on Phixr, I found the eye template and began playing around with various photo's. I wanted to have the eye template for both the 'Cover Inside' and 'Left Cover' so it would give the effect of the two eyes from the same person looking at you when you open the digipak. I added the fire effect to the eyes and added both a picture of the chaser and a picture of my artist in the mask. This again places emphasis on the mask and creates synergy through the use of the mask, the fire effect and images i.e. Artist and chaser.



Left Cover
When I was experimenting with all the different affects on Phixr, I found the eye template and began playing around with various photo's. I wanted to have the eye template for both the 'Cover Inside' and 'Left Cover' so it would give the effect of the two eyes from the same person looking at you when you open the digipak. I added the fire effect to the eyes and added both a picture of the chaser and a picture of my artist in the mask. This again places emphasis on the mask and creates synergy through the use of the mask, the fire effect and images i.e. Artist and chaser.



Back Inside
I used the logo as my back inside in order to create synergy so people will be able to associate the logo with my artist. I wanted to place my logo somewhere on my digipak, but I thought placing it as my back inside would be the most effective as they'll always see it every time they remove and put back the CD. I had originally planned to place it on the front cover of my album but when I tried it, I felt it didn't look right and the dark read fire of my logo clashed with the bright orange fire that was on the front cover. So I opted instead to put it as my back inside.



Website complete

 

Today I manged to finish my website and I am very happy with it. I have kept largely with my original design, I have extended the website from what I originally planned in order to create more space to accommodate for my music video and more news links, otherwise everything would be cramped and look very amateurish and unprofessional.
I have gained some peer review on my website and they thought it looked very good and professional. They said I have spaced everything out very well which makes it looks more professional and the conent makes it seem like a dubstep website, such as the use of slang words like 'Famalams' and the font style also is very suitable. The news feed they thought was especially good as it looks like my artist is engaging the audience and talking directly to you. So overall I believe I have created a successful website that is suitable for my dubstep artist.

Cracked Font

 

Today I decided to add the 'Cracked' font to my website, this is because I believe it was the most suitable font for my website based on it's graffitti like appearance. This sort of font will appeal to my target audience and looks very street and professional. I will use the 'Cracked' font on my other media products such as the music video and digipak in order to create synergy and so people will associate that font with my artist, like other bands have done like the Beatles and the Who.

Starting my website

I began by placing the logo in the top left corner of the webpage where I had originally planned to do it. I had two different versions of my logo which I wasn't sure what one looked better. After some quick peer review of both logo's, I decided to use the one placed in the top left of the image above, as they felt it gave off a much more club vibe, which is a large aspect of the dubstep genre. Now I had the logo in place, I could carry on with the rest of my website.

         

Final Logo Idea

This is the final idea for my artists logo. From research into other Dubstep logo's, I decided to use florescent colours in order to create a club/party vibe, a place where Dubstep is usually played (based on the response of our focus group).
The triangle is traditionally used for caution signs and is similar to the Danger close sign. The triangle connotates danger, which is the impression I want to give of my artist. Danger and Rebellion. 
The primary colour used is yellow, this once again connotates Danger as its traditionally the colour used in caution/danger signs. The use of blue is to build on the club vibe given off of the logo, it also makes the yellow stand out more.
The headphones in the center of the triangle connotates Dubstep, as the headphones are traditionally worn by Dubstep artists and DJ's.
Overall, I believe I have created a successful logo that is suitable for a Dubstep artist. The image gives a party/club vibe and I have used the primary colours that will be used in my website and Digipak. After some peer assessment, they all believe this logo is suitable to a Dubstep artist.