CD Booklets and Labels for Down Under Audience Recordings

[dce]

I have been quite amazed by the number of Australian and New Zealand concerts for which audience recordings have surfaced over the past month. Almost all of the concerts that I attended on my whirlwind smorgasbord of LC are now out there in audio form for everyone to enjoy.

Thinking about this the other day, the thought struck me that a nice companion to these several concert recordings would be a set of "CD Packaging" to go with each recording -- you know, booklets, disc label and CD tray slips. Such items would allow someone who (hypothetically) obtained these recordings to put together an attractive memento of the various concerts.

So, cutting to the chase, I decided to design some packaging based on the (many) photos I took at the concerts and the (maybe too many) words that I wrote about them. Now, I'm no graphic designer, so don't expect anything to rival what you'd find in your average store-bought CD, but I'd figured I'd give it a go anyway. So far I have completed two full-sets of booklet-labels-tray, one for the Hanging Rock concert, the other for Brisbane. Since these things take quite a lot of time to put together and I'll probably just be doing a bit here and there, it will take a while for me to complete artwork for all eleven (gasp!) Aus and NZ recordings.

But if you would like to see what I've finished to date, jump across to the special page I've set up on my blog: http://lcdownunder2010.wordpress.com/cd-packaging/

I'm doing these designs for my own personal gratification really, but hopefully someone out there might find them interesting or helpful. They do look pretty cool when printed out on glossy photo paper.


Dean (from Adelaide)

[neo]

Very nice!
Thank you very much, Dean!

[MaryB]

What a clever idea Dean - thank you!

[holydove]

I love your cover art/photos & your titles!! Esp. "Songs of Attraction & Repulsion" - that cracked me up - very witty!!

Lovely idea & beautiful work - thank you!

[B4real]

Hi Dean,

I just wanted to say thank you again for involving me in your wonderful project. It didn't take much to convince me. You have done a wonderful job. I love your titles! Great layout too. Who says you aren't a graphic artist!! It will be a labour of love well done when you finish your task! I will take advantage of each and every CD packaging.

Thanks again,
Bev

[dce]

For those who are following my (fairly protracted) quest to develop CD packaging for all 12 extant recordings of LC's "Down Under 2010" shows, here's a quick update.

I have just finished and uploaded packaging for both Auckland concerts (as well as some tentative covers for the next two concerts I'll be doing, Adelaide and Sydney).

You can see everything I've done so far at: http://lcdownunder2010.wordpress.com/cd-packaging/.

Four down ... still eight more to go!


Dean (from Adelaide)

[B4real]

Thanks Dean,

I have downloaded all the concert CD packaging you have offered so far. You are doing a great job! Yes, only eight or is it nine to go

Bev

PS Even though you haven't actually come out and said it, I just know Perth was your favourite concert in Australia.

[dce]

For those who are downloading my CD booklets and miscellaneous packaging for the Australian and New Zealand audience recordings ... you may be interested in having another look back at http://lcdownunder2010.wordpress.com/cd-packaging/ as two more sets have been finished and uploaded. The two new booklet/CD label/CD tray sets are for the Sydney (night 1) and Adelaide concerts.

In case anyone is keeping score ... with these two sets complete, I am now officially half way -- six of the twelve "Down Under" recordings now have lavishly designed packaging, created by yours truly. As I have been working through these layouts I have been becoming a bit more familiar with the graphic design software, so have been attempting some more complicated designs (eg page 4 of the Adelaide booklet which merges Leonard's modern-day icon with something much more ancient yet still vaguely Cohen-related).

There are also some preliminary cover layouts finished for the next three sets that I will be working on: the two Wellington concerts and the Hobart show.


Dean (from Adelaide)

[dce]

Thanks Dean,

I have downloaded all the concert CD packaging you have offered so far. You are doing a great job! Yes, only eight or is it nine to go

Bev

PS Even though you haven't actually come out and said it, I just know Perth was your favourite concert in Australia.

Hi Bev,

Glad to see that you are enjoying the fruits of my (many, many) hours chained to graphic design software

I'm planning on leaving the Perth concert until last ... I wouldn't absolutely say it was my unconditional favourite, but it *was* pretty special. But then so was Brisbane, and Adelaide, and Hanging Rock, and ...


Dean (from Adelaide)

[dce]

Just a quick heads-up for anyone who is following my progress on CD packaging for the Down Under concerts ...

I have finished another three sets of packaging -- the two Wellington, NZ shows and Hobart. These are now uploaded to the blog page.

I've now completed packaging for 9 of the 12 Aus/NZ concerts that were recorded ... so I guess I'm 75% done. I've also put together provisional cover layouts for the remaining three ...

Slow progress (these things take ages to design) ... but I should be done in a few weeks! Yay!


Dean (from Adelaide)

[B4real]

Thanks again Dean,

I am now up-to-date with your booklets and labels You are moving along well - nearly there!
I secretly wonder what other marathon task you will be setting for yourself

Bev

[dce]

Thanks again Dean,

I am now up-to-date with your booklets and labels You are moving along well - nearly there!
I secretly wonder what other marathon task you will be setting for yourself

Bev

Bev,

Glad to see that that you (and some others) have been picking up my PDFs as I have uploaded them.

I'm quite close to finishing the project -- the two last booklets are more or less done. I'm just trying to convince some guest contributors to provide some words; once I have those, the project is complete.

I don't have any specific plans for further marathon tasks ... well, maybe just a few little ideas. I'd almost think from your comments, though, that you're trying to egg me on


Dean (from Adelaide)

[dce]

As those who have downloaded one or more of my CD booklet PDFs will know, in preparing these things I have tried -- at least as far as my limited abilities will permit -- to be a little artistic in their presentation. Probably the most elaborate presentations have been those given to the double-page spread at the centre of the books. These have all been based on photos I took at the respective concerts, but each has been manipulated in a way that aims to tie in with the "theme" of the booklet. Some of the manipulations have been subtle, others quite the opposite. I've tried to mix it up a bit and not repeat the same approach too often.

Anyway, with all twelve booklets now mostly complete, I thought it might be nice to post the collected series of these centre-spreads ... I guess they could almost be considered "posters" (and in fact I am toying with enlarging some for just this purpose) here on the forum. To avoid putting a single mega-post, I'll split the collection ("gallery") into three parts.

Part One: The NZ Concerts


"Songs of Attraction and Repulsion" based on a photo from Auckland, Night 1



" In The Upper Realms" based on a photo from Auckland, Night 2



"Asleep In A Sea So Deep And Blind" based on a photo from Wellington, Night 1



"Burdened" based on a photo from Wellington, Night 2


Dean (from Adelaide)

[dce]

Part Two: Start of the Australian Tour -- Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne


"Details of the Kangaroo" based on a photo from Brisbane



" Hypnotic Seduction" based on a photo from Sydney, Night 1



"In The Mysterious City" based on a photo from Melbourne, Night 1



"Little Wild Bouquets" based on a photo from Melbourne, Night 2


Dean (from Adelaide)

[dce]

Part Three: End of the Australian Tour -- Hobart, Adelaide, Hanging Rock, Perth


"Love May Be Blind, Desire Is Not" based on a photo from Hobart



" Darkness and Light" based on a photo from Adelaide



"A Blizzard of Ice" based on a photo from Hanging Rock



"Farewell" based on a photo from Perth


Dean (from Adelaide)