Image Development for a 7" Sleeve

I wanted to experiment with using a combination of new and old techniques by making images physically, using the photocopier, scanners, and layering to manipulate text and image. I felt that a key aspect of Neo Soul is the production methods of the music, the core of Neo Soul is that the music is made for the album. I want to make all my images from scratch, taking aspects from a variety of sources and combining them to make a cohesive, if not slightly dysfunctional image (as I feel this would visually represent the genre well).

Initial Photocopies - music beat

Developing images, stemmed from the bitmap workshop.
I found the bitmap session to be slightly premature for where I'm at with the project, so took my images, did some more research and decided to adopt some techniques from the previous project (402) and try using the photocopier to create an image which I could digitally render later. The idea of having something be produced though photocopying felt like the right way to go as it is a more 'organic' approach to developing a digital image - wanting to incorporate the strategies used for processing the music, but translating it into art.

Lyrics photocopied over text of lyrics from Hiatus Kaiyote's 'Molasses' (Helvetica font)

Scan moved up and down to the beat of the song

Scan moved left and right to the beat of the song

I layered the text over a collection of film photographs of Jorja Smith, appearance wise they work well with the fluidity aspect of the genre. The film photos add a sense of grittiness to the image, as well as the photocopied element.

• The warped images are interesting as new shapes are made within the letterforms - could try and turn this into a pattern somehow?

Text Manipulation

Next I wanted to incorporate the grided text into the image, but also the paper element from the text tests on Tuesday as well. I felt the flat text looked good but didn't add much visually to the over piece, so I folded up the paper, scrunching it and scanning to see the effect. I really wanted to push the idea of having paper manipulation in the design element, as it would create amazing texture and link to a more childlike, easy going aesthetic.

Initial paper fold, scrunched and flattened

Second fold, deeper crevasse'  

3x7 block arrangement with invisible grid

3x7 block arrangement with grid

The folding of the text created some really interesting effects on the photocopier, I found that scrunching and then flattening didn't do that much for the text, it mostly remained the same. However when making much deeper folds the letters began to change, as well as the configuration of the grid, I really like the effect it gave, particularly because of all the shadows from the paper.

• Try isolating the text from the folds to see the letterforms alone.

Film and Text Overlays

I scanned the scrunched text over the film photos and I felt it was really effective as it gave a very tactile feel to the overall image. 

Grided horizontal text with horizontal image

Vertical text with horizontal image 

Need to think about the arrangement of type within the images, found having the images lie the wrong way across the paper to be more interesting, especially if the text reads correctly. 

• Should do tests with other paper folded type - see if larger type has more of an impact.
• Threshold the images in Photoshop to see how it effects the overall appearance - look at halftone as well, be able to get the effect of shade.

Dock and Text Overlays

Overlays of the different text on an image of a dock in New Orleans, used this image as it is the birthplace of Jazz in the 1920s. Felt the image had a lot of texture and could be manipulated to create an interesting array of images.

Flat, hidden grid, text on regular dock image

Flat, grid text on stretched dock image

Folded, grid text on warped dock image

The folded text on the warped dock image looks the most effective, the extended rippled water makes a really nice effect, especially when seen up close. The Grid over top provides a nice bit of structure to an otherwise chaotic image - translates well to the genre. 

• Would be good to try halftone/bitmap effects on the background image to see what it would look like screen printed.