Concept & Rationale
This folk music album is crafted by musician Chen Hongyu in his 30s. It portrays the confusion and hesitation experienced by urban youth, who deals with uncertain futures and complex relationships, yet maintain hopes for an idealistic and poetic life. The musician employs numerous symbolic images like wild grass fields, snow-capped mountains, sunsets, and birds to depict the untamed wilderness of nature, aiming to alleviate the frustrations of young people. While his language is sophisticated and poetic, his tone remains plain and devoid of decoration, creating a striking contrast.
In my sketches, I explored many ideas. Some capture the visual images of the album, while others focus on the stories themselves. In the end, I chose the one featuring a grass field and sunset, which shows the mood of the album more directly.
Moodboard
Creating the mood board involves a few key considerations. Firstly, I want to capture a serene scene of an untouched grass field shrouded in distant fog, emphasizing smooth transitions and rich values. I aim to introduce unexpected elements to match the album's unconventional vibe, possibly through unique colors or imaginative touches. In terms of execution, I've chosen colored pencils to achieve the desired texture. As for colors, I'll prioritize peacefulness while incorporating creativity, leaning towards dominant greens complemented by subtle oranges or reds.
Final Design
I sketched the images using colored pencils on textured paper, then refined them in Photoshop. To enhance immersion and emphasize the illustrations, I positioned the text at the edges and desaturated its color to blend with the background. For the typography, I chose Categories Elegant, a typeface that strikes a balance between organic and modern aesthetics.