I thought it might make for an interesting post to take a look at one of my favorite design projects to date.  It appeared most prominently on the cover of the compilation above, No New Enemies Vol. 1, but also on a series of flyers and posters to promote the Moodgadget Fall 2008 Tour last October as well as a limited run T-Shirt.  The story behind this design is one worth telling, especially given the date today.

You see, three years ago today, I found out the tragic news that one of my best friends, Jordan, had died in a freak car accident.  Without going into any painful detail, in short, he taught me a lot about being a true friend, about loyalty and having the integrity to pursue one’s passions.  Fast-forward two and half years to last August, when I had just purchased my new Mac, I was coming off a 6-month Photoshop haitus to do my own observational-only studying, and my first project with Moodgadget was on the table.  I was having some pretty serious problems finding a design concept that I felt confident about moving forward.  Fearing I was getting bogged down in the same “almost, but not quite” design idea cycle, I tried to remain calm and keep the imagination flowing until something struck.

Then, one weekend while “down the shore” in Manasquan, NJ with friends, I had a dream about Jordan.  I’ve never had a dream where he has been in it, but it was most definitely about him.  I was with a bunch of people I didn’t recognize, but I knew they were some of his many friends, and so therefore, we were all friends.  We reminisced together in my dream, and I looked up at a vivid landscape.  A burgundy snow-capped mountain sat on the horizon behind a fading blue sunset, and below it, a lake with reflections of purple.  We sat on a dock made of green bamboo that bent and swayed, dipping our toes in the water as we laughed over shared fond memories.  I woke up and instantly knew that this was the idea I had been looking for.  I remember it as clearly as any of my memories from when he was still with us.  The cover is what came first, and it came easily, I designed packaging as well, with a shout in his honor on the inside cover.  The design was pretty simple in creation, and the final result, while not quite the same as I remember it, clicked instantly with Moodgadget, and we applied it to a consistent branding effort around the release, the live listening experience, and the culture/design/apparel.

The result in my opinion, was a successful first project, and a signal to myself that the haitus and the homework had paid off.  I do plan at some point to re-approach this design in hopes of it doing justice to the dream.  The purest inspiration often comes when you least expect it; the trick is, you need to be ready at all times to snatch it out of its context, and then shape it to your intended output.  More about the project can be found at my recently-created , it’s under construction along with my main website…I promise if you bear with me, both should come out looking nicely.

Posted in Album Artwork and Design Posted by Alex on Apr 01 2009 09:45 pm

Tags: Album Artwork, Inspiration