The document summarizes and analyzes several album covers from R&B artists including Keri Hilson, Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Ciara. Common techniques across the covers include featuring the artist's name prominently to promote recognition, positioning the artist visually to engage the audience, and incorporating stylistic elements like costumes, lighting, and color schemes to convey themes of femininity, romance, and empowerment.

1. The album name is a smaller font compared to the name of the artist, showing the importance of the artists name, digipaks are used to promote the artist as a whole rather than just that album. The lettering is in capital and the use of elispses cause the audience to ponder on the title of the album, and what Keri Hilson view of a perfect world is, which may be discussed in the album Name of the artist appears of the top, therefore is one of the first things seen. The font biggest here and bold with a broadway-like lighting font type. This could be done to portray this album as being quite theatrical as it is demanding the audiences attention. The background of this album cover is of a sunset, with water at the base of the cover (shown by the reflection). Since a sunset is often paired with a romance, this could have been used by the designer to symbolise this album is about love, something which r&b artists focus on in their songs. The colour scheme of this album uses quite dark colours and only uses four main colours; pink (highlighting femininity), yellow (bringing a brightness to the album), black (creating a mistiness about the album), and black/white ( allowing the artist to stand out in the foreground) The artist is positioned on the right hand side of the cover and is in a different tone from the rest of the album. This choice of layout could mean that the audience view Keri Hilson as they are opening the CD, reminding them about what they are about to listen to. The use of the chair as a prop with the artist sitting on in allows her to appear relaxed, as she slouches, while her legs up so a playful side to the artist. Direct eye contact is used to communicate directly with the audience, making it seem that the artist is selling the album directly yo them and is trying to entice them. The costume consists of a low cut short dress to appeal to the male audience and fit with the perception of females in the r&b world (attractive), while her revealed bra straps, leopard print tights and heels adds to this and her femininity.

2. The name of this artist again appears in the biggest lettering, as it is centered and a different colour from everything else. This makes Rihanna’s name stand and so the audience are fully aware of who the artist is The album name is however in a smaller font, in lower case and to the right hand side under the actual artists name. This shows that with r&b digipaks, the main selling point for the product is the artists name, as recognition of the artist will perhaps cause the audience to be more likely to buy it. R&B music is very much focused on the artist image, rather than just what the music is based on. Additionally the language used is quite informal, making a wider audience relate to the title The background of this CD cover is plain, and in black fading into grey, with dark shadowy lighting This could be used to create a deep inky feeling towards the album, which relates to the name ‘gone bad’, The lack of mise en scene causes the audience to focus directly on the artist Rihanna is positioned in the centre of the cover. The camera shot is that of a low angle, with her looking down on us, giving her a bit of power and showing her high status in the music world, while as her head it cut off as she looks directly down at the audience, even though she is in an awkward position it gives the impression that she has taken effort to look at them individually. The costume is of a tight figure dress, woth is conventional of R&B as it shows of the singers curves, while the simplistic jewelry highlight her femininity.

3. The name of the album is on the side of the CD cover. ‘I am... Sasha Fierce’ is quite a strong statement for the album cover. Fans of the artist will no what is meant by this and what buy the album as they are dedicated, however people who are unfamiliar of who Sasha Fierce is will be intrigued, as her name on the front is Beyonce, and may purchase the album to see what it is she is referring to The artist name is the only writing on the CD cover. The font is quite classical and the cross above it can symbolise that Beyonce has a moral character, which is is often portrayed as being. The colour sheme of the CD cover is black and white, which also links to Beyonces music videos for the tracks on this album. This creates a link between the two products. Here, the white background could be used to symbolise her innocence or purity. Soft lighting is used to fit the softness of nature A close up of the Beyonce’s face, with her using direct eye contact with the audience makes it appear that she is close to them. The also reminds them who’s album they are looking at, as her face takes up most of the cover. Her make-up appears minimal, and her hair neat, creating a quite natural appearing shot. However, her exaggerated pose shows that shs quite confident even though she doesn’s appear to be wearing anything except her bracklet

4. An italic font creates an immediate feminine feel to the album cover. The hand-written type font also creates a personalised touch to the album. Once again, the lettering is biggest here causing the audience to read it first The album name is in a smaller and block lettering font, which shows it is not as important as the artists name. Having said that it is a different colour to the rest of the album, making it stand out. The name of the album links to the twirls surrounding the artist and album name, as it is like she is morphing or growing into something else A soft pink is used as it is a feminine colour. The lighting is also soft to correspond with this theme The artist, like in Keri Hilsons album over, is positioned on the right hand side, so you can see her as you open the CD. A medium long shot together with her tight costume consisting of an animal print bodice shows of her body to appeal to the male audience- this is typical of R&B portrayal of females as being objects as the genre is often focused on body images/shape. The artsist is again using direct eye contact, as she poses in a feminine, soft but unnatural way to go along with the delicate theme. Her jewelry is simply but sophisciated looking, relating to a common convection of the females jewellry in a music video, while her light pink make-up, and the faint black eye shadow links with her softness and the colour scheme of the album