Music Artist Posters — What’s Inspiring Me?

The Challenge

I challenged myself to make fan posters for current albums/bands that are inspiring me. This series features the musical groups TV Girl, Electric Wizard Orchestra, and Snow Strippers. Being a Graphic Designer, I can be really picky when it comes to the merch that I buy from my favourite artists. This challenge is a way for me to show my appreciation for my favourite artists while also creating something that adheres to the vibe of the music and is visually appealing to look at for myself.

The Approach

Each of these posters were created in the duration of time it took for me to listen to the album front-to-back, and then I tweaked them while listening back on my favourite songs. Music is an integral part of my process, and this is a great way for me to get the gears turning and start designing. It’s a test of speed and a great way to generate inspiration before starting a large project.

What I Did

I began by listening to the album and sketching out 2–4 ideas for layouts that could be interesting to pursue. I spend the first song thinking of imagery and colour palettes to use, and try out a few rapidly. By the 2nd or 3rd song, I choose a layout and use a combination of Illustrator and Photoshop to create the composition. By the time the album finishes, I should have a solid design and will re-listen to my favourite songs and make final tweaks like layout and kerning.