Research -Digipak- analysis

Lauren Daigle

Album - Look Up Child 

Cover is a Black and White portrait of Lauren Daigle, Daigle’s face is shown in profile with a light, gauzy scarf wrapped around her head, as she gazes upward.

• The scarf in the photo was from Daigle’s personal wardrobe, originating from Louisiana State University. It’s a representation of what she loves and is connected to. 

• “Looking Up” the image represents the act of fixing one’s gaze on hope and God rather than focusing on earthly worries. The saying “look up” is shorthand for the verse  “You have nothing to worry about, I am in control, just fix your eyes on me!” Hebrews 12:2

The monochrome palette of black and white artwork was chosen to create a timeless, emotionally focused image that reinforces the album’s themes of purity, faith and authenticity while placing Lauren Daigle within the tradition of classic soul and gospel music. 

The goal was to have a raw, authentic image, avoiding perfectionism. 

The cover was not planned, but rather a spontaneous moment during a lunch break, reflecting the album’s theme of finding “light” in the middle of a difficult yet faithful journey. 

Jeremy Cowart is the photographer of the cover. Cowart is a portrait photographer, specifically focused on celebrities and musicians. He approaches photography like painting, “with no rules, just room to explore and create”

Daigle shared how Cowart created such a comfortable and inviting environment on set, “He allowed me to be expressive” she also says that her creativity was able to explode

Olivia Dean

Album “The art of loving”

The album itself and the title is inspired by “All About Love”  -Bell Hooks and Mickalene Thomas: All About Love exhibition inspired by the book.

The book references love as something practiced and nurtured rather than a passive experience. That book helped inform the mood and emotional landscape of “The Art of Loving” 

OTTO creative studio was behind the album's visual design. Every element from the vinyl sleeve to tour poster and merch was “designed to carry the albums spirit of celebrating love in all its forms” with “a sense of delicacy, mystery and openness” 

The vinyl cover itself features Den in a soft focus monochrome portrait. This blurred, 

vintage-style photo - Dean smiling gently with eyes closed - visually conveys the album’s introspective warmth and nostalgia. The softness and lack of sharp detail suggests intimacy, it visually looks like the butterfly feeling when you are first swept off your feet by love, mirroring how the songs explore love quietly and delicately. 

A booklet is also included in the vinyl (comes inside the jacket of the LP). It acts as a visual extension of Olivia Dean’s album, inside it features the album’s lyrics alongside intimate photography of Olivia, including styled portraits and candid, behind the scenes images. The design follows the same warm, nostalgic aesthetic as the outer sleeve, with gentle layouts and a pink gradient cover. The booklet is meant to slow the listener down and deepen the emotional experience and understanding of the album, visually reflecting its core idea: that love whether it is romantic, platonic, or self directed is something personal, practiced and impactful. 

Art of Loving vinyl follows a contemporary vinyl release, while also making it a creative and original piece. The outer sleeve cover photography, allowing emotional imagery to dominate over text, typical of modern soul and indie records. The inclusion of a multi-page booklet is a common convention, used to present lyrics and visuals that expand the album’s narrative beyond the music itself. The use of a limited edition coloured vinyl and a pink interior aligns with current industry trends that emphasises aesthetic value, especially for younger audiences and fans. Overall it follows conventions associated with introspective, artist led albums, reinforcing authenticity, emotional depth and a personal connection between the artist and the listener.

“Child of God” album  - Forrest Frank 

Artwork, vinyl cover

CONVENTIONS

Interactive & Personalised Art

--> For the deluxe edition, Frank hand wrote the names of fans who commented on his social media posts, making the cover a collage of his community. It breaks the barrier between artist and listener.

Featuring fan names hand written by the artist to symbolise community, unity, and personal connection to the music. This design reflects the album’s theme of shared faith.

Minimalist & Authentic

--> The cover art moves away from refined, traditional, high budget studio photography, focusing instead on a more personal, raw, symbolic approach.

Colour Palette and Tone

--> The visuals are designed to be uplifting, bright, and inviting, reflecting the positive, faith based, and joyful nature of the music

Font 

The letters are a mix of uppercase and lowercase, further intensifying themes of playfulness.  

The album title spelled with colourful magnets adds a playful, childish touch. I realised that this reflects a verse in scripture  “And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4

The moral of this verse is to have a child-like faith, adults must become like children through humility, trust and dependence on God rather than pride or self-sufficiency. 

Frank’s son (Bod) is also featured on the album cover, an unplanned appearance, he ran into the frame during shooting. Adding a candid, authentic feel to the cover art and directly linked to the title “Child of God”