Jazznight Album Cover

Jazznight

ALBUM COVER

Artist, Album
Gowe, Jazznight

Format, Year
Album, 2021

In the early months of 2021, Gowe reached out to work on a cover for an album he was in the process of recording. Our last project was an exploration into a different genre. In his words, this album was to be a "return to the home I built".

The artwork had to be clean, beautiful, and timeless.

Scope
Album Cover
CD Packaging
Animation
Promo

The final album cover.

The artwork is a portrait collage comprised of hundreds of elements. Most are taken from work by the late Japanese artist Ohara Koson (1877–1945), which is now in the public domain. Here is a closer look:

Design Process

Step 1

Using a portrait photograph of Gowe as a guide, the elements were cut out and arranged in sequence to fill the silhouette. Each element was carefully recoloured to ensure harmony.

Step 2

The hoodie and shoulders were then drawn in following feedback that it was too difficult to see the face. This critical step frames the portrait and highlights the bright colours present in the rest of the artwork.

Step 3

The typography was added last, each letter being cut out and collaged in the same way.

Typography

The title was created by following the same principles.
Each letter was cut out individually and arranged.

Detailed view.

Demonstrating how the typography was made with the word Hourglass.

The original alphabet I used.

Physical Packaging

A limited run of 100 signed CDs was produced and quickly sold out. The package included an alternative front cover, liner notes, credits, tracklist, and a CD.

Every copy was personally autographed by Gowe.

Top: front cover, disc, back cover.
Bottom: alternative artwork, liner notes.

Back Cover Construction.

Since there are 13 songs on the album, it's possible to lay them out beautifully on a 5 x 5 grid.
Each song number is also contained within a shape with the same number of points.

Back Cover Construction.

Since there are 13 songs on the album, it's possible to lay them out beautifully on a 5 x 5 grid. Each song number is also contained within a shape with the same number of points.