Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
For this project we had to design a catalog for a music 'legend' in the style of some design movement. I chose to replicate the style of 50's jazz covers because of the heavy jazz influence and incorporation on this album.
In choosing the colors, font, and design elements for this project, it was important to me to make this feel clean, elevated, and almost elegant while still having a little bit of grime. The album is about pimping something beautiful as the butterfly and I wanted to reflect that. I also wanted to bring a new light that contrasted the heavy, sharp delivery of the lyrics. The callouts were also specifically chosen to break the beauty of the spreads and remind the reader about the severity and weight of the topics which are being discussed.
This spread takes inspiration from the paisley patterns which adorn bandanas but with a change, incorporating a saxophone which reflects the heavy jazz elements of the album, the fist which has become a symbol of resistance and unity, specifically as it relates to Black Power and the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as berries and other symbols.
Fans of the album will know that the original title of the album was Tu Pimp A Caterpillar, the acronym being TuPAC which pays tribute to the late artist Tupac which Kendrick Interviews in the last track of the Album. I changed that from Tupac to 2Pac for better reading and relating to the artist.
Designer | Alyssa Chambers
Art Director | Paul Sheriff
Institution | Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University
