This document discusses digipak album packaging for folk rock music. It provides details on what a digipak is and how it offers more creative design options than a jewel case. Research was conducted on the album art of 5 folk rock bands - Cat Stevens, Laura Marling, Bon Iver, Mumford & Sons, and Simon & Garfunkel. Most of their album covers featured hand-drawn or painted art rather than photographs, marketing the artist as having natural talent rather than relying on technology. This style of album art matches the folk rock genre's themes of being in touch with 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 font colour used is orange-red The entire background of the
which matches the myriad of colours album cover is not a
of the things drawn around the photograph which is more
background. matches the background. common for digipaks of other
Her name is printed within a flower. mainstream genres but hand
The background consists of drawn which is a common
butterflies, snake on a plant, smiley feature of folk rock album art
face sun, mushroom, a crocodile, bug that is often painted or 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 Marling:
The actual font type is very curly at Alas I Cannot Swim, Bob
the ends and matches the curly inside Dylan: Blood On The Tracks)
strands of the flower – it looks like her have hand drawn or painted
name has grown into the flower, her art on the cover – the few
identity is tied up within it and nature. photos they do have are either
This is is consistent with the theme of mixed with art (Cat Stevens:
folk genre which usually markets the Catch Bull at Four), or tend
artist as being a part of nature (see show the artist in a nature
cover Iron & Wine: Our Endless setting (Simon & Garfunkel:
Numbered Days). Sounds of 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 font colour used is yellow like The entire background of the album
the shade of sunlight, and matches IMPROVEMENTS:
Examples, link to cover is not a photograph which is more
the background. This is in keeping common for digipaks of other
with the the most dominant theme of marketing, what audiences
match, use target audience mainstream genres but hand drawn
folk rock which is being in touch with which is a common feature of folk rock
nature. research, look at marketing of
folk rock or other genres, the album art that is often painted or drawn.
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 Swim,
genre which is about truth and Bob Dylan: Blood On The Tracks) have
personal talent over technology, so hand drawn or painted art on the cover
reminds the listener that this music is – the few photos they do have are either
what the artist has written himself and mixed with art (Cat Stevens: Catch Bull
is not subject to the producer of the at Four), or tend show the artist in a
record label’s demands. nature setting (Simon & Garfunkel:
Sounds of Silence).
This also links back to how the artist
has been marketed similarly in his This markets the artist as having
videos where genre characteristics natural talent to use in their art instead
match album cover characteristics in of technology. This is in keeping with the
their connotations of nature with a folk rock theme of staying in touch with
lack of technology (Bon Iver: nature, along with the very simple
Calgary), relying on artist’s musical setting of the artist lying on the grassy
talents and his reality (Iron & Wine: ground and nothing else.
Boy With A Coin).
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 font colour 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 font colour 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, all of which are popular topics for the folk
rock music genre..
The artist has been depicted typical of folk rock artists. Here he has a fair 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 also
indicated by the pleasant smile on his face.

11. The font type is in capitals
and a very simple font,
which looks quite classic
looking. Its simplicity does
A photograph has been
not distract from the nature
used for the front cover
around him.
which is on a dirt road with
The font colour used is
the two singers walking on it
white for the artists’ name,
and glancing back at the
indicating their purity of mind
viewer of the cover. These
and music, truth and
types of roads are
introspection a key theme of
natural, relating to the
folk rock music. The album
convention of nature within
name is blue, connotations
the folk rock genre, and also
of peace which fits the
at the same time much more
‘silence’ part of the name.
timeless than roads made
with modern machinery or
materials today. The artists
walking on the road made of
dirt show that they are
making their own way
through life, and looking
back works as symbolically
The band have been depicted wearing the typical dress of the music style which is closely
looking back on their life – it
related to how indie artists dress, a mix of how Samuel Beam in his Iron & Wine - Boy With A
means they learn from their
Coin video and Mumford & Sons - Little Lion Man video were dressed. Smart clothing, fitted
past. This sells the artists as
jeans/trousers and woolen black coats, one holding something made of tartan fabric in his
wise and experienced in
hand – with connotations of the country and nature. Their smart clothing indicates that they
life, a common persona for
are mature, and serious about their music, and the lack of any jewellery or obviously
the folk rock band or artist.
luxurious materials that would be seen in e.g. an RnB cover with the artist covered in bling,
further shows their humility and lack of concern for materialistic things. This sells the artist as
humble and more interested in the abstract, in ideals, into the integrity of the music.

12. The background is simple and matches the front cover in colour theme. The
colours are canary yellow, coral and lavender and white, spring colours reminiscent
of florals and new beginnings. New beginnings indicate starting over after reflecting
on a life that could have been better, and so again links back to how folk artists are
sold as introspective and wise. The font type is also classically cut and simple,
very minimalist which ties in with humbleness without excessive luxury – the artist
is marketed as living a simple modest lifestyle.
The record label’s logo 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.