The document provides information about designing a digipak for a folk rock album. It discusses the key characteristics of digipaks, including their book-style design which protects CDs. It also analyzes the album art and designs of five folk rock bands, noting that most album covers in the genre feature hand-drawn or painted art rather than photos. This hand-drawn art markets the artist as having natural talent rather than relying on technology. Overall designs are often simple with an emphasis on connecting the artist to nature.

1. Digipak Research
Folk Rock
Hanan Mohamed 5161

2. About our Digipak
 A Digipak is a book-style fold out paperboard or card outer binding used
to hold CDs on the inside, the first alternative to jewel case packaging.
It’s much less likely to crack then jewel cases and allows the
manufacturer more creativity with the graphics and overall design. The
panels can range from from 4, to 6, to 8 etc.
 For our chosen track we must create a Digipak to market the band – this
will be done using skills of editing, software e.g. Photoshop, photography
and design skills. In researching digipaks however it was difficult to find
recent examples as folk rock is a genre that was explored much more by
artists a couple of decades ago than the present day and full digipaks
are relatively new and more common in the more popular genres e.g.
pop, hip hop, RnB etc. Even though album covers front covers are easily
found, the inside and back covers are not always available. To the best
of my ability I have researched five different bands’ albums front and
back covers and analysed them in the following slides.
 The bands and artists I have used are: Cat Stevens, Laura Marling, Bon
Iver, Mumford & Sons, and Simon & Garfunkel.

3. The entire background of the
The fontcolour used is orange-red album cover is not a
which matches the myriad of colours photograph which is more
of the things drawn around the common for digipaks of other
background. matches the background. mainstream genres but hand
Her name is printed within a flower. drawn which is a common
The background consists of feature of folk rock album art
butterflies, snake on a plant, smiley that is often painted or drawn.
face sun, mushroom, a crocodile, bug
and overall wildlife amongst flowers Of the album covers I
and plants all painted in researched in this
blue, red, yellow and orange. This presentation and the ones on
makes for a very bright, colorful album my homepage and
cover which draws attention. research, the majority (Laura
Marling: Alas I Cannot
The actual font type is very curly at Swim, Bob Dylan: Blood On
the ends and matches the curly inside The Tracks) have hand drawn
strands of the flower – it looks like her or painted art on the cover –
name has grown into the flower, her the few photos they do have
identity is tied up within it and nature. are either mixed with art (Cat
This is is consistent with the theme of Stevens: Catch Bull at
folk genre which usually markets the Four), or tend show the artist
artist as being a part of nature (see in a nature setting (Simon &
cover Iron & Wine: Our Endless Garfunkel: Sounds of
Numbered Days). Silence).
This markets the artist as
having natural talent to use in
their art instead of technology.
This is in keeping with the folk
rock theme of staying in touch
with nature, along with the
very simple setting of the artist
lying on the grassy ground
and nothing else.

4. The back cover matches the front cover as it is also hand drawn with an extended
version of the wildlife amongst plants drawn on the right half. As Laura Marling’s
name was tied within the nature on the front cover, this is now associated with her
so the large block of art stands in as a symbol of her – her name does not need to
be printed in large. The track list is kept simple, bold and black on a light
background and its simplicity is also in keeping with the general track listing style of
folk music genres. The art was so ornamental that nothing further is needed to
make a statement about the genre and what it means.
The record label’s logo, website and address are
present next to the barcode to sell the label
themselves and associate themselves with the artist
as well as give credit.

5. The fontcolour used is yellow like the The entire background of the album
shade of sunlight, and matches the IMPROVEMENTS: cover is not a photograph which is more
background. This is in keeping with Examples, link to marketing, common for digipaks of other
the the most dominant theme of folk what audiences match, use mainstream genres but hand drawn
rock which is being in touch with target audience research, look which is a common feature of folk rock
nature. at marketing of folk rock or other album art that is often painted or drawn.
genres, the selling, the genre
The actual font looks like cursive and the audience Of the album covers I researched in this
joined up it looks like it has been presentation and the ones on my
handwritten as opposed to type. This homepage and research, the majority
is important to the persona of folk (Laura Marling: Alas I Cannot
genre which is about truth and Swim, Bob Dylan: Blood On The
personal talent over technology, so Tracks) have hand drawn or painted art
reminds the listener that this music is on the cover – the few photos they do
what the artist has written himself and have are either mixed with art (Cat
is not subject to the producer of the Stevens: Catch Bull at Four), or tend
record label’s demands. show the artist in a nature setting
(Simon & Garfunkel: Sounds of
This also links back to how the artist Silence).
has been marketed similarly in his
videos where genre characteristics This markets the artist as having
match album cover characteristics in natural talent to use in their art instead
their connotations of nature with a of technology. This is in keeping with the
lack of technology (Bon Iver: Calgary), folk rock theme of staying in touch with
relying on artist’s musical talents and nature, along with the very simple
his reality (Iron & Wine: Boy With A setting of the artist lying on the grassy
Coin). ground and nothing else.
The artist has been depicted similar to his real life self. Here he has a large beard with an open necked
shirt, and appears to be sleeping. He fits quite neatly into the grass around him, and with his eyes closed looks
very at peace – this markets the artist as being a part of nature, a peaceful person at heart. Not looking at the
camera or even out at all shows he is focused on his music, and is an introspective person. His long beard
although natural is almost a part of a costume or dress code as across artists in the folk rock genre most men
keep beards to emphasize their maturity and life experience, and the long beard has connotations of
wisdom, spirituality. This sells the artist as a wise, mature, peaceful man at one with nature and in the business
for the music and not the money.

6. The background matches the front cover as it is also hand
drawn with a grass ground background, the font type and
colour remain the same. Although curiously, the artist here is
completely absent – but his imprint is left behind on the grass
so when looking at the back the viewer stills thinks of the
artist, who has actually been made conspicuous by his
absence.
The record label’s logo, website and address are
present next to the barcode to sell the label
themselves and associate themselves with the artist
as well as give credit.

7. The font type is in capitals
and a very simple font,
A photograph has been
which looks quite classic
used for the front cover
looking.
which looks like a typical
The fontcolour used is a
street, and the focus is on
simple black on white, which
the shop on the middle
is in keeping with the
which looks like an old
simplicity of the folk rock
charity shop, a boutique or a
genre. Simplicity shows no
shop that sells vintage
need for showing off or
clothing – not any shop that
glamour, indicates humility
would be found on the high
which leads to introspection
street and does not need to
which the artists are sold as.
be flashy with lights and big
displays to advertise itself.
Although this cover does not
reference nature, the
vintage impression is
consistent with folk rock
music being presented in a
way as having links with
history and past culture, and
The band have been depicted wearing the typical dress of the music style which is closely fashion/dress is a large part
related to how indie artists dress. They are wearing hats, waistcoats, baggy jeans tucked into of culture – this genre
boots, long coats and instruments in hand. They look like mannequins in the shop window, characteristic is also seen
which as mentioned in the analysis of the front cover on the right looks like from another time within the music video iron &
period – they are the band in the shop window, they have become the product and you can Wine: Boy With A Coin
buy them. Their instruments being forefront even before them shows the music is the most where the dancers are all
important part. Under their hats they all have long floppy hair and stubble. Although not the dressed in a very classic
typical long beard of many other male artists in the folk rock genre, there is still stubble style of dress with even their
indicating their maturity and the facial hair symbolizes their masculinity and maturity, perhaps make up and in a traditional
indicating they will grow it into a beard – they’re young and new artists but their experience seeming dance.
and music is growing along with themselves as person. Again this sells the artist as looking
into the deeper meanings of life, and very much about the music although this impression is
slightly juxtaposed by their becoming the product in the window the aesthete of what the
customer wants to be

8. The background is even simpler than the front and focuses on one window, which
matches the shop window on the front cover, on a blank white wall. The colour
scheme is all white and glass, very simplistic once again and the band are absent
from the back cover – but the window has been left slightly open, and with the
track titles printed underneath shows that by listening to this album you have been
let into the band’s collective mind. This references the genre which is there for
introspection and usually has descriptive lyrics of significant events as opposed to
a clubber tune with three words being repeated to a repetitive tune.
The record label’s
logo, website and address are
present to sell the label
themselves and associate
themselves with the artist, as
well as give credit to them for
helping produce the album.

9. The fontcolour used is yellow like the shade of sunlight, on white for the album title and the artist name on a
rocky textured background. This is in keeping with the the most dominant theme of folk rock which is being in
touch with nature.
The font type is in capitals and a very simple font, which looks quite classic looking. Simplicity shows no need for
showing off or glamour, indicates humility which leads to introspection which the artists are sold as.
The entire background of the album cover is not a photograph which is more common for digipaks of other mainstream genres but
hand drawn which is a common feature of folk rock album art that is often painted or drawn. E.g. Laura Marling: Alas I Cannot
Swim, Bob Dylan: Blood On The Tracks)
The art also tends to be of nature or animals and wildlife: here within a yellow circle there is a little boy who looks like a monk holding
the snout of a bull. The bull signifies rage and for a little boy so young to have achieved the status of a monk’s inner peacefulness
and enlightenment to the extent that he has by himself calmed a wild animal speaks volumes about his capacity for peace. The boy
could be taken to represent the artist and the bull the artist’s inner demons which appear to have been defeated. The boy could be
taken to represent the artist and the bull the artist’s inner demons which appear to have been defeated. Like the Mumford & Sons:
Sigh No More album, once again the customer is presented with a window. We are on the outside looking into the artist’s mind, they
offer us a glimpse of their soul and this markets the artist as being peaceful, moral, reflective and introspective which artists are
usually sold as within the folk rock genre.

10. The background matches the front cover as it is also fairly The record label’s logo, printed name and address
plain with black print on a white background apart from the are present to sell the label themselves and
artist shown on the right. Interestingly although the band/artist associate themselves with the artist as well as give
if shown is usually on the front if not both sides, here they credit for producing the album.
have chosen to show him only on the back cover – this shows Even the track titles usually have something to do
that the music and his personal connection and feelings in the with spirituality, love or nature: ‘moon’, ‘star’, ‘angels’,
songs take precedence over the glamour of him as an artist, ‘sea’, ‘sunlight’, ‘sweet scarlet’ and ‘ruins’ which
or a rock star. reminds us of the ruins of history civilizations and
places.
The artist has been depicted typical of folk rock artists. Here he has afair sized beard with a deep open necked shirt, and has a
cigarette in one hand. He’s staring straight at the camera and consequently straight at us, looking happy with a smile and fairly
relaxed in a casual stance with long curly hair under his hat. He looks peaceful, marketing the artist as a peaceful person at heart.
His beard like other folk rock artists emphasizes his maturity and life experience.This sells the artist as a mature, peaceful man.