The document discusses conventions for indie artist websites and album covers, analyzing examples from The Black Keys, Gotye, Regina Spektor, and MGMT. It finds that simple, vintage-inspired designs with easy navigation and links to social media are effective. The analyzed artists create distinct images through colors, fonts, and filters that reference both the indie genre and each artist's brand. The document concludes that applying grainy filters, vintage colors, and consistency between the website and album cover can help communicate the intended serious, female indie image for the student's own artist.

1. Ancillary
●We're studying other album covers and websites so we
can discover the common conventions of a website and
album cover of the indie genre. We will take what we've
found from our research and apply it into making our own
Digi pack for our artist, however we will not copy the artist
as it needs to be original and branded to our artist. This
will also help us to discover how the artist has created
there image and how we will create an image for our
artist.

2. Synergy
The use of websites, posters and Digi packs are to
help promote an artist and help promote their
individuality to the audience. It is important that the
website is easy to use and find key information
and for posters have the most useful information in
bold and easy to see. It will also need to include
things such as there latest song or album and key
theme linking to the bands image. When creating
an image for our artist will need to consider these
things in making the poster, website or Digi pack

3. The black keys have gone for a simple and
vintage looking website with easy access to all
the key information on the website. The website
although simple is effective as you can clearly see
when the album is released and where to buy it
when it does come out. Also the website is clearly
linked to the album as the cover image is the
background of the website. The website links to
the simple convention of the indie genre and is
something we would like to use for our artist. We
will also use the easy access to Itunes and social
networking that is used on this website.
The album cover is again simple yet effective as it
gives a vintage feel to the artists which is a convention
of the indie genre. The cover has a grainy filter on it
which is something we have considered for our artist
image as it shows a vintage style. The simplicity is
something we will use for our artist as we want her to
be relatable to the audience. However unlike the
black keys we might want the artist to be on the cover
so we can get her face out there as she is a new artist
and needs to be recognised. I liked the font used for
the album cover as its bold easy to read and again a
simple and almost child like font.

4. The album cover looks like a piece of art from a gallery
showing that the artist is quite cultural and something
different. However the old look of the album cover links
to the indie genre and makes the image he’s trying to
show clear. I also liked the fact it’s split it to four different
sections with different colours as its adds colours to the
album to attract attention as otherwise it would be to
dull. For our artist I think we should have a filter on the
album cover as well some colour just so its not completely
dull for the audience. Its vital for me that the indie genre
comes across is the album cover I think a filter and some
of the colours used by Gotye would do this.
The first thing I noticed about the website was the
amount options I had at the top of the screen and links to
the different parts of the website. I liked this as it made it
simple to use also the links to social media is a common
convention on all artist websites. Again the website
design is basic and is linked to the album cover as the
websites got the same colour and font used on the album
cover. I also liked the fact the latest video he had made
was on the home page making it easy to find and access,
this is something we would consider doing for our artist.
The colours also have a vintage feel to them, which is
something we would want for our artist. This artist has
created a vintage image for themselves mainly through
there use of colours on the websites and use of font
which has a arty feel to it.

5. Regina is most similar to our artist out of the
four I’m analysing the image she has is off a
quirky female indie artist which is along the
same thing we want. Her website shows this
as it again links to the album cover and is easy
to use and has links to the social media sites.
This is a common convention of websites also
the use of bright colours is good for getting
attention of the used. Also shows her as a
quirky character through the use of bright
colours. However I’m not sure this exactly is
the image we are going for we want a more
serious theme to it as the video we are going
to make is not upbeat and therefor our image
will be different making her original.
The Album cover has the artist on the cover
which is something I think is important for an
unknown artist as you need there image to
be known. I also like the font used as it looks
like a mix of old and new which is what we
want for our artist as I want the vintage
image to come through but to appeal to a
modern audience. It also has good back to
the album as its simple but the top part has
the back of an audiences heads. This is good
and something I haven’t seen before and
originality is something that is important.

6. MGMT have created a surreal and
psychedelic image for themselves
this is shown by there opening
home page which is multi-coloured
and changes colour with the
interaction of the user on the
website. This could also be to
represent to care free attitude
which is depicted in the indie genre
as people could spend waste a lot
of time just messing around on the
home page. Also this is by far the
most original website because of
this feature and immediately will
intrigue the audience. This is
something we could use for our
artist as we want make her original
The Album cover is again
trying to be original and
different from anything else
out there, this is the image
which MGMT have created.
The album cover does this by
the use of random objects
within the image however
the background does have
relevance to the indie genre.
The building is a retro
clothing store and the
vintage look is a common
convention. We will use this
with our artist as we want
her to have a vintage look.

7. Summary
After looking at these four artist’s it has helped me to see what
a common convention in websites and album covers. It has
also helped me to see what sort image we would like for our
artist which is a female indie artist but with a more serious
theme to her. I also think a grainy filter or vintage colours are
needed for showing the image of our artist and is linking to
indie genre. Keeping a link between the album and the
website is also vital as we want it to be obvious to the viewer
the artists image.