Celtic Cross: Commence

Today's post is one I've been just itching to write. I cannot wait to share this with all of you! This past fall, I had the opportunity to start working on a really neat graphic design project: CD packaging. I loved designing this project (and I got to take the pictures of the band for the album), and now that the CD is finally in print, I can share it with all of you!

First, a little background. The CD I designed is called Commence, and it's the debut album of a band called Celtic Cross. This band is amazing and they play both traditional Celtic music and Celtic Fusion. Musically, the album is fabulous (I'm listening as I'm writing this!), and I saw them in concert this past week which was also amazing. So I cannot recommend the music more highly to you.

For the design of the cover and the rest of the packaging, I chose green, gray, black, and white - colors that are a little Celtic looking but also a little funky. The Celtic Cross emblem is a main design element throughout the whole package, and I'm so excited I found a font that mimics the lines of the cross so closely.

The background on the front and back covers, and the inside pages too, is a combination of a plain gray color, a picture of telephone lines, a picture of wood from the stage of the Ryman auditorium in Nashville, and a picture of blurry wood. It was fun to blend those together to make this one-of-a-kind background!

I wanted to keep a good deal of continuity throughout the whole design, but I did add in some different colors to keep from making the texture background overpowering. The CD itself is plain black with white writing (I like the contrast that gives).

And then the inside of the booklet, with descriptions of all the tracks, is green with a slight texture.

I love this album, and it's so exciting to finally have a copy in my hands after working on it for so long.

And you know what?

I'd like to share a copy with one of you. I'd like to put a copy in YOUR hands.

So I'm doing a giveaway.

Here are the details:

• You can win a copy of Celtic Cross's new album Commence, with the packaging designed by me.
• If the winner lives nearby, I'll give their CD to them in person; if not, I'll need a mailing address. I will get your prize to you within 3 weeks of the giveaway's end.

How to enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post (easy, right?).
2. Follow my blog. (Only new followers get an extra entry.)
3. Like Celtic Cross on Facebook HERE.

If you follow or like Celtic Cross on Facebook, you must leave a second or third comment on this post letting me know you did so that you can gain your extra entry or entries.

The giveaway ends on Thursday, August 25 at 12:00 noon. I'll announce the giveaway winner before the end of the day. I hope you enjoyed looking at the CD cover, and please comment to enter the giveaway!

Important information:
My portfolio (where you can see images of the album).
Celtic Cross on Facebook.
Celtic Cross on MySpace.
If you would like to buy a copy of Commence, please email: celticcrossmusic[at]gmail[dot]com.