Bernadette Hunter, a professional counselor, was referred to me when she was seeking a designer to create a CD package for her personal project, “True Colors,” a collection of tender songs for clients who had experienced trauma.
The CD was a deeply personal and monumental achievement for her, so she wanted to work with a designer who was patient and willing to collaborate.
The Concept
We began the CD sleeve design by learning about her ideal audience, what she wanted to communicate to them, and how they currently perceive her. As I listened to her story, I listed the most compelling thoughts, and noted the attributes that would best influence her project's visuals. Bernadette approved the list, and it guided our imagery, color choices, patterns, tone, and manner. I researched the current CD environment, and shared examples of designs that could give her more presence in her category. She chose a design style that best matched her ideal audience; her approved attributes guided us through the design process.
The Photo Shoot
We initially planned to use the portraits she had on file. Once we discovered they were not recent enough, nor were they the best quality for reproduction, I recommended she hire a professional photographer to shoot a current portrait. I coordinated and art directed the shoot. After a 1-1/2-hour session, we approved five images and selected the most candid and warm portrait from the session.
Design Exploration
Bernadette chose a design feel from examples we reviewed together. She chose a cover photo, then chose a different one...with her final choice I explored and presented designs for her review and approval. She approved a design, proofreading followed, and minor changes were made. Final files were sent to the printer.
The CD Label
Her producer overlooked designing a label for the CD itself. The design and budget constraints allowed the use of only one color. I posed the question, “How much area can the label design take up on the face of the CD?” The whole face was available for printing. Using the cover photo as a cue, I created the leaf silhouette image to serve as the label's artwork.
Developing the brand and employing it at the website
The CD design allowed me to learn about Bernadette and her music, and there was still more to know to develop her brand, and ultimately her website. I tabbed Patrick Hutchins, a strategic, conceptual copywriter, to collaborate with us; we learned her story, her client’s stories, and how they "see" her. We developed a design guide from the interviews, identifying visual ideas for tone, manner, style, color. Working with a template that employed the functionality she needed expedited the website-build, and I incorporated the brand elements we identified.
Bernadette approved the design, writing, “First I want to say it looks so great.”
