Who Is It

“Who Is It” – Album Cover Design Project

This final project was developed for the Digital Image Processing 1 course, requiring the creation of an album cover design through photomontage techniques. The assignment challenged students to develop visual storytelling capabilities while demonstrating proficiency in essential Photoshop techniques, transitioning from figurative representation toward abstract composition.

The Challenge The project brief required designing an album cover using photomontage methods, with specific emphasis on visual narrative without literal elements. The challenge involved translating song lyrics into abstract visual composition while moving away from figurative representation. The assignment demanded technical proficiency in Photoshop’s fundamental tools while developing conceptual design thinking and visual storytelling abilities.

The Solution I selected Michael Jackson’s “Who Is It” as the foundation for the cover design, drawing inspiration from David Fincher’s music video aesthetic. The visual approach captured the vintage noir deco atmosphere present in Fincher’s direction, using this cinematic reference as the starting point for initial sketches and conceptual development.

The design process involved evolving initial figurative concepts toward increasingly abstract compositions, guided by the song’s lyrical content while maintaining connection to the source material’s emotional and aesthetic qualities. Technical execution utilized essential Photoshop techniques including layer manipulation, color grading, and compositional elements that supported the transition from literal to abstract visual narrative.

The iterative design approach allowed for exploration of various compositional directions while consistently referencing both the musical content and cinematic inspiration, ultimately creating a cover design that communicated the song’s essence through non-literal visual elements.

The Impact The completed album cover successfully demonstrated mastery of both technical Photoshop skills and conceptual design thinking. The project achieved its academic objectives, earning the highest grade of 10, and sparked continued interest in music industry design applications.