This document provides details about researching and analyzing Digipak album covers for a folk rock band. It summarizes the key findings from analyzing covers of 5 folk rock artists: - Most of the album covers had hand-drawn or painted art rather than photographs, which markets the artist as having natural talent rather than relying on technology. - The artwork often depicted the artist in a natural setting or incorporated natural elements to emphasize the folk rock theme of being connected to nature. - Common design elements across the covers included simple fonts and layouts, handwritten text, and artwork that tied the artist's identity to nature. These elements sell the artist as introspective, mature, and focused on the music rather than

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.

5. The fontcolour used isorange-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
butterflies, snake on a plant, smiley artthatis often painted or
face sun, mushroom, a crocodile, bug drawn.
and overall wildlife amongst flowers
and plants all painted in Of the album covers I
blue, red, yellow and orange. This researched in this
makes for a very bright, colorful album presentation and the ones on
cover which draws attention. my homepage and
research, the majority (Laura
The actual font type is very curly at Marling: Alas I Cannot
the ends and matches the curly inside Swim, Bob Dylan: Blood On
strands of the flower – it looks like her The Tracks) have hand drawn
name has grown into the flower, her or painted art on the cover –
identity is tied up within it and the few photos they do have
nature.This is is consistent with the are either mixed with art (Cat
theme of folk genre which usually Stevens: Catch Bull at
markets the artist as being a part of Four), or tend show the artist
nature (see cover Iron & Wine: Our in a nature setting (Simon &
Endless Numbered Days). Garfunkel: Sounds of
Silence).
This markets the artistas
having natural talent to use in
their art instead of technology.
Thisis 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.

6. 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.

7. 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 common for digipaks of other
the the most dominant theme of folk marketing, what audiences mainstream genres but hand drawn
rock which is being in touch with match, use target audience which is a common feature of folk rock
nature. research, look at marketing of album artthatis often painted or drawn.
folk rock or other genres, the
The actual font looks like cursive and selling, the genre 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 artistas having
match album cover characteristics in natural talent to use in their art instead
their connotations of nature with a of technology. Thisis in keeping with the
lack of technology (Bon Iver: folk rock theme of staying in touch with
Calgary), relying on artist’s musical nature, along with the very simple
talents and his reality (Iron & Wine: setting of the artist lying on the grassy
Boy With A 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.

8. 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.

9. The font type is in capitals
and a very simple
A photograph has been
font, which looks quite
used for the front cover
classic 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
Thebandhave been depicted wearing the typical dress of the music style. Here he has a fashion/dress is a large part
large beard with an open necked shirt, and appears to be sleeping. He fits quite neatly into of culture – this genre
the grass around him, and with his eyes closed looks very at peace –this markets the characteristic is also seen
artist as being a part of nature, a peaceful person at heart. Not looking at the camera or within the music video iron &
even out at all shows he is focused on his music, and is an introspective person. His long Wine: Boy With A Coin
beard although natural is almost a part of a costume or dress code as across artists in the where the dancers are all
folk rock genre most men keep beards to emphasize their maturity and life dressed in a very classic
experience, and the long beard has connotations of wisdom, spirituality. This sells the style of dress with even their
artist as a wise, mature, peaceful man at one with nature and in the business for the music make up and in a traditional
and not the money. seeming dance.