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Graphic designers
Graphic designers
Discover the music industry’s greatest freelance graphic design talent
Discover the music industry’s greatest freelance graphic design talent
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Anyone who has ever sifted through the racks in a record store will appreciate something about the power and influence of graphic design in the music industry. Much the same can be said if you have ever been entranced by the offerings at a concert merchandise stand, or even simply visited your favourite artist’s website.
The fact is, the connection between music and graphic design has long been an irrevocable one – and if you are a manager or record label in need of talent in this field, you can be sure of it when you turn to Creative Commission.
Whether it’s an album or single cover, poster, shirt, flyer, or even imagery for an artist’s website or social media profiles that you are looking to have created, the freelance graphic designers we make available on our platform are ready and waiting to weave their magic.
What should a music graphic design brief include?
Naturally, when you are seeking out an independent creative to provide you with some graphic design work, much will depend on the exact nature of the project – and that’s very much the point. A detailed creative brief will help ensure the graphic designer you hire is in no doubt about what you want, and what you don’t want.
So, when you are assembling a music graphic design brief, you will need to be clear about what needs to be created, and where it will be used. Do you require CD and LP album covers and inserts? Or maybe you’re looking to have graphics created for a tour poster, or even something for a specific piece of merch, such as a wristband or pint glass?
In the case of the required work being an album cover, for instance, you may wish to communicate details about the artist, their background and what they stand for, as well as the themes, mood and dynamic of the album itself.
Then, there are all those other essentials to consider that show up in practically any good creative brief: the exact deliverables, who the target audience will be, the budget, and the deadline for delivery.
Our Graphic Design Briefs
Our Top Graphic Designers
Which directors on the Creative Commission platform specialise in the creation of music videos? Below are our leading represented filmmakers and producers; feel free to reach out to them today to ask for assistance with your project.
Florencia Gutman
Argentina
Art director, illustrator and animator with great experience in music and editorial industry.
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Hello Rabbit
London, UK
Hello Rabbit is an independent design studio based in East London.
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OneTenEleven
Leeds, UK
An independent design + motion studio based in Leeds, led by designer Antony Kitson.
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Jack Moy
London, UK
With a passion for bold, clean graphics, Moy specialises in logo design and image making.
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Studio Moko
Oxford, UK
Everything from logos to branding, web design, print design, photography and motion graphics.
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All Saints Design
Exeter, UK
Experienced, multi discipline designers specialising in brand, design and digital with a global reach.
View profileHow to commission a graphic designer in four steps
There’s a lot involved in the execution of a successful music graphic design project – so let’s distil it down to some of the most fundamental stages.
1
Deciding on the type of music video
Consider your ‘big picture’ needs and identity. You are likely to get the best results out of your design process if you don’t launch yourself into sketching out a design straight away. Instead, take a step back. Think about the artist or musician the design is to be created for.
What is their identity, how would they define themselves, and who is their audience? How does their music make people feel, and what ‘elevator pitch’ would they use to succinctly describe who they are and what music they create?
2
Research and gather visual material
You might already have a few ideas for your desired album cover or other graphics, but even if that is the case, the research phase will still be a crucial one. Think about some of your own favourite album covers and posters, or other compelling images and graphics you might have seen in various places.
Consider the motifs, typography and other visual elements that might work best for the artist, their music, and what these graphics will be used for.
3
Put together the concept
It’s time to start sketching – literally. Even at this stage, the graphic designer might not be working digitally; they may favour simply playing with ideas on pen and paper. The colours, the images, the fonts… the designer might try out these ideas to give them some more original material to work with.
They will likely focus more on quantity than quality at this stage, potentially spinning off about 15 to 20 different concepts. At this point, in working with your hired graphic designer, you might become more settled together on a particular concept for the album cover, single cover, or other graphic design project.
4
Start designing – digitally
The moment to move on to this stage is when you have a fairly clear sense of the layout for your graphic design project, and you now need to refine the concept and details.
The most capable graphic designers will know how to make good use of their preferred software package’s available features and tools, in order to create something really compelling and well-aligned with the brief. And they will keep on communicating with the commissioner throughout this process.
Graphic design FAQs
Why is Creative Commission the right place to find a graphic designer?
We are not just another platform for potential hirers to post jobs. We are dedicated specifically to the needs of the music industry, making it easy for record labels and managers to find suitable graphic designers to work on their album cover, single cover, merch, and similar graphic projects.
If I am a creative, why should I be active on Creative Commission?
Major players in the music industry are constantly looking at our database of freelance creative talent when they need to have projects done – we are a powerful ‘shop window’ for graphic designers and other independent professionals. Join us, and you will be able to create and edit your own profile, and immediately discover and apply for jobs.
What is Creative Commission’s background in graphic design?
More than $13 million of creative briefs have been posted on our platform since 2013, including from the representatives of major music-industry names such as Stormzy, The Rolling Stones, and Elton John. Many of these projects have been graphic design ones, and there are now thousands of freelance creators and studios using Creative Commission to capitalise on the latest opportunities.
How much commission do you charge on payments?
You will be able to make payments directly to the graphic designer you recruit via Creative Commission, and we won’t charge any commission on these.
