Individual Digipak - Miss Miller

The digipak acts as a limited edition, special collectable item. It is usually made of a very high quality and acts as a very precise representation of the artist for the audience. It is something that is made to be very durable. The outer bindings are made of plastic and have trays for the CD. They are able to pull in and encourage an audience to buy the digipak as it contains special contributions. These include the special message to the audience. This overall is one of the things that makes the digipak a lot more special and personal to the audience as they feel as though they are more involved in the making of the album and this makes them feel a lot more in control of the artist. Sometimes bonus tracks are added to the digipak to provide a very detailed presentation of the album. If it is full of additional songs the audience are going to feel like it is worth the extra money as they are getting more music to listen to. Finally the main purpose of the digipak is to provide the audience with a clear display of what the artists overall theme is for the album. For example a number of different images can be used to display a selected range of feelings and emotions that the artist want the audience to experience.

 I used Photoshop CS6 to create my digipak. I purposely used this software as it is what the professionals use themselves. This means that as a result I am more likely to be able to learn and pick up on skills that will turn my digipak into a professional standard. This means that I am able to use particular blur tools and cutting out tools. This means that I am able to blend and cut the image to make it appear more natural. My other all theme for my digipak was to create something full of nature and emotions. This meant that I had to try and incorporate a mixture of abandoned locations, natural light and close ups that have inner meanings. I felt that this overall theme and idea of the digipak would be the perfect way to display an indie artist. This is because I would be able to show her emotions and relationship to the audience just through the images that I have chosen to include in my digipak. I wanted to be able to use elegant font swell to display the 'kind' and 'dainty' side to her. Overall the plans I made for my digipak are fairly similar to my final outcome although some elements have changed slightly for a number of reasons. 

 The main colours that I have used in my first digipak slide, being the front cover are the natural colours of Amy's outfit (grey/blue tones) and the black and white background. I decided to make her colourful and the background black and white. The main reason for this was to make her stand out as an artist on her album cover. I wanted to be able to show her audience that she is willing to stand out and be different against a 'black and white' world. This meant that the connotation of the black and white background means that as an audience she feels that sometimes she is living in a very plain and boring world and needs some sort of excitement and originality in there life. As a result the audience may also feel although they want to be unique and stand out from the rest this will mean that they are able to feel liberated while buying her album and being a apart of this particular genre of music. In addition to this the conventions of the indie genre are displayed well here. She lies looking out into the distance against an urban brick wall and grassy floor area. This fits the conventions of the indie genre as it displays the artist as someone who is rather enjoying the natural environment surrounding her. In addition to this the location used will appeal to the target audience as they will be able to see her in a familiar and easily accessible location which they may feel like they can relate to as she is not in some fancy, expensive buildings or some tropical island that is unlikely to be reachable by her audience. This means that the audience will look up to her and see her as someone who is very similar to themselves and as someone who is able to appreciate more natural environments and not need to surround herself with luxuries to feel happy. This means that as an artist she will be respected more as she will appear as though she is a lot more down to earth. This will help her audience connect with her a lot more deeply and result in them actually wanting to buy the digipak and album due to there initial judgement of her. I have decided to use this image for my front cover as I believe it is the best for introducing the theme of my digipak. The artist Amy is laid out looking out into the distance, as she sits under a bridge at a riverside. This particular image shows her very 'shy' side which I think is crucial in selling the album and getting the audiences attention. This is because she is not actually looking out at the audience. This means that as a result the audience are going to question what she is looking at and why she is looking out there. They will assume that she is a very reserved person and this will come across in her music too. This means that as a result they will want to buy the album and digipak as they will feel that this album is actually very personal to the artist and they will want to learn more about her and what she has to offer. In addition to this the layout and design is set out in a particular way that will encourage the audience to buy the album. For example her name is in big writing and it is the first thing that the audience will use to recognise the artist. This will result in them being able to identify her and then if they recognise her name they will then focus on the image of her and study it. The plan is to then have them concentrate on the album name. This will cause the audience to have these 3 main things stuck in there head. These 3 things are crucial when buying them album as they will have enough information on the digipak to know who has made it, what its about etc. The typography in the first slide of the digipak is purposely made in a particular way to make the words stand out from the rest of the background. Her name 'Amy Michaela' is able to stand out on its own due to the wide spread of spaces that it has in-between each letter. In addition to this the actual font is very thin and clear to read. This is because the artists name is one of the most important things that have to stand out this is why I purposely made it as clear as possible. I have made the letters all capitalised as again if someone notices this album cover on the shelf they are more likely to take note of the name of the artist and be pulled into it through knowing what particular genre she is a part of and giving them enough time to visualise what the rest of the digipak would be like and if they will actually want to buy it. In addition to this typography of the album name is a lot more dainty and writing like handwriting. This is to make the front cover seem a lot more personal and because the actual album is personal to the artist this is why I have chosen this particular font. I feel the audience will be able to recognise this as something personal and be able to want to buy it due to the detail that must be going in to the digipak. My aim was to make the audience feel as though that this album 'Desolation' is going to be full of emotions and inside feelings that only the audience will be able to relate to. The language that I have used in this particular slide also relates to the album name being 'Desolation.' This is because it is a very accurate display of what the album is all about. The particular word shows us that this album is going to be full of raw emotions that may lead to the audience feeling sorry for the artist. The audience will pick up on the particular language being used and then be able to decide for themselves if they want to buy a digipak that has the indie style of being about 'real' and relatable issues. Overall there are many connotations of emotion that can be seen through the album. For starters the typical black and white colours showing that she is surrounded by a particular feeling whether being sadness or even just the idea of her living in a boring world. While first wanting to go with this theme of using the black and white effect I had to try and adapt my skills on photo shop to be able to do this. This is because the overall process of this has to be very neat and tidy or you may be left with a few mistakes in the image. This is a weakness that I had to overcome in this image and I had to really concentrate on making sure that it was only the background that was kept in black and white.

The colours in the next slide remain slightly similar to the ones in the first slide. This is the particular type of colouring that remains neutral and fits the typical style of the indie genre. I decided to spray pain her name into the brick wall. This is create a more urban effect in the music video. The name 'Amy' is painted in white. The particular colour white connotes the innocence of the album and the songs involved. This invites the audience into buying the album as it creates a sense of sympathy for her. This is due to the fact that it correlates with the emotion in the album. The very white bright colours behind her shows to the audience that her intentions are good and very pure. This will encourage them to buy the album as they will feel as though they are buying it from someone that deserves it. In addition to this the colour of her clothes also remain very neutral as the grey contrasts with the white coloured names Amy. Urban background also fits with the conventions of the genre as it supplies the audience with a different type of setting compared to what is typically seen in indie genres. Normally the stereotypical showing of the indie genre shows a very green and countrified setting. Whereas here I have chosen to still follow the indie genre but show the other side to it instead. This means as a result the audience get a variety of indie codes and conventions as well as just having a field or forest background. This will show the audience that this is going to be a digipak that is full of different interesting opponents that are going to make the digipak worth buying. I decided to use this image as I felt like it would fit in with the innocence of the colours, but also added a slightly more edgy atmosphere. This is due to the fact that the graffiti in the back was already there in the 'A.' but I edited in my own 'M' and 'Y.' To show that she also had a risky side to her. This will show the audience that this album is very emotional as well as being different at the same time. In addition to this her overall image is very delicate and she look very beautiful. This could appeal to a particular audience that may fancy her or like her particular type of style. This will encourage them to like the digipak even more as they will be able to see how much of a beautiful person she is inside and out. The fact that the layout and design is in place to make the artist the main focus makes it possible for the audience to focus on her and what she is trying to get across in the digipak. Her body language in the image shows her pressed up against the wall and looking down. This again shows the theme of her looking very reserved and tells the audience that she is in this for them. The way that the wall appears to be 'naturally graffitied' in the back appeals to the audience in a particular way that shows her as being present in an ordinary background as many of the audience members are going to be familiar with graffiti on the walls of buildings and will relate to her for have a layout in a very average and common place. This will ultimately appeal to them further as they will attempt to see her as someone who doesn't necessarily want to show off her money, but in fact wants to be seen as part of a 'normal' society. The typography and language used both tie into the same category in this particular digipak slide as overall the word 'Amy' is one of the main focuses in this slide. This is due to the fact that I actually spray painted the name over the image and made it appear as though it was just graffiti in the background. This overall contributes to the whole theme of everything appearing more natural as in this case it will appear to the audience that her name 'Amy' was already there to begin with and this makes it possible for both the language and typography to appeal to the audience as it supplies them with a wide range of authenticity. This is because they are most likely to think that this image hasn't really had any type of extra editing done to it when in reality the only letter that was originally there was the letter 'A.' Overall the message that this particular slide of the digipak gives of is her mixed personality traits in this slide. There is a graffiti font behind her which connotes gangs and violence but it is contrasted with the white coloured filling of the bubble writing font. This shows to the audience that she is both good and bad and can be see as someone who is able to be apart of the indie genre but also taking slight risks in her images and music, but also sticks to the fact that her songs are pure and emotional like the white font suggests. In addition to this the brick layered background displays how much she is trying to appeal to the audience through sticking to the conventions of the indie genre. This is due to the fact that the audience will pick up on the urban background and be intrigued to see how far she can go with it and how true she actually is to her genre and her audience. Although this slide looks very simple it was sometimes tricky at times to create in photoshop. This was because I had to learn how blend the original green coloured graffiti that was already behind as it stood out to much and would take away the more innocent looking coloured font such as the white spray painted 'Amy.' This meant that I had to spend a lot of time trying to fill out the space behind her to make the graffiti look as realistic as possible. However it turned out for the best as overall my painting skills in photoshop improved and in the end became on of my strengths as I did need to try and evolve my skills to continue on with my digipak. 

For this slide of the digipak I have decided to include a range of very golden and natural colours. I wanted to incorporate and concentrate on the indie genre in the CD cover as I felt the audience would enjoy this more and it would appear in a more unique way.  I edited the colours in this picture to look more filtered down so that even though there are still beautiful colours there are less vibrant and in your face so the audience can enjoy the simpleness of this particular slide. The sky is a light blue/grey colour and I liked the fact that it wasn't a bright sunny day. This contrasts with the golden brown/yellow corn that is shown in the field below. This presents to the audience that there still is beauty even in the darker days. It is a very symbolic CD cover that I believe an indie audience would appreciate as this genre is mainly focused on emotions and being different and unique. I have conformed to all the elements of the indie genre as I have used a natural setting and symbolic message. This means the the audience are able to look at this CD cover and think that I have purposely used something so natural to portray the artist in a way that makes her a lot more reliable. As they will interpret from this that she is a normal girl and has her own style. This means that as an artist the audience will feel that she is more easy to connect with as there are similarities with her and the audience themselves. This overall means that by included the codes and conventions of the indie genre then I am more likely to be able to draw in my audience with things they are comfortable with and like the most about the genre and this gives me assurance that if the digipak went on sale the audience are more likely to enjoy this type of CD cover. This again contributes with the very natural setting and images used and enables the audience to feel at peace when they look at it. I decided to use this image overall as I felt it fit in perfectly with my overall theme. It especially fits well in with the music video that I have created as the corn fields and golden sunlight that reflects on the artists face is seen very clearly and promptly in the music video 'Salvation.' This then allows me to incorporate it into my images used on the CD cover and have a clear correlation and theme of natural beauty of the settings and the very innocent atmosphere created.  I decided to lay the CD cover out in a particular way that allowed the artist name and title of album to stand out entirely.This encouraged me to focus on the audience and how they would react to seeing like this as a CD cover. The are able to be drawn in by who the digipak belongs to and what sort of intentions this album has by secondly looking at the image and what type of connotations this album gives off. For example the corn field that implies innocence and peace and even beauty which the audience will then immediately tie in with the album and presume that this is the type of approach the artist it trying to give off. The typography used in this particular CD is the same as the one in the digipak. This made it possible to keep everything coordinated and very put together. The more bolder font of the artists name made it easier to pick up on the fact it was hers and overall by including the more dainty font that looked very elegant on the CD cover made it possible for us to see how much contrast is created between them. This ultimately explained to the audience that having these two particular fonts together displayed how much emotion is present in the album. For example the more bold font of her name shows the audience how she can have harsh and very blunt emotions in her songs at times being anger or even just strong opinions on something. Whereas the more delicate font shows the audience that this album is also full of love and happiness and things that are more touching to talk about. Overall the two fonts put together contrast between her bravery and her vulnerability. The language again, just substitutes how much of an emotional album this really is. The word 'Desolation' contributes to how much of an influence the artists emotions have had on this album and the audience are given an insight into how this album is going to be and how it is created this overall allows them to feel what the artist feels and relate to her more as a person not a celebrity singer. Overall the connotations mentioned throughout all remain to be part of a similar group and theme. The colours of the CD cover slide being very neutral and natural connote to the overall codes and conventions of the indie genre and this allows the audience to feel as though they are apart of something realistic and not artificial and fake. The image used appears naturally beautiful and is very easily accessible to everyone as most people live near a forest or field area that they could even go and listen to the music in and this makes it alot more personal to the audience. In addition to this the connotations of the font remind the audience that this album is very personal to the artist. The more feminine handwritten font show the audience that this is an album that leaves the artist feeling very vulnerable as she is able to be presented as someone who is able to express her emotions to her audience without actually being presented as false or artificial as she includes more delicate and natural elements in her CD cover. This is one of the slides that I struggled most with this is because on photoshop it required a lot of time and effort as I had to try and cut around the edges of the photograph to try and fight it inside the CD template. This made it alittle bit more tricky to get right as I had to smooth out the image to fit in the CD. Overall I managed to get the hang of it rather quickly as I had already been able to use the eraser tool before. This made it a lot easier for me to get the hang of. In addition to this the filters I then added over the top of the images made it blend in with the theme more and I overall found it to be a very successful slide in my digipak.

This slide was left very untouched and natural as being placed in one of the middle slots of the digipak I really wanted it to show the true meaning of the theme of the whole digipak. This meant that I was able to use an image of the artist 'Amy-Michaela' and have her stand in front of the sun in the afternoon when it was beginning to descend and this created a very beautiful picture that seemed to fit in nicely with the natural theme. The main colours seen in this particular slide of the digipak is the golden lens flare, the dark shadow of the artist and the dark green colours from the tree behind. This enables the audience to really concentrate on what is exactly in front of them. The golden light that shines through is able to connote the hardship that she made have had while making this album but now it is finally turning out the the best. The light as it is seen covering the artist shows to the audience in a symbolic way that this is the light at the end of the tunnel. It also can connote that she is in fact out in the 'open.' All eyes are on her and she is able to take centre stage with the light shining on her with no where to hide. This again resembles how much vulnerability she may feel towards the audience as they are ultimately being able to listen to her songs and get a very personal insight into her life. The dark green leaves surrounding her connote the fresh and lush environment that she is in. This enables the audience to believe that she is very in touch with nature and its able to look at it as though it is something beautiful and special on the earth. Anyone whom may look at this image may enjoy the representation of the artist as she is seen as being very natural and subtle in her approach. The conventions of the indie genre are very present here as we are able to see the background in a very natural place. This enables the audience to recognise this as an indie genre as people are able to see that the artist isn't trying to make her digipak look glamorous or expensive. The lighting isn't artificial and everything in the image is very accessible to all audience members. This is one of the main conventions of the indie genre that make it conformed because people are able to look up to her as an artist for using the natural elements but they can also see that everything in the shot is something that could be just as easily done by themselves. For example if someone wanted to take a shot like they all they would have to do is go into there back garden or local park/forest and take an image as they sun went down. This ultimately builds a relationship with the audience as they are able to relate to Amy in a more artistic way. The image that I chose for this slide was a highly effective one to choose as I was able to make it my own. I consisted on keeping it very natural and tried my best to not really do anything to it in photoshoot. This not only saved me a lot of time, but it adds to the natural beauty of the indie genre and I feel the audience will be able to appreciate this style alot more as it doesn't result in a lot of money to be spent, which ultimately can sometimes take away the first intention of the image. I wanted the light to look as though its is striking the artist this is very successful when creating a silhoutte of Amy Michaela the artist and allows the audience to get the impression that she is exposed in the natural light and this results in them feeling reassured and comfortable with what is yet to come within her album as they feel she is a genuine artist. This is specifically shown through the use of natural light and location in this image alone. Because in this slide I have attempted to keep the image and theme as natural as possible I decided not to add any type of wiritng including the font/typography. I felt that this would take away from the beauty of the lens flare and cause the audience to loss interest with the image. I wanted the layout to be rather simply and have just the artist silhouette against the sunset be the main priority in the image. This meant that I didn't really have any specif layout and design and I kept everything pretty much the same as the real image. For the reason being that I wanted this to be a very symbolic slide and consist of having natural elements and positions in it. Overall I have discussed many connotations above all leading back to the idea of everything being very simple and beautiful. My main focus of this slide of the digipak was to focus on the artist and how far she has come. This is shown through the sunlight being fully on her now and displaying a very symbolic message that her songs on the album are very personal to her. The audience will intently feel connected to her because of this and this will result in them having a huge amount of represent for her. Photoshop was fairly straight forward in this slide and I didn't really overcome any weaknesses due to the fact that all I did to the image was crop it into shape and make sure the artist was centre in the image. This made is alot easier for me to complete and made me feel more assured with photoshop itself. 

The majority of this image was made into black and white. The reason for this was to be able to see the artist as a past person almost. I wanted this slide to show the 'vintage' and 'vunerable' side to her. This is why I decided to have most of the colour in black and white. Although I did decided to exaggerate the colour of her blue eyes in photoshop to still show the audience that she was a beautiful person who still has a soul. I wanted the colour blue of her eyes to connote the peacefulness she feels inside for her audience as they dig through her album and uncover things about the artist. I wanted this image to represent a number of things that where to come into the album through colour alone. For example the blue eyes show that there may be some sadness in the album that will be very personal to the audience and the artist. It may be relateable to which is why I decided to add the colour to her eyes to show to the audience that they are technically looking through Amy's eyes. I painted her original nails a darker shade of black to show that she has also struggled with some hard times and that can also be notified through the album. As a whole I wanted them to symbolise the dark nail polish to the idea of her having the 'crawl' her way through to the better side. Which is why I choose this specific part of her body being her nails to represent the 'clawing' that she has had to under go. Finally the whole image being in black and white represents that being though she is still very proud of herself for being able to portray these things to her audience she still feels exposed to them. This ultimately makes the audience feel as though they are apart of the journey and this brings them closer to Amy in the process. The connotations of the indie genre are actually very subverted in this slide. Although she still remains very observed having so much black and white is not common in the indie genre as they are usually focusing there album on more of a natural tone and in fact the black and white effect is much more common in the soul element compared to the indie genre. Nevertheless I felt that the black and white was much more appropriate to this particular artist as I wanted her audience to feel  as though they where all part of an emotional and ongoing journey that was displayed perfectly through the use of the black and white effect. I felt this image fit in to the idea of this particular slide perfectly. This is because of the way the artist is presented having her look at the audience directly but have her hide her face with her hands made it possible for the audience to know that she is vulnerable but at the same time reaching out to them by having them looking directly at her. The layout and design is very particular in this slide as it allows the audience to be able to read the thank you note off of her hands. The style and position of the writing makes it look as though its a tattoo printed on her skin and ultimately this makes the whole message a lot more individual and personal to her audience. In addition to this the particular way the font is presented is very dainty and feminine. This particular typography makes it easier for the artist to be able to be able to recognise this as something personal and emotional. The reason for this is because the font looks as though it is hand written and these particular types of font make it easier for the audience to believe that the artist has actually written this herself. Resulting in a much more close bond between the artist and the audience. The language used is also very demotic and can be recognised by the audience in a more friendly way. The fact that she relates to her audience as 'guys' immediately lessons the gap between them and makes it a lot more easier for the artist to be able to create a further more fuller relationship with the audience. In addition to this the way she signs her name as 'Amy M x' is not only making the audience familiar with her own nickname but she is also adding a more informal, but kind gesture of a 'kiss.' This immediately makes the audience feel although this is more of a social letter compared to a formal thank you from a celebrity. Overall there are many connotations for this particular slide the main ones being the colour blue from her eyes which connotes peace but also emotions, which ultimately gives the audience a clue into how the artist is feeling about the album and also what the album actually consists of. This was one of the slides that needed the most attention when it makes to photoshop as I not only played about with the filters but Amy physical appearance also. My strengths in using photoshop at this particular moment was when I was able to make her black and white but not her eyes. This is because I had played about with the black and white effect previously and I gained a slight skill for being able to do this accurately. Although when having to try and change Amy's nails this became a struggle. The original image the model in the photo had fake acyclic nails on with glitter on them. There where a very square shape and had become to grow out, this made it very difficult to make her nails look as realistic as possible but with help of the paint and blur tool I managed to make it look as natural as possible.

In this particular slide the colours remain matching to the front cover. Being so that the background is black and white and then Amy is still in colour. I have done this to create the theme of having a very plain background with the focus being the artist. This enables me to be able to connote that the artist is able to portray to her audience that this particular album is emotional. This gives off the impression that the artist has been through a lot of hardships in her life and the audience will want to know what has made her see in black and white. In addition to this the artist is wearing a blue jumper which connotes the sadness of the songs that are represented in the album. The audience will begin to feel a lot of sympathy aimed at the artist and this will ultimately make them feel closer to her as an artist and this will show them that she is willing to be able to confess to all her inner emotions and portray them in a way that will relate to the audience. Even though the back ground is in black and white you are able to see that the location is very heavily coated with leaves over the brick wall. This demonstrates both the natural elements in the final slide of the digipak as well as the brick wall which shows more of an urban side to the digipak. This ultimately displays how the final slide of the digipak fits the conventions of the indie genre as it shows how much of an impact the location and setting will have on the audience as they will be able to recognise that it fits these particular conventions. This allows the audience to recognise Amy Michaela as an indie artist and then continue to admire her as someone who is able to stick to her genre and contribute to it in a positive way by following the typical conventions which include the locations and settings used in the photographs as well as the music video. I decided to choose this image as I felt that it went well with being the back cover. This is because even though the artist is in the image the focus is not actually on her it is on the song titles. This is because all the audience are able to see is the back of her, which allows them to feel her presence but not necessary focus on her, but rather just the titles of the song. I felt like her positioning in this image allowed her to look as though she was looking out into the distance and I'm this particular image it made it very easy for the audience to relate to her having a new start and sharing all her past emotions with them if the artist herself was looking out into the distance. This is because as a whole the audience will feel connected to her and ultimately be able to provide a sense of thoughtfulness into her album as she will appear as someone who really dwells on things similarly to what most of her audience probably follow aswell. The layout and design was purposely created to make everything appear in a very orderly manor. I wanted the audience to be able to focus on the song titles and I wanted the structure to be displayed  as being very clear and precise, this enabled me to presume that people considering to buy the digipak or even audience members would easily find a song that they could relate to and this would actually bring out a side to them that would be more inclined to buy the album. I placed the bar code and record label at the bottom to try and keep the attention off of them but at the same time I wanted them to be relevant and have meaning which is why they are still present just at the bottom of the slide. Overall I feel that my particular design and layout is very organised and things that need to stand out the most do. The particular typography that I have planned to incorporate into the last slide of the digipak is one that resembles a handwritten but clear presentation. The font is in all capitals to true and bring attention to it so that the audience can see that this is a crucial part of the back page. In addition to this the typography appears to have a handwritten style but not as dainty and swirly as other types. This is because I want the audience to feel like it has a personal touch but I also want to make this a very clear list of songs that are easy to read. This then continues on further to display the language used in the end slide. There are many songs that are able to present the true emotion and theme of the album aswell as being able to fit to the conventions of the indie genre. Songs like 'november' are a conventional choice of language because it relates to an autumn month. This means that it connotes the orange leaves in the forest and the cosy winter weather. By doing so the audience begin to imagine what type of music and atmosphere these songs will give off and they will begin to question whether or not the songs will follow the same cosy and consistent effect. Furthermore the song 'Salvation' is able to hint at a romance or certain power that makes the artist feel strong. This is due to the fact that the audience are able to feel at ease when watching a listening to this song as the true image of love is displayed the audience will be about to relate more to the realistic approved rather then just being able to present love in a way that is too perfect to be real. This means the the audience will gain a certain perspective on the album just from the title and songs alone, overall making the language choices a clever way of thoutherly promoting the digipak. As a whole i do believe that this digipak slide fits the typical conventions of the indie genre as it has the main colours and setting that fit in with the theme of the indie genre. This is seen through the mix of rural and urban settings that show the audience that the artist is educated in being both a fan of the city and countryside. This enables them to buy the album through the connotations of the digipak. They may have not heard all the songs on the digipak or watched all the music videos but they are able to get a true representations of the aritst as they know what type of person she is through the selection of locations she has used in this particular slide. Finally the use of photoshop was made alot easier as I had reached my final digipak slide and overall I had felt as though I had picked up some essential skills on the way. I felt asthough I was able to adapt to my strengths which where being able to turn the background black and white as I had done this throughout my digipak to follow the theme I was able to really provide a really accurate effect. The only thing I did struggle with is the layout in photoshop and this was a rather large issue that I had to try and adapt to, this is because while I was placing the bar code and record label on the digipak as I struggled to be able to fit this in line im the correct way. This is because it was hard to use the mouse tool that and make the extra codes and tags look professional in the finish of the digipak.

As a whole I am very pleased with how my digipak has come out and how much I have learnt through practicing with the programme photoshop. I do feel that my digipak fits the indie conventions as I am able to display a true selction of natural locations which appeal to the audience and the indie genre by adding a more naturall beautiful aspect. For example the forest and cornfield locations are really what make this digipak appear a lot more indie. In addition to this the golden sunlight also add to the texture of the digipak and the overall theme of it being very neautral and natural. In addition to this the font used is very personal to the audience as all font used gives off a very personal theme and this contributes to the indie genre as the artist in this particular genre are known for caring alot about there audience and sharing deep and personal things through there music alone. I do also believe that the target audience are going to feel that this is a good edition to an indie artists collection. Not just because it appeals to all the codes and conventions of the indie genre but in addition to this the actual ideas and imagery behind the digipak was made to purposely suit the audience. The setting is realtable to thme making them feel more comfortable when listening to Amy Michaelas album as they are able to take pride in there artist for being orginal and thinking of them as a target audience. I additionally think that the audience will acknowledged the emotions put into this digipak through all the connotations of the colours and facial expressions. This will then appeal to them further as they will know what to expect as they album progresses. Overall I feel my digipak is personal and very relateable which over builds the relationship between artist and audience and in the end is what makes it possible for audience members to feel connected to there audience. Relating back to dyers theory of artists being extraordinary as well as ordinary. As they are rich and famous but also try and act normal and ordinary to relate and build the relationship with there audience.

(spell check didnt work so will prove spelling etc)

Photo Shoot - Miss Miller

Taking pictures is a necessary to creating a very varied course of pictures. A photo shoot provides a clear vision onto what we all as individual photographers aim to have for our digipak as well as magazine adverts. The photo-shoot doesn't just allow our digipaks to be individual and unique but they also guarantee a higher quality of photo. With elements such as lighting and angles that can be manipulated and set up to achieve a preferred look. In addition to this we are able to see how much of a difference the real photos are compared to if we where to just screen shot them from the video clips. The real images continue to be very sharp and focused and provide a very crisp image to edit on. This means that while playing about with the backgrounds, lighting, and filters we are able to get the highest quality possibility. I in particular appreciate this as it will supply a very accurate type of advertisement that would appeal to a real life audience. One of the most important things while doing the photo shoot is to actually take a lot of photos for yourself. I learnt that this was a very important thing to have done while editing the images as having a range of photos to choose from was important. This was because pictures can sometimes look different on Photoshop with a particular font and lighting attached to it. This meant that some of the photos I wanted for the original idea did not actually make it onto the final scene as it did not provide the same look as I intended. Luckily though I has a lot of others to choose from and this made the whole task a lot more calming.

Originally I took this image to supply a good amount of my 'hidden' close ups. This meant that as a photographer I had decided to create something that showed my artist as vulnerable. I wanted to have a number of close ups that would be visible to the digipak at some point. This particular image was planned to be used on the artists CD. I would have a plain wall and two images of her faded into the wall. This allowed me to be a lot more creative while coming up with the different poses and positions for my artist. The unedited image is conventional as it still shows the artist as someone who may be seen as shy and vulnerable. This in fact implies to the audience that she is exposing herself on the CD. They will be more assured while actually looking at the CD and playing it as they will be encouraged to feel connected to the artist. They will see her as someone who is very human and likely to feel embarrassed or even vulnerable at times at the thought of people listening to her music. This is because conventionally the audience are more likely to recognise this as an indie genre artist if there is more emotional and expose to her inner and more personal feelings and emotions in the song. The hands across her face offer a very shy welcome. The fact that eye contact is still seen acts as an invite to the audience whereas the hands spread out over her face still imply that she is a little guarded. The audience will feel a connection with her and build a relationship immediately as they will begin to see her as someone who is asking for help and letting the audience in slowly, which is what a 'normal' person might also do. This implies that she is a very down to earth and assured artist. She doesn't necessary take any sort role in the music industry and she doesn't follow the typical codes and conventions of a typical famous artist. 

The first thing that drew me in when taking this photo was the idea that I could turn this graffiti in to something more and display it in a certain why that benefited the artist and audience. I took the image as I thought that it would be a good background for a shot that I particularly thought would work well and help sell the digipak. I wanted to use this image as I thought that it would provide a very precise message to the audience. My plan was to have her stand there and have the name 'Amy' above her, I would take the already graffiti 'A' and add the other two letters to appear as though they had been painted on as well. I do believe that this image can actually be seen as both conventional and subordinate. The setting and positioning of the character actually remains very true to its genre as it provides a very clear image. The brick wall behind relates to the typical city setting that the indie genre sometimes uses in there music videos. Her positioning is again faced away from the camera as she provides a very hostile, yet beautiful image. This implies that The fact that she is facing away from the camera tells the audience that again she is very closed in on herself. The subordinate feature of this picture is typically the graffiti itself. Although it may demonstrate the city location it doesn't provide a very good 'role model' stereotypically some indie artist such as Gabrielle Aplin, Birdy and even more popular indie artists like Ed Sheeran are overall good role models. Typically in there music videos no law is broken whereas in Rnb or the Dance genre you may see drinking and drug abuse as well as sexual references. This means that the audience may pick up on the fact that this is actually being a bit more edgy and risk taking in her album by having something that is technically illegal be present in her album. They may start regarding her as someone who is willing to take risks in the own genre. This may encourage them to want to go out and pay more for the digipak as they want to see what she has to say and what story she is telling in this representation.Throughout the digipak the theme is rather similar as I wanted to create images where the artist looked a little guarded. This is because I wanted to really exaggerate the fact that indie genre music is stereotypically a lot more emotional and personal when it comes to expressing the feelings of a certain person. The artist themselves want to be able to distribute there own personality and life experiences through the songs although this can be seen as a scary process which is why I decided to have the artist turning slightly to the side and have her looking down at her side. This not only creates a sense of innocence that the audience may pick up on but they will notice that this is a very important piece of music to the artist and they will wish to carry on and buy this album almost as through they are taking care of what means the most to her, her emotions.

In this particular image I wanted to be able to display the personal message to all of her fans. I initially wanted to have the writing on her hands but when doing the Photoshoot I realised that it wasn't that simple. I had to be able to present her in a way that was touching to the audience and having her hand covering her face took away the element of mystery and just made her look strange. The fact that I was then able to manipulate her hands to still be showing her eyes looking directly at the audience and have her fingers stretched out over her face made the whole image a lot more sophisticated and effective. This overall allowed me to be able to display the image across her fingers with a particular effect that almost made it look like tattoos. The main reason for me creating a photo like this is to actually contribute further to the audience. Her eyes are the main focus as they can be seen piercing through. This creates a well balanced, welcoming approach as the audience feel like they are looking straight at her into her soul and getting an insight into her life. This image is actually quite conventional as again the artist remains very guarded as it able to be seen having a close connection to the audience not on a fan/artist level, but more in the sense that it creates a very personal friendly relationship. You are getting to know her like a friend would. Not all genres of music continue to do this and often sing about stuff that they feel the audience would like to hear not what they want to tell the audience. Personally I feel that this is one of the best images that I have that connects well with the audience. Her hands are over her face which provide a very hidden and closed atmosphere, this is to show how shy and almost scared she is to tell everyone her personal news and have everyone listening to what she may find upsetting and very serious. Her eyes can be seen looking back at the audience. This immediately creates a close bond with the audience as she has finally given them a very true and honest piece of herself. She is able to contribute to the theme of being guarded but in this second while thanking them she actually manages to look at them on a more personal level and this overall guarantees a much more  secured relationship with the audience and helps the connection grow as they are able to produce and witness her thanking them and providing a very good facial expression.

This final image is what I plan to use for the front cover of my digipak. This will allow me to supply the audience with an introduction to what the theme of the rest of the digipak is. My themes being, natural settings, neutral colours and an artist who is presented in a way that makes her appear rather shy and guarded. This image shows her sitting under a bridge on the side of a river bank. She is looking out into the distance and I personally just thought that the location, theme and position of character well fit well with the overall theme of my digipak. I do believe that this image is a good way to display and hint to the audience what type of songs are on the music album. This particular image is conventional as it provides a good and typical costume that is able to be portrayed well within the indie genre. The boots that she is wearing are typically rather popular in the indie genre as they are rustic and vintage looking. The fact that the boots are also displayed as being dirty and well used shows us to the audience that she is rather adventurous and is able to explore. This implies that she is someone who is not afraid of getting dirty and going on adventures. The audience will take note of this and then able to build a relationship with her as they will see her as someone who is down to earth and not a 'snob.' In addition to this the fact that she is looking in the direction that the album is going to follow on from makes this a very suitable image. The idea that the representation is one that provides a very in depth and follows on well through her journey makes the audience feel very involved. This is very conventional to the indie genre as it means that as an artist this particular way of sitting and the idea behind it being that she is looking out onto what is coming up on the digipak relates to the idea that she is a very welcoming person that wishes to involve there audience as much as possible. The audience will then feel very connected to her and want to see what this album/digipak is all about.

The overall experience of taking images to me as been successful as it has not only allowed to create my magazine advert and digipak but it was also supplied me with the knowledge to get to know my own artist. This is due to the fact that I have constructed her in the way that I wish for her to be created. This allows me to be able to see her in a particular light and hopefully the audience will too. I believe that as a photographer for my artist I think the photoshoot was an overall success as I gained a different variety of photos. My main strength was being able to position my character in the exact way that I also imagined her to appear. This meant that as an artist the overall representation is of the impression that she is able to connect to the artist and also remain very hidden and personal just through the angles of the photos and the positioning of the artist herself. The main thing that was a struggle was having to take your own images and the over people of your group wanting to have the same image. This became a rather difficult but was resolved quickly as everyone began to actually take there own images and its helped with the more personal approach to the digipak. The overall representation of the artist remains to be very personal. She is seen as an artist whom would be very kind, but shy and reserved. This is because she is actually taking her emotions int o her own hands and being able to share her personal experiences (as an indie artist) to her audience. Her audience will ultimately appreciate this effort that she has put into the making of her magazine advert and digipak and want to continue to support her throughout her music career. I am very glad that I made the time to take my own images and have a wide range to choose from. Me and Amy went out while filming down by the train bridge and stream and took a number of photos in a very isolated area. It is important to take your own images as it provides a very personal touch on your digipak. Overall the fact that I had taken all the images myself in the photoshoot meant that there was a lot less conflict in the group and not as many arguments as in the end everyone had there own supply of photos.

Individual Magazine Advert - Miss Miller (highlighted improvements)

Magazine adverts are essential in letting audiences all over the worlds know that the artist is making a new album. The idea of them is to have them in particular magazines that the audience may be more tempted to like the particular artist. Or in contrast, they may put them in different genres of magazines to actually try and entice a new audience to buy the album. This actually enables me to try and create a magazine advert that would connect strongly with my target audience. I used Photo shop to create my magazine advert. Using such a precise and sometimes very complicated tool made it easier for me to be able to create something that looked very professional and detailed in the way that a real magazine advert would be. The particular tools of photo shop made everything that I wanted blend together alot more easily, these tools mainly consisted of the blur and paint tool. The good thing about creating the magazine advert with photo shop is the idea that everything is alot less block and more blended together. My original idea was to have her standing underneath the tunnel, although this actually changed as while editing it on photo shop I was able to change the image to one I preferred. So now she stands in a very green looking area, at the edge of a forest. I decided that this would be the best type of magazine advert as she is not only in a typical indie setting but she is also seen looking over to her right. This enables her to be seen as 'shy' indicating what is to come if you buy her album. The audience may imply that this album is going to show an exposed side to her. 

The colours that I have chosen to use in my magazine advert are actually the black and white filter. Light grey/blue coloured dress and the black and white font. The neutral colours of the magazine advert are able to connect well with the indie genre. I decided to use the white font and black glow that makes the font really stand out. This is due to the fact that these two colours contrast each other well. It makes the words really stand out and this is crucial when making a  magazine advert as it provides a very well advertised magazine advert. If the words can stand out it makes the audiences attention always be on that. This is ultimately what a magazine advert is about. Making the words stand out. I edited the background in black and white and this meant that the font could stand out better due to the bold colours being the main focus now. This also applies to the artist Amy Michaela. The idea was to make her in colour and the rest black and white. This makes the audience not only notice the font but notice the artist. There eyes will be drawn to her and this will make them feel more connected to her as an artist. This is due to that fact that I want them to first notice her name and her image, so they can recognise her and be more inclined to buy the album. This enables them to become alot more drawn to her as an artist. The black and white background also connotes how she has made herself important. She is seen standing out from the rest and this enables her to be seen as being extraordinary and successful as she 'stands out from the rest.' The audience may imply that through the certain colours used she is actually letting them though that she has created something very unique and that this album is going to be very different to anyone that she has ever created before in her life. 

The conventions of the indie genre remain to be along the lines of having a very natural setting, neutral colours as well as overall portraying an emotional of hidden message within the performances. To begin with the mise-en-scene in the magazine advert is very conventional to the genre as it gives an insight in to the particular costume, hair and makeup that she may have in the real music video. This means that as a whole the the audience are able to take a look at this particular element and decide whether it would also fit there tastes, resulting in them buying the album. Her costume remains very indie ad she wears a dark grey/blue looking skater dress with tights and boots. Her hair is naturally very long and flowing, but I decided to french plait her hair to one side to not only show her face and let the emotion be the centre of her, but to also connote how her hair also represents her album. This particular indie conventions create the hidden message of herself being rather normal. Although she may not be like that in real life she is being made to fit to the indie genre and appear to the audience through wearing average clothes that are available to all people. The very unique and original style shows the audience that her album may also include songs that are not particularly mainstream but can still be successful. In addition to this the location used also represents how the album is going to be and what type of style the music video is. The forest looking area is actually in a very natural, peaceful place. The audience are then able to relate to the artist and judge her as being someone who isn't just going to successful and have original settings, but she is someone whom they will see as 'normal.' This is due to the fact that the location used in the magazine advert isn't exactly far stretched and glamorous and they audience will take note of this and see her as someone who is alot more original and very down to earth as she is not trying to show off or be anything other than herself, which is very conventional to the indie genre. The overall atmosphere of the magazine advert is very simplistic and this is what will draw the audience in. They will not envy her but actually relate to her and then want to buy her album for them reasons alone.

The actually layout and design of the magazine advert is very particular and everything is put in place for a reason. The first thing that the audience will notice is the artists name 'Amy Michaela' in big font. That is placed directly above the artist to show and announce to the audience that this is who owns the album and who is selling the album. The reason I decided to put it at the top was because one of the most important things that the audience will pick up on is the artists name. They are then able to decide whether they even like this artist and if they are a fan. The most important thing is that the majority of her fans and audience will look at the name and be intrigued into what it has to offer. The next thing that really stands out from the layout and design is actually the artist herself. This next appeals to the audience that may be intrigued by the name but then only recognise the artist her her face. This will then result in them reading on further as they may recognise and like the type of things that she has to offer. The album name 'Desolation' is then in place to not only stand out to the audience but cause them to focus on it and try and remember it for them to continue to want to buy it. The date of the album also stands out well against the darker background and this is ultimately to help the audience be reminded of when the actual album is going to be released. The next thing and maybe one of the very important things that I wanted to stand out on the magazine advert was in fact the songs that feature on it. This is because as someone who wants to sell an album some people may not be very up to date with names, and dates, etc. This means that as someone who is trying to entice an audience the song names need to really stand out and be put in a place that is rather noticeable to the audience. This actually means that the audience may be able to remember maybe a certain song that is being played on the radio and then relate it to one of the songs featuring on the album. This ultimately may be one of the most important things that encourages them to by the album as it almost acts as a sneak peak into what is on the album and what could be on the album. 

The typography of the font used is very particular in making the magazine advert stand out. The main focus being her name is in a very bold font that was a black border outline. This is to really make it stand out and have all the attention on it. Her name is in bold to represent her emotions on the album also. She is almost making herself very over exaggerated and very out there to show the audience that she may be exposing her self or having something unconventional of the album that may appeal to a certain number of people. In addition to this the album name 'Desolation' is the complete opposite font. It is presenting in a handwriting format and contrasts with her name to create a very gentle and welcoming feel to the artist. This allows the audience to be able to see that she is trying to make more of a stand and be bolder, but the album is still very personal to her and has very typical sensitive matters on it, which overall relates to the indie genre anyway. These two fonts continue to correlate with one another as the bolder font is used on the informative points such as the artists name, date, and introduction of the songs. Whereas the more gentle, handwritten font is used on the album name and songs featured in it. This is not only used to try and keep the bolder font stuck in the audiences mind, which means they are more likely to remember them. But also used to create a very delicate atmosphere on things that are more personal to the artist such as they album name and songs featured in the album. 

Finally the particular language used in the magazine advert is very persuasive and fits the conventions of not only the indie genre but the music industry as a whole. The actual introduction of the album name states 'Her debut album' This type of language is able to pull the audience in and encourage them to be able to witness how much of a success the album already is. 'debut' sets the tone for the magazine advert and overall allows the audience to think already that this is a very genuinely, successful music video. In addition to this in a very light and clear font as an audience you can read the words 'featuring the smash hits.' This again encourages the audience to buy the album as they are able to see how much of a difference this type of advertisement can make them want to buy it. They will make more attention taking in the song names and hopefully recognising them as they will be intrigued at what these hit songs actually are.

While using photo shop there were many things that i had to learn while using it, these particular these did involve the how to use the text boxes, colouring and other tools that were essential in creating a successful magazine advert. The main weakness of using photo shop was the fact that I wasn't familiar with it, this meant that I had to try and learn everything about it in a short amount of time. At first I struggled with being able to create something that looked good enough to be passed as a real magazine advert. I struggled majorly with making the font stand out and this led to me having to change the colour of the background which took a lot of time and practice as i had to make sure it was even and had a very precised look about it. The paint tool was also somethings I struggled to use at first as I had to learn to adapt to changing the size and the amount of paint I wanted otherwise it would result in being very thick and fake looking and this was not something that looked professional. This ultimately made it sometimes tricky to get the preferred look I wanted. However, the fact that I was even able to use such a specific programme such as photo shop was overall a very successful thing as I was able to quickly adapt to the different tools. One tool in particular that I really liked using after I got the hang of making it look blend able was the paint brush tool as I didn't only use it to bad but add different effects such as making something appear alot more put together. The blur tool was another one that I found to be very successful and easy to use. I used this to blend in any harsh edges and this overall made the effect of the magazine advert alot more put together and finalised. 

I had many inspirations coming into this project although when actually producing the final magazine advert i learnt quickly that not everything could go to plan. I really hope for a big shot which had the artist and the bridge in it but when i got to the location I soon found out that this was just mot possible, this meant that as a whole a number of things had to be changed. The location was one of these, this can be seen from my original plan as I wanted yo have the bridge in the shot but ended up using a very precise forest shot instead. This meant that as a whole the idea was to create something that would still appeal to the audience even though it may not be exactly what i wanted. This meant that i had to try and incorporate the same natural vibe, being the very green and natural setting behind the artist, although it doesn't stick to my original plan it still works out for the best as the audience members will still try and imagine this as something that can appeal to them. They will do this, as they will notice the specific location and pose of the artist that creates an individual image. Due to this location it does fit with the typical indie genre. In addition to this the same goes to her vintage looking costume and hairstyle that does appeal to how the audience reacts to the magazine advert as they will immediately associate it with the indie genre

Overall I do think it works well in appealing to the target audience this is due to the fact that it encourages them to take in every element in the advert, particularly being the setting and costume. The body language the artist has is very confident and strong but her facial expression are distant a looking out to the side which shows to the audience that they is a lot on her mind, which suggests there is a lot of emotion in the album, this will appeal to my target audience as they will feel although she is a genuine person and not necessarily someone who is just in the business for the money and at as a result they will respect her more as a person. The way she dresses is also not very extravagant. It is something that a lot of people would wear as it is not majorly expensive. This allows the audience to look up to her for fashion also, this will ultimately show her as someone who doesn't liked to show off or have alot of attention around her and this is what makes her a very relatable person to my target audience. This ultimately shows that the artist is being promoted in a particular way and through the help of all the elements above, my magazine artist should be very successful and conformed in a particular way that would result in the audience wanting to buy her album and feeling as though this particular artist is a very real and down to earth person that is able to create music that appeals to more then one person.

Planning Digipak - Miss Miller

This A digipak is usually made from a stronger paperboard and material. It is a very good quality and is likely to last for a long time after purchase, this makes it suitable for them being a good collectable item. The outer bindings have plastic trays for the CD's which also make it a lot more durable for the audience. They act as a special way to promote an album in a particular way that allows the audience to feel as though they have been 'blessed' with a special edition version. Digipaks are completely different to the average jewel case. Digipaks are made of much stronger materials which will last a lot longer. In addition to this digipaks are more personal to the audience as they contain a very touching 'thank you' from the artist. Additional tracks are sometimes added to make the Digipak a lot more unique compared to the average jewel CD case.  There are a number of images that can also be added to the digipak as it create a more informative booklet about the digipak. Overall due to the more personal elements in the didipak we are able to add a consecutive feature to the digipak that involves the audience heavily through a more personal approach. This is something I have considered dramatically. To be able to build a relationship with the artist and audience just from creating a successful digipak. 

That particular colours that i have decided to use convey to the indie genre rather nicely, i am able to see how they balance the overall atmosphere that i am trying to create when making my digipak. The colours blue that are planned to be present while having the dark blue water in the background of some of the images used on the digipak. This is aimed to create a follow along with the very chilled and peaceful atmosphere of the album. It would flow just like a river would. The blue signifies the calming atmosphere that is present in her emotional yet very 'real' songs on the album. This is due to her being an indie artist who wants to be displayed as someone who is very emotive in her music. In addition to this i plan for the artist to wear a pink flowey top and have her name in a subtle pink colour. This will allow me to create a very stereotypical feminine image for the artist. This demonstrates the particular songs that may also be present. The colour pink conveys with the love theme that is definitely going to be presented in the musical lyrics and videos of her upcoming album. Finally the colour brown is aimed to be used as it is the colour of the boots and her hair. This neutral colour relates to the indie genre as it complies with its ideology of being neutral and very natural for the audience. This allows the audience to be able to build a relationship with the artist as they will relate her to being someone who isn't artificial and in fact very down to earth, just through the colours that she uses as an artist in her digipak.

The conventions of the digipack remain very true and converted to the genre. As a creator I am able to manipulate the conventions of the indie genre and allow them to be present in the digipak. For example this can be seen in the particular body language of the artist on the message to fan slide. Her hands are covering her face and this enables the audience to see her hiding. This connotes the indie genre as many indie artists are seen as being very real and true to themselves. The overall impression this gives of is that the artist is actually rather shy and is able to display herself as vulnerable. The audience will see her as more of a friend and not someone who stands above them as they will ultimately feel in control of her album and secrets in the songs. This allows them to be seen as people who are very vulnerable and the audience take empathy in this. The audience will then feel as though they will be able to take care of there artist and relate to there songs in a successful way as they may feel a personal connection. The fact that the artist is portrayed in this particular way, allows me to manipulate the genre by abusing the fact that audience members are more prone to but digipaks of indie artists that appear very down to earth. This relates well to Amy-Michaela as an artist, as she herself is presented in this particular manor. A vulnerable artist who is just trying to show her true self to the world. This overall representation of the artist fits the conventions of the indie genre as it provides an artist that remains true to her 'roots' she is very strong willed and is not swayed easily by other things such as fame and fortune. This overall theme of someone who is very down to earth and not materialistic relates to many indie artist and the image they want to create within their genre. 

The particular images I plan to use in my digipak display how strongly I am able to trying to make a very conventional indie digipak. The images used are not images that are just intended to show off the artist in a luxurious light, this overall theme is supposed to create an artist whom appears as very down to earth not in your face. The images are not going to be taken in very typically glamorous and wealthy setting. The aim here is to set the scene in typical, but isolated settings that allow the artist it again seem vulnerable. The plain everyday locations used convey to the audience as they will be able to see the artist in a way that allows her to be portrayed as a friend. Not someone who has more power then them. This way the audience are able to feel more at home and invited into buying this digipak rather then just envying the artist. This is also supported by her body language in the images as she is very neutral and sometimes emotional looking in her digipak, this again displays her vulnerability. She is not seen as someone who is posing proactively or seductively to appeal to the audience. She is being seen as someone who is 'normal' she is sometimes presented as shy like in the images where she covers her face and turns her back. This enables the audience to see her in a particular light that will appeal to them as they will ultimately build a relationship with the artist and see her as a friend. Overall I want images that produce a very 'ordinary' artist. I aim to create a theme that allows the audience to recognise the images or know a particular location that may be similar, e.g the forest or a field. 

The layout and design of the digipak is designed to be very inviting. This will encourage the audience to buy the digipak as they will feel as though they are being given a special insight into her life. The planned presentation of the bricks on the CD cover has been designed to make the audience feel as though they are listening to the CD and the artists life experiences. The layered bricks indicate the time and effort put into the album and digipak as well as the multiple layers that are made to connote her life and her emotions in her songs. The audience are able to notice this particular type of message and feel very lucky and even blessed to be a fan of an artist that thinks of every little detail. In addition to this the typical brick wall is often very stereotypical to the indie genre as the audience are able to connote it to the very urban theme that indie genres sometimes adapt too. This is due to the fact that the two main locations used in the indie genre are either very rural or urban related to the music video. This allows the audience to be able to recognise the theme in the music video and relate it to the digipak allowing them to be able recognise the location of this particular planned CD. The aim of this is to show the audience the struggles that the artist has faced to 'build' this wall. Each song can be presented as a struggle and a message from the artist and her journey. This builds a relationship with the audience as it enables them to feel as though they are being brought on this journey and are able to witness the struggles the artist has overcome just by the design and layout alone.

On the front cover the artist is able to present there aim of being very emotive. I have decided to use very particular typography throughout my whole digipak to allow a certain theme to be carried out during the digipak. The font of the writing will look like it flows well and this is due to the fact that it will appear handwritten, this allows the audience to feel as though they are reading the diary. Immediately the handwritten effect creates a much more personal touch as to the audience it appears as though the artist has written it herself and has remained very close to them throughout the making of this digipak. By doing so I am allowing the audience to feel as though they are getting an insight into this artists personal life. The idea that she has handwritten the font on the digipak allows the audience to feel closer to the artist solely because they may imply that it is similar to a diary or letter which is ultimately much more personal then any other type of font or writing. If I had planned to use a much more solid and technological font it would have made the digipak a lot more modern and distance the audience from noticing other personal touches. Due to the fact that the font does look handwritten allows the audience to be able to recognise the artist and her vintage theme. This is because the artist is able to create this persona of themselves just through the typography alone.

The language used on my digipak is mainly directed towards the personal message that my artist, Amy-Michaela has presented for her fans. Particular language that is planned to be added to my digipak is 'this album is very personal to me' this immediately tells the audience that this is not an ordinary album with songs that are meaningless. The word 'personal' relates to the fact that as an audience they are being given a very direct insight into what is going on in this digipak. The artist wants to portray an emotive side to herself, her story is being presented in this way due to the fact that it may touch the audience in a very individual way that will relate to them. In addition to this she states that she is 'thankful for the support' this adds a touch of personal gratitude that the audience will appreciate very much, they will feel as though they are being given a personal thanks, which will help to sell digipaks in the long run as it will provide a very close bond between the artist and audience as they will feel like they are being acknowledged. If the audience feel acknowledged then ultimately they are able to feel responsibilty for the success/failure of the digipak and the artists fame and fortune. If they feel that the artist is on the same level as them then they will be able to feel much more involved. This will ultimately fit the conventions of an indie genre as they are usually very caring towards there audience members compared to other artists who may concentrate on the fame and greedy side to the music industry.

In conclusion because I have planned my digipak it allows me to be able to prepare for the pictures I need to take. Not only am I preparing for photo shop now but I am also trying to gather enough ideas to go out and take particular photos that can comply with the plan as much as possible. In addition to this when it comes to using photo shop I am now able to manipulate certain shots into making them precisely how I want them. From my plan, I am now able to know exactly where I want my text and in particular what I want it to say. The colours of the images are also being considered and alternatively the plan allows me to be prepared for what is to come and how I can possibly make it as realistic and creatively conventional as possible. I will do this through the use of location in the shots that I take. I want the setting and locations in the digipak to appear as either really natural and beautiful or I want it to portray a very urban themed impression. This allows me to be able to use easy accessible locations that the audience would also be familiar with. This actually enables the  connotations of the locations and settings in this case to overall create a natural scene and make it more relatable to the audience. In addition to this I want my overall theme to be seen as very personal and idyllic to my audience. I want them to be able to look at it and recognise it as an indie genre. In addition to this I think it is very important that the audience are able to recognise the simplistic, yet rather beautiful scenery to be able to get the audience involved within the creation of the digipak due to the fact that the audience are able to feel more involved with recognising scenes.