Contemporary Music Poster Art
Posters designed for my postgraduate project "Contemporary Music Poster Art" at Edith Cowan University. I wrote a report on modern poster art and the different ways you can convey music to art. In addition to the report I designed several posters for touring artists in Australia at the time of the project and explored different approaches to make the posters communicate the band's music. Here is a selection of some of the posters.
Note: the posters were not used for the actual events, but are being displayed at ECU.
Kimya Dawson
A singer/songwriter and a former member of The Moldy Peaches. Even though many of her songs might touch some sad issues, there is still so much hope and positivity to draw out of her lyrics. The illustration of two giraffes forming a heart is reflecting her simple, cute and sometimes purposely naive, yet meaningful, lyrics.
_______
Ladytron
Contemporary electropop band from Liverpool, England, named after a song by Roxy Music. Ladytron are known for making electropop using vintage analog equipment to achieve their sound. I have tried visualizing their musical expression in a calm composition using vintage textures and colours mixed with modern elements such as the headphones, dress, shoes and discoball, and at the same time sort of literally illustrating "ladytron".
Contemporary electropop band from Liverpool, England, named after a song by Roxy Music. Ladytron are known for making electropop using vintage analog equipment to achieve their sound. I have tried visualizing their musical expression in a calm composition using vintage textures and colours mixed with modern elements such as the headphones, dress, shoes and discoball, and at the same time sort of literally illustrating "ladytron".
_______
The Faint
American new wave/dance punk band from Omaha. I had a slightly different approach to this poster compared to many of the others. Instead of focusing on visualizing a specific sound or expression, I created an illustration with more of a direct reference to the bands name and to the venue of the show. But even though the music sounds darker than the poster suggests, I have seen The Faint live, and they certainly live up to their name. Their live shows are highly energetic and wild. They can perhaps be compared to, say, a ride over Sydney in an air balloon held together by ropes? Metaphorically speaking, of course.
_______
American new wave/dance punk band from Omaha. I had a slightly different approach to this poster compared to many of the others. Instead of focusing on visualizing a specific sound or expression, I created an illustration with more of a direct reference to the bands name and to the venue of the show. But even though the music sounds darker than the poster suggests, I have seen The Faint live, and they certainly live up to their name. Their live shows are highly energetic and wild. They can perhaps be compared to, say, a ride over Sydney in an air balloon held together by ropes? Metaphorically speaking, of course.
_______
Tricky
British rapper, musician and producer considered to be a very important contributor to the trip-hop scene, despite hating that label himself. Formerly involved in Massive Attack. I wanted to capture the spirit of Tricky’s music, and create something majestic and spiritual, yet broken, like his very recongnizable voice.
British rapper, musician and producer considered to be a very important contributor to the trip-hop scene, despite hating that label himself. Formerly involved in Massive Attack. I wanted to capture the spirit of Tricky’s music, and create something majestic and spiritual, yet broken, like his very recongnizable voice.
_______
Death Cab for Cutie
American alternative rock band, originally started as a solo project for Ben Gibbard, but turned into a band where Gibbard is the band's vocalist. But how can an illustration of a ski jump transformed into an escalator with a dressed polar bear on it be relevant to Death Cab for Cutie’s music? For this poster my approach was to sit back, close my eyes and just listen to the music, and then draw whatever came to mind, colours, objects, anything. Well, this is what I saw, and the calmness is what I felt.
_______
American alternative rock band, originally started as a solo project for Ben Gibbard, but turned into a band where Gibbard is the band's vocalist. But how can an illustration of a ski jump transformed into an escalator with a dressed polar bear on it be relevant to Death Cab for Cutie’s music? For this poster my approach was to sit back, close my eyes and just listen to the music, and then draw whatever came to mind, colours, objects, anything. Well, this is what I saw, and the calmness is what I felt.
_______
Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band
Project of singer/songwriter Conor Oberst, better known as the frontman of Bright Eyes. The Mystic Valley Band was born when Conor Oberst and a group of friends/musicians went to live and record in Mexico over a short period of time. This poster was inspired by this trip to outback Mexico, and the idea of completely isolating themselves only to create music. The empty camp site reflects independency and freedom, as well as being a perfect place to listen to the music.
_______
Project of singer/songwriter Conor Oberst, better known as the frontman of Bright Eyes. The Mystic Valley Band was born when Conor Oberst and a group of friends/musicians went to live and record in Mexico over a short period of time. This poster was inspired by this trip to outback Mexico, and the idea of completely isolating themselves only to create music. The empty camp site reflects independency and freedom, as well as being a perfect place to listen to the music.
_______
The New Pornographers
Canadian indie rock band, or often referred to as a power pop band, a genre drawing inspiration from 1960s American and British pop and rock music. For this poster, I created an illustration of a sound cable. The name comes “shooting” out of the cable, adding more speed in the image. Cable + speed = power pop.
_______
Canadian indie rock band, or often referred to as a power pop band, a genre drawing inspiration from 1960s American and British pop and rock music. For this poster, I created an illustration of a sound cable. The name comes “shooting” out of the cable, adding more speed in the image. Cable + speed = power pop.
_______
The Polyphonic Spree
Self-described choral symphonic rock band from Dallas, Texas. Their music expresses hope, happiness and life to me. The illustration I created for this poster has a fairly obvious direct reference to the band’s name, while also expressing the joy in their music.
_______
Self-described choral symphonic rock band from Dallas, Texas. Their music expresses hope, happiness and life to me. The illustration I created for this poster has a fairly obvious direct reference to the band’s name, while also expressing the joy in their music.
_______
Goldfrapp
British electronic music duo consisting of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory. For this poster I tried to visualize Goldfrapp’s music in a simple and graceful way. I especially had their album Seventh Tree in mind when designing; a quiet and warm record. I wanted the poster to "float", like Alison Goldfrapp’s soft vocals.
_______
British electronic music duo consisting of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory. For this poster I tried to visualize Goldfrapp’s music in a simple and graceful way. I especially had their album Seventh Tree in mind when designing; a quiet and warm record. I wanted the poster to "float", like Alison Goldfrapp’s soft vocals.
_______
The Vines
Australian garage rock band influenced by ‘60s rock and ’90s alternative music. Lead singer Craig Nicholls’ has previously gained as much press coverage for his erratic behaviour as for his music. For this poster I wanted to do something different, and the illustration of a nervous little girl with a microphone is somewhat a response to the “comeback” of The Vines in the late 2000's. Craig Nicholls has apologized for his behaviour and claimed he is now more humble than before.
_______
Australian garage rock band influenced by ‘60s rock and ’90s alternative music. Lead singer Craig Nicholls’ has previously gained as much press coverage for his erratic behaviour as for his music. For this poster I wanted to do something different, and the illustration of a nervous little girl with a microphone is somewhat a response to the “comeback” of The Vines in the late 2000's. Craig Nicholls has apologized for his behaviour and claimed he is now more humble than before.
_______
Band of Horses
American indie rock band from Seattle. When designing this poster I wanted to recreate their dreamy sound and lyrical expressions. The umbrella is a metaphore for finding solutions, hope and positivity even when things look bad.
_______
American indie rock band from Seattle. When designing this poster I wanted to recreate their dreamy sound and lyrical expressions. The umbrella is a metaphore for finding solutions, hope and positivity even when things look bad.
_______
Thank you very much for watching!
