1. Artic Monkey - Whatever people say I am that's what I’m not.
Character- The coverof the CD digipakisa monochrome photoof a manwearinga white formal
shirtwitha cigarette inhismouth.From hisfacial expression,itisindicatedthathe isinhalingfrom
the cigarette andnot exhalingbecausethe cigarette isstill onhislips. The frontcoverconveys a
directmode of address.Thisattracts the directmode of address asit islike he islookingdirectlyat
the audience. The white shirtisacontrast to the dominantblackbackgroundwhite givesthe person
a seriousappearance.However,mostwhite shirtswithcollarsare typicallypairedwithatie for
sophistication.Eventhoughthe mancoversmostof his collarwithhisarm, it is still evidentthathis
bot buttonisundone andthere isno visible tie aroundhisneck.Thiscould suggestthathe iscould
be afterwork where he hadto be sophisticated.Thiscreatesamore natural appearance and
suggeststhathe is normal and regularlike everyone else. The factthat he iswipingawaytears,
challengesthe stereotypeof “menbeingmasculine andnotfeminine”;itisdepictedinsocietythat
menhave to be tough andhave little emotionsthatcan hurtthem.However, the factthat he is
wipinghis tearsmakes himappearmore feminine thereforepropelsthe audience toempathisehim
for beinghurtto an extenttocry.
Narrative events-Thereisn’tmuchnarrative towardsthese coversastheyare both simple butthey
are still impactingthroughthe prosused.The maninthe cover seemedtobe more distraughtinthe
back coverin comparisontothe front cover.Thisisdepictedthroughthe factthat he useshishand
to coverhiseyesas an actionof wipingawayhistears.Thisindicatesthathe isemotionallyhurtand
can alsobe emphasisedbyhiscigarettesinhishand.
2. Whenpeople become addictedtosmokingcigarettestheybecome reliantanddependence onthem
as a tool forrelief;people whoare addictivetosmokingalwayshave the urge tosmoke more
because without it,theybecome more agitatedandwhentheydosmoke theygetafeelingof relief.
The use of the cigarette can be a tool to be relief fromthe painemotionally.
Setting- Asthiscoverwasshot ina black roomor witha black background;there isn’tmuch
indicationtowhere the locationof the settingisat.However,there isatheme of blackas the
backgroundand the colourof the CD isboth black.The clothing’s couldsuggeststhathe hadjust
came fromworkas he isdressedina sophisticatedmanner,but some of hisclothing’sare slightly
takenoff or are showto be more casual
Iconography- Thischaracterportrays an average manbut alsogivesasense of despair.Thiscouldbe
the lack of coloursin the photoas it isall black andwhite,orit couldbe from the negative
connotationsof the cigarette. The propuse of the cigarette showsthat itis somethingof importance
as he is holdingitinbothof the coversand itis whatthe man is focusedoninthe photos.
Cigarettesare rolleduptobaccoinpaper which issmoked.However,ingredientsincigarettescankill
the personinhalingbyslowlykillingyourinsidesandgivingyoucancer.Thissuggeststhatfromthe
frontcover thanhe isslowlykillinghimself.However,the photoforthe backcover suggeststhathe
isemotionallyin pain. Thisisdepictedashe still has the cigarette inhishandbut he isusingthe
same hands on hiseye whichsuggeststhathe iswipingawaytears.Thiscouldbe suggestingthathe
issmokingfora sense of release emotionallyashe appearstobe in:distraught,despair,and
depressed.
Technical andaudio –The coverand the back coverusesthe same Guttenbergprinciple of the
primaryoptical area.Thisis where the audience firstlooksatand gravitatestowards.Inthe front
coverthisis usedto putthe logoand the name of the band whichisthe “artic monkeys”.Thissame
logoand designisalsoputonto the actual CD whichhelpsthe audiencerecognise the CDandthe
designof the CD and make itmore memorable.The backcoverof the digipakalsousesthe primary
optical areaas ithas the listof tracks on the CD. For both of the photostheyare bothclose ups
towardsthe face and are both central inthe photo.The designof the CD resemblesabefore and
afterapproach as the front cover isthe firstdesignthatthe audience isexposed to, whichisof a
man witha cigarette.The backresemblesanaftershotpriorto the front coverwhichisa before,
where the manis wipingawaytearsinhiseyes.Thiscan be alsoindicatedasthe back coverof the
Cd iswhat the audience isexposedtonextafterthe covershot.
3. Adele 21
Character-the frontcoverof the CD digipack isthe artistof the album, whichis
Adele.She wearssome heavymakeuponherface as itis evidentthatshe is
wearingfalse eyelashes.The factthatshe has hereyes closed, itisapparent
that she iswearingfalse eyelasheswhichgive the characterasyntheticappearance ratherthanher
natural appearance.She usesnondirectmode of addresswhichcouldbe alsoisindicatedthrough
herfacial expressionasshe appearstobe sad or depressed.Herhandisviable whichsuggeststhat
she isputtingherhand on herheador scratching herhead.Eitherof these suggestedmotions
suggeststhatshe is in turmoil orin a bad emotionsate.Thiscontributestothe musicshe makesas
she isknownfor herheart-breakinglyricsand soul genre.The backcoverof heralbumis of a direct
mode of address but she looksintothe camerafrom the cornerof hereye.Thismakesthe photo
more intriguingasthe lightingonlyrevealsapartof herface.
Narrative- Due tothe fact that she is well knownforher heart-breakingsongs,the narrative of the
photoscouldsuggestherpainand sadnessinside asbothof herfacial expressionsshow adeepand
unhappyexpressionaswell asthe factthat she is notsmilingineitherof them.The monochrome
colourcoulddepicthermood of gloomas well as sophistication asittakesaway the colourof the
photo.Therefore force the audiencetoonlyfocusingonthe facial expressionandherface rather
than the colourthat may appearif it wasin colour...
Iconography- There are little tonopropsin the twophotosof thisalbum.However,the CDisgreen
withwhite textof ‘21’ on itwitha texture of a crayon or marker.The same colourof greenon the CD
isthe same colourthat appearson the frontcoverwhere itis “21”. However,the coloursare
reversedas“21” on the coveris ingreenand “Adele”iswhite.While onthe CD“21” is white andthe
backgroundisgreen.
4. Setting-similartothe previous digipack(articmonkeys),the photosweretakenina studio.However,
there isa veryobviouslightsource fromthe leftof the photo.Thissuggeststhatthe photo was
takenina dark studiowithabrightlightsource on the left.Thiscastsvariousneat shadows around
herface makingitmore mischievous.
Technical andaudiocoding-Onthe backcoverof the digipack,yousee the artistina composition
calledthe rule of thirds.Thisisbecause herface and bodydominates two, thirdsof the photo.The
back coveralsousesthe Guttenbergprinciple,where the primaryoptical areaisusedtoputthe song
listto attract the audience tolookat the namesof the songs.The negative space aroundthe back
coveris usedforthe list of songsso itdoesn’tcoverthe face of the artist.
Rihanna(LOUD) - Pop/R&B
Characters- Rihanna’scharacterisportrayedto be
provocative andseductive onthe backcover.Thisis
indicatedbythe use of lessclothingtoappear more
revealingandsexy.However,thisisastereotype of
whatsexyand seductive istowardswoman.Woman
wearlessclothing’stoappearmore seductive,butthe
male genderdoesn’tnecessarilyhave towearless
clothing’stoappeal towardsthe audience.Thisis
enforcesthe stereotypeof the typical female portrayal inpublicandonthisdigipack.The interiorof
the CD digipackrevealsRihannatobe lyingona bedof roseswitha painful expression.Thiscouldbe
a signthat she is hurt fromthe thornsof the roses.Howeverina metaphorical sense,she maybe
hurt bylove as rosesa typicallyknownandsymbolisedaslove. The theme of heartbreakinlove is
5. commontowardspop music.Forexample,GirlsAloudmusicof “call the shots”is aboutheartbreak
as well.Thisisanexample of Neal’smentalmachineryasheart-breakingmusicispopulartherefore
theyproduce more of it to make more revenue.The colourscheme of thisartpack is predominantly
redand pink.The coloursare veryalertingandseductive colours.Redimpliestowardsthe audience
that itis: love,lustpassionbutalsodangerasit isalerting.Thiscouldindicate thathe isdangerousto
love or she couldbe passionate aboutlove asherhairand the rosesare the same colour.
Narrative Events-The backcoverof the digipakImore empoweringthanthe inside of the digipack.
Thisis because she isseenasseductive andprovocative due tothe lackof clothing’s.However,the
patternson herclothingresemble businesspatternclothing’swhichisempoweringthe female
genderinreinforcingthe stereotype,butalsobreakingit.
Iconography-There isavarietyof iconographyinthe design. Forexample,there isatheme of redlike
herhair, butalsoit is the colourof the rose inthe inside of the digipak. (Rosesare awell-known
symbol forlove andromance)The colourred symbolises:danger, love,passionate.Thiscouldsuggest
that herlove isdangerousandpassionate atthe same time,whichisa commontheme inthe
romance genre.
Setting-The backcoverisof the artist sittingona tool, on a stage withan Americanflag.Thiscreates
a patrioticappearance andtheme towards the design.Thiscreates asense thatshe is preformingon
stage.However,herclothing’s are revealingandherback isarched,makingherappearance
improperandseductive.Thisisunusual asastage is normallyfortheatre andcostume,butthe artist
issat in a non-theatrical way.
Technical andaudiocodes-The lightingonthe frontcoverisbightand inher face,creatingslight
shadowsonher face.The bightlightingmakesthe shadowsdarkertherefore givingthe photomore
of a 3D effect. Inaddition,the stronglightingmakesthe shadow onherchin more dark and obvious
therefore highlightinghersharpjawfeature.
