COVER ART PROJECT
COVER ART PROJECT
MUSIC, MOVIE, VIDEO GAME, or BOOK COVER
MUSIC, MOVIE, VIDEO GAME, or BOOK COVER
Well hopefully by now you’ve learned enough about Photopea to create a project where you need very little instruction. For this project there are only a few rules you are going to have to follow. First is finding a movie, music album, book , or video game cover to use as your model. Next you’ll have to create the document using the correct size and resolution. And the most important requirement is that you can’t copy and paste anything off of the original cover you are using for your model.
Well hopefully by now you’ve learned enough about Photopea to create a project where you need very little instruction. For this project there are only a few rules you are going to have to follow. First is finding a movie, music album, book , or video game cover to use as your model. Next you’ll have to create the document using the correct size and resolution. And the most important requirement is that you can’t copy and paste anything off of the original cover you are using for your model.
FINDING A COVER TO USE AS YOUR MODEL: You may choose to do the cover of a movie, music album, book , or video game, but I wont’ accept just any cover. The cover you choose should have at least one person in it, preferably more. ( I will accept some covers with no people in them, but these covers would most likely require advanced Photopea filters and tricks. Again, I will have to OK it.) Look for a cover that won’t be too easy – one that will challenge you and require you to use many of the Photopea skills you should have acquired throughout the course of the year. It must also have text in it. When you find a cover you would like to do, have me look at it to make sure it meets the requirements, and see that it is a project that will be suitable for your ability. Look at the examples on this page to give you a good idea what might be acceptable. Yes, some look fairly easy, but remember we want to challenge you, and have you do something that will be suitable for YOUR ability.
FINDING A COVER TO USE AS YOUR MODEL: You may choose to do the cover of a movie, music album, book , or video game, but I wont’ accept just any cover. The cover you choose should have at least one person in it, preferably more. ( I will accept some covers with no people in them, but these covers would most likely require advanced Photopea filters and tricks. Again, I will have to OK it.) Look for a cover that won’t be too easy – one that will challenge you and require you to use many of the Photopea skills you should have acquired throughout the course of the year. It must also have text in it. When you find a cover you would like to do, have me look at it to make sure it meets the requirements, and see that it is a project that will be suitable for your ability. Look at the examples on this page to give you a good idea what might be acceptable. Yes, some look fairly easy, but remember we want to challenge you, and have you do something that will be suitable for YOUR ability.
You may be wondering, “where do I find a cover?” Well there’s always that marvelous resource called the Internet you have right at your fingertips. You can do a Bing or Google image search for famous movie, book, or game covers, or if you know which cover it is that you want to do, you can always do an image search of it.
You may be wondering, “where do I find a cover?” Well there’s always that marvelous resource called the Internet you have right at your fingertips. You can do a Bing or Google image search for famous movie, book, or game covers, or if you know which cover it is that you want to do, you can always do an image search of it.
IMAGE SIZE & RESOLUTION: Once you have found the cover you would like to do and I have given it the “OK”, you need to create a new document. The size will be one size for CD’s and another for DVD’s (video games will vary). The resolution for any/all should be set to 300 dpi. If you choose a CD, make it 4.75 inches square. If you choose a DVD cover, make it 5 inches wide by 7.25 inches high. Game covers may be either size depending on the game you choose.
IMAGE SIZE & RESOLUTION: Once you have found the cover you would like to do and I have given it the “OK”, you need to create a new document. The size will be one size for CD’s and another for DVD’s (video games will vary). The resolution for any/all should be set to 300 dpi. If you choose a CD, make it 4.75 inches square. If you choose a DVD cover, make it 5 inches wide by 7.25 inches high. Game covers may be either size depending on the game you choose.
MAKING THE COVER: To replicate the cover you chose, you will take photos of you and/or your friends or family and pose them in the same positions as the characters in the model cover. You’ll remove them from their backgrounds and place them in your cover, size them and arrange them to match. If at school, choose people within the Art Design class, as pulling students out of other classes causes too much disruption for many teachers. Whoever you choose outside of class is up to you. Choose fonts and effects that are the closest to that of the model cover. (see more about text below) You may find objects, backgrounds, etc. off of the internet to place in your project that resemble or are close to those that are in the cover model, but you may not use, or copy and paste images directly from the model. Of course you’re always welcome to take your own pictures of objects or backgrounds. Objects, backgrounds and effects you can’t find, you may have to hand paint using Photopea brushes & tools. Do the best job you know how using the skills you have learned throughout the year to replicate the cover you have selected. There are many ways to achieve similar results, though certain methods will be more efficient and/or produce better results than others. If you’re not sure how to go about achieving a particular result or effect, make sure to ask me and I will be happy to help you. Or, you could always look up how to create certain affects from some of the sites listed on my Extra Credit web page.
MAKING THE COVER: To replicate the cover you chose, you will take photos of you and/or your friends or family and pose them in the same positions as the characters in the model cover. You’ll remove them from their backgrounds and place them in your cover, size them and arrange them to match. If at school, choose people within the Art Design class, as pulling students out of other classes causes too much disruption for many teachers. Whoever you choose outside of class is up to you. Choose fonts and effects that are the closest to that of the model cover. (see more about text below) You may find objects, backgrounds, etc. off of the internet to place in your project that resemble or are close to those that are in the cover model, but you may not use, or copy and paste images directly from the model. Of course you’re always welcome to take your own pictures of objects or backgrounds. Objects, backgrounds and effects you can’t find, you may have to hand paint using Photopea brushes & tools. Do the best job you know how using the skills you have learned throughout the year to replicate the cover you have selected. There are many ways to achieve similar results, though certain methods will be more efficient and/or produce better results than others. If you’re not sure how to go about achieving a particular result or effect, make sure to ask me and I will be happy to help you. Or, you could always look up how to create certain affects from some of the sites listed on my Extra Credit web page.
KEEP LAYERS INTACT & ORGANIZED: Do not flatten your image. I want to see how you created your image and how it is broken down into its separate layers. Organize your layers; make sure they are titled appropriately, so that it is easy to determine what is on the layer. Also use folders (the folder icon in the layers palette) if you have a lot of layers. Backgrounds, individual objects, and characters should all be on separate layers. You may also use layer masks, clipping masks, adjustment layers, etc.
KEEP LAYERS INTACT & ORGANIZED: Do not flatten your image. I want to see how you created your image and how it is broken down into its separate layers. Organize your layers; make sure they are titled appropriately, so that it is easy to determine what is on the layer. Also use folders (the folder icon in the layers palette) if you have a lot of layers. Backgrounds, individual objects, and characters should all be on separate layers. You may also use layer masks, clipping masks, adjustment layers, etc.
TEXT: Your cover must include text. Look at how the example cover text is, and pick a font that is the closest to the example. In many cases you won’t find an exact match. Also look at the text effects. Remember, you can add effects such as bevel and emboss, and shadow very easily with the Layer Effects button, located at the bottom of the Layer’s palette.
TEXT: Your cover must include text. Look at how the example cover text is, and pick a font that is the closest to the example. In many cases you won’t find an exact match. Also look at the text effects. Remember, you can add effects such as bevel and emboss, and shadow very easily with the Layer Effects button, located at the bottom of the Layer’s palette.
That’s it. You have a lot of freedom on this project, and it has been a favorite of Graphic Design students in the past. Challenge yourself so as to learn as much as you possibly can, and most importantly, have fun!
That’s it. You have a lot of freedom on this project, and it has been a favorite of Graphic Design students in the past. Challenge yourself so as to learn as much as you possibly can, and most importantly, have fun!
Mr. Berdino
Mr. Berdino