(I got a little more I'd like to do to it so be patient and you will get something a little mo' betta)

I wanted to show you that I wasn't screwing around with this, so here is what I have put together so far:

Cover#1


Full size

Cover #2


Full size

Full Cover

Full size

Full Cover Inside

Full size


Full size



I have to re-size the disk artwork. I'm a little tired tonight and I don't have my templates in front of me so give me around monday or tuesday.

Hope you all like it!

Still to do...

I'd like to add the names with the photos.

Also, the disk artwork needs to be sized right to fit the standard.

All artwork was created at 300 dpi for good print quality.

There were about 12 different covers for this.

Maybe I'll put them all up for you to choose.

Good night!

Tell me...

Is the barcode stupid?

I mean it's only nessisarry if you were to put it into a retail store.

Seeing how this is to be a "free gift" for everyone it looks out of place, now that I look at it.

At first I thought it would add some "authintisity (sp?)" to it.

I think the artwork is Cool!

That is nice! I really like this!

Thanks guys.

What do you think,

Should I put real names with each pic or the .org screen-names?

I want my real name on it.

That looks great mate.

I think it would look pretty cool on a t-shirt

I like it. The colors, the artwork, the layout - it's great.

Here's my thoughts.

It's a music CD, so the treble clef, or bass clef is just too redundant.

If we're doing music, all inspired by Prince on some level, then, I would think, let's put a unique symbol in there instead of a pre-existing one. Not one that resembles the AFKAP icon, but, hell, I dunno. That's the one thing that stood out at first... the symbols used were just too easy (creatively) to me.

Again - think about the evolution of P's icon - started out as the mixture of the Male/Female symbol and moved from there. What kind of symbols would apply to a collection of songs from artists inspired by Prince? Definitely a cross, for those with religious messages in their songs, definitely a circle (thinking, condom, sorry...) for those with sexual themed songs, uhh, is there some symbol for midi? what about strings for guitars? drumsticks?

so, somehow, we blend the religion, sex, instruments into a single, unique symbol that would go on the artwork. Again - it wouldn't resemble Prince's AFKAP icon, but, because he used a unique icon for so long, the similarity would exist.

Now, I'm not about to say lets all come together to create a single icon, since Lord KNOWS it took this long just to assemble individual songs. I'm just throwing out the suggestion. I'd love to try to put some ideas together, but this is Yamomma's baby, so I don't wanna step in and get my hands in the pie.

What do you think Yamomma?

Secondly,

Do you think the NFO logo is too derivative of the NPG logo? Again, yes, I agree, on some level, it SHOULD reflect a little something of the source of inspiration, but, ehh, to me, maybe it shouldn't be SOO blatant.

Again, I LOVE the design, I LOVE the colors, the hands, everything. I'm not trying to nitpick what appears to be a long labor of love. I'm trying to identify the weakest elements, and push you to go just a little bit farther.

Yamomma, your sidewalk artwork speaks volumes to your creativity and intuitive design. I know you strive to find the best in you, so please don't take my petty critique as a bash on all your hard work.

If the label went out as it is today, I'd still be proud to be a part of it.
[This message was edited Fri Apr 18 9:06:53 PDT 2003 by otan]

Actually, there was one idea I had where you had the symbol and it was being ripped down the middle with the words "new funk order" coming out the empty space inbetween the rip.

yamomma said:

But why affiliate ourselves SO blatantly?

otan said:

That's why I didn't use it.

Your right about the above, and I can go on and on for days.

I think what I'll do is polish up the other 8-10 ideas and we'll vote on em.

I don't care for the clef anymore the more I look at it as well.

How about an "N" in one hand, an "F" in the other and the circle being the "O"?


NFO...

yamomma said:

Try it - lemme see it. I'm throwing some ideas together too, just to try to illustrate what I'm talking about.

GREAT JOB.

it's big and ugly in a basic form, but, something like this is what I'm talking about (tho I left off the relgious/sexual imagery)


[This message was edited Fri Apr 18 10:10:14 PDT 2003 by otan]

OR theses, more stylized version:

Otan,
If you want to work on the symbol and can create a nice illustrator or .eps file (or whatever, just as long as it's a vector image) I'll place it.

I have a paying gig I have to consintrate on today though until 5:30.

I got this window minimized though, I'll keep checkin in.

yamomma said:

No barcode needed. People don't really care about that when they buy the music. It's only used to track sales, but you have to buy the number for like, $1400. Generic numbers that come with manufacturing packages don't work, because they give everyone the same number!!!


As for the artwork itself... you know I like that blue! Yellow makes a great contrast to it and I dig the hands. Yours I presume...

Is it NFO records or should it be NFO Productions like Jason's song? He is the originator and NFO Records seems too much like NPG Records. Maybe it's just me.

VinaBlue said:

Not quite true. My last CD was done through discmakers and my barcode is a unique number and they gave me a form to fill out and register with soundscan. I have my own unique number, registered with soundscan, all part of the package.

Read about it:
http://www.discmakers.com...rcode.html







Scan the edit
[This message was edited Sat Apr 19 12:27:06 PDT 2003 by theSpark]

theSpark said:

I'm going on a vague memory of what I learned at a seminar with John Dawes, co-author of The Complete Guide to Internet Promotion for Musicians, Artists, & Songwriters. He pretty much frowned upon DiskMakers for whatever reason. DiskMakers is still listed as the record company when you use that barcode.

An article by Tim Sweeney, co-author of the same book:
http://www.indie-music.co...hp?sid=786

Personally, I'd rather buy one or not have one at all. It seems to me that they are only necessary if you want to get interest from a label. It would look kinda cheesy, IMO, if diskmakers comes up when my cd is scanned.

Damn, that article is so long I had to cut it down.
[This message was edited Sat Apr 19 16:01:15 PDT 2003 by VinaBlue]

VinaBlue said:

Hey, speaking of Tim Sweeney, I'll be out in San Diego next month attending the music strategies conference he's putting on. Do you know about this?

http://www.musicstrategies.com/

Tim Sweeney is a man that knows what he is talking about. I'm looking forward to this. Also, his book about releasing independent records is the best one I've ever read on the subject.



.
[This message was edited Sat Apr 19 16:58:07 PDT 2003 by theSpark]

VERY NICE

VinaBlue said:

O.K. if you have that kind of money, but consider this article from CDBaby.com:

INTERESTING FACT: the UCC (uniform code council) doesn't keep track of what barcode goes to what product. That's not their job. The UCC only tracks what parent company has what 5-digit-code at the beginning of the UPC barcode. Then it's up to the company itself (Disc makers in this case) to keep track of what unique barcode (12 digits) goes to what product.

INTERESTING FACT, PART 2: So in music circles, the only One Central Database of all those barcodes is... SoundScan!

WHICH MEANS: If your unique barcode is listed in SoundScan as YOU, then it might as well be your barcode entirely! Nobody really cares which digits belong to who. They just care that it's a unique number, not assigned to any other product in the world. Only if someone really went and contacted the UCC and dug into their company database would they find that the first 5 digits belong to Discmakers -


.
[This message was edited Tue Apr 22 18:42:12 PDT 2003 by theSpark]

I say skip the barcode entirely - this is just for us, and if anyone wants to sell copies to friends, then that's no biggie. If and when a record label calls and wants to put this out on a large scale, THEY'LL provide the barcode.

otan said:

I agree, I was just puttin some info out there for anyone interested!

Oh. I'm dumb like a stump. Thanks.

I am digging the new art work for the CD

Very Nice looking.

VinaBlue said:

I like the barcode! It makes it look more professional and not cheap.


Ur rite, JD should make up the record label name...or did he make it that already?

The artwork is really really nice and the inside spread with the pictures is KUL!

that New Funk Order picture should b thrown in there 2...ha ha, that was funni!

Wonderful work!

Hairy Arms!