The front cover of the Chutes Too Narrow digipak by The Shins uses a variety of bright colors and imaginative illustrations to catch the audience's attention. Both the band name and album name are placed cleverly within the illustrations. The inside continues the pastel color scheme and subtle design elements. The CD features similar illustrations and brighter colors to stand out while not overcrowding the design. Overall the digipak utilizes illustrations and color strategically to intrigue audiences.

1. DIGIPAK
ANALYSIS

2. Chutes Too Narrow - The Shins
The front cover to this CD
digipak is very busy an colourful,
appealing more to the audience
at is becomes eye catching due
to variety of colour an
illustrations. Again, the use of
colour is influential for the band
as it is striking towards the
audience and the pictures create
them to be intrigued,
encouraging them to purchase.
The cover includes both the bans
name, which is in the top right
corner an the banns album
name opposite, in the bottom
left corner. The positioning of
the words are placed cleverly as
they are made to look like they
are a part of the illustration that
is going on. For example, the CD
name is placed on a sign to
create a more fun an imaginative
effect. The illustrations on the
cover are also very imaginative
as it isn't clear on what they are;
this makes the cover have a
childish yet ambiguous effect.
The cover of the CD includes various
different colors to create a pastel
colour scheme that attracts the
audiences attention. The choice of
colour pallet is use through out the
whole of the digipak makes a subtle
and formation.
In the digipak the CD comes in a slip in
case to ensure that the CD is easily
accessible. The design of the CD interests
me as it again features illustrations similar
to those on the cover of the digipak. The
unusual drawing on the CD consists of
brighter colours that also stand out to the
audience, and the format is effective as it
doesn’t cramp everything together or
attempt to increase everything to a larger
size to fill space. As the name of the band
are The Shins, an illustration of a leg has
been added onto the CD to emphasize the
name and to make the CD look more
cheesy as the band are actually indie. By
using this technique the bands genre
shines through more and emphasizes
their individuality.

3. The inside of the digipack
is again very busy similar
to the front, however
instead of the need for a
variety of illustrations, the
back features information
that is valuable to the
audience. In each bubble
is the name of a song and
credits to the producers
and team who helped to
produce the song.
The back of the digipack leads on from the front illustration wise, as
the picture folds over for the front and back to create a continuous
image. This indicates that the back also uses the same colour
scheme, effective as there isn’t a part of the digipak that stops pulling
in the audience and grabbing their attention.
Still linking to the illustrations, the creators of the digipak have used
that to their advantage to add in important information. On the sign
in the left corner, the names if the songs that feature in the album
are available to see, and the crediting underneath which would
usually be on the spine. At the bottom of the product, there is a bar
code again made to look like a part of the illustration. I like
this technique as it allows the digipack to still look neat and productive even by adding in writing. Also,
underneath the pictures it looks like hand written words are peering through, shown on the pink areas.
This could possibly be the songs in the album, when they were first being produced on paper, and the
band decided that they wanted to incorporate that into the albums digipak.

4. Cut Out and Keep- Farrah
The front cover of the digipak is very busy; looking similar to maybe a work desk or worktop. The indie band, Farrah,
have expressed their individuality through their CD cover. By spreading random objects on a desk surprisingly creates
an intriguing effect as the audience will be wanted to listen to the songs and find out the mood they create. For
example the bright colours used in the digipak give the impression of an up beat and ecstatic atmosphere. By not
having the band/ artist on the digipak creates a more ambiguous outcome. The name of the album is also place on the
front of the digipak which also blends into the background theme, by using stickers and card.
The back of the digipak there is a sticky note on the wall,
which includes the 13 songs that feature on the album. To
make the writing stand out less an blend in more with the
theme of the album, it was made to look like a to do list
on a post-it note. The digipak doesn’t include a bar code,
indicating that it will be on the cellophane wrapper.
However, this could have been cleverly place in, again
blend with the theme of the album.
Much like their other albums, the CD to Cut Out
and Keep is place in a tray when the pack is
opened, keeping it secure and safe.

5. Declare A New State - Submarines
Throughout the ‘Declare A New State’ digipak the use of colour is quite bland and dull, no bright colours are used in the
creation of the album. These chosen colours all mixed together completely compliment each other to create an
ambiguous and unique effect when joined with the dark illustrations. They were create to present as quite scruffy and
rough to contribute towards the effect that the albums digipak creates. The digipak is highly music orientated as on the
front, case and CD there are illustrations of instruments such a pianos
an keyboards which implies they use theses commonly in their music.
The digipak doesn't’t include any photos of the band but instead their
personality an music is presented through the presentation of their
album digipak. The name of the band is clearly shown at the top of
the cover in the same font that is used on other texts throughout.
This font is also used in all their work showing a motif for their album
digipaks.
The inside of the album has a case for the CD to sit whilst it isn't being
used. This is a safer an easier things to use instead of a slot in. it also
keeps the CD from getting scratched and damaged.
The back of the digipak again includes the same colour scheme as the
rest of the album, and also follows the illsutartions as it includes the
birds that feature on the inside of the album. Underneath the
pictures, there is important text;
there is a listing of the songs and
in the small print at the very
bottom there is credits to
production. An email address and
website is also available. A slide
on cover for the album is also
used to keep the album is good
condition. It again features the
dark illustrations of the bird and
an instrument.