JAMAL - CD PACKAGING
Folk/country/jazz pianist/singer/songwriter
Michael Stegner asked me to
design the CD packaging for his album, "The Fantastic Adventures of an
Amphibian Named Jamal". (Named as a tribute to Jazz pianist, Ahmad Jamal).
I spent some time trying figure out which amphibian would be up for having
the Fantastic Adventures. The salamander! With their reputation for daring
transformations and other-worldliness, he seemed the obvious solution. But
it seemed a good idea if he didn't look too exciting, so the backgrounds could
be detailed and colourful too, so I went for the colour green - so our salamander
seems a bit like an elongated frog - kind of down-to-earth and friendly.
I was given pretty much free rein with this project, which was brilliant, although
if you look carefully, there are some connections between the song titles and the
illustrations. For example, in the image with panel snapshots of Jamal's adventures
you can see Jamal winning a cup (there is a song called "Tadpole Race"), learning
to walk ("These Legs are Made for Walkin"), and being chased away by a racist
would-be father-in-law "It's not Easy being Green".
I think my favourite image is the fish scene which hides underneath the CD.
I deliberate went for a murkier colourway for this lot, consisting of some cheerful
some gloomy looking individuals. I think it looks quite comic.
You can buy the CD:
here
For this project, I was very inspired by the marvellous
Jim Woodring.
Site by SQUID
© SQUID 2010
