Weezer (textured EP)
Album Jacket, Insert, and Vinyl Design
Created using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and After Effects
This project presents an imagined curated EP for Weezer, utilizing only B-sides, rarities, and live recordings to craft a distinctive listening experience. Titled "Weezer (Textured EP)," it draws inspiration from the band's album design and musical style, mirroring their tradition of naming albums "Weezer (color)." Their artwork often features a solid color alongside an unconventional black-and-white photo of the band.
Weezer's music is characterized by its eccentricity, with seemingly odd and surface-level songs that dive into profound themes like abandonment and vulnerability. This complexity introduces various "textures," both metaphorically and literally. While their use of dissonance can be off-putting to some, this EP aims to highlight the textures and ruggedness of Weezer, shedding light on lesser-known tracks and intriguing renditions of their popular songs, and revealing the deeper layers of their artistic identity often obscured by their quirky persona.
Project created while attending Auburn University.
Process
I created the background texture that anchors my album jacket for Weezer starting by cutting the Weezer logo out of different colored vellum, layering it on top of each other and photographing it. I then brought it into Adobe Photoshop and manipulated it with a motion blur. Lastly, I printed the image, covered it in packing tape, crumpled it, re-scanned it, and made minor edits to the color and contrast. The packing tape allowed me to capture the raw paper texture I was looking for to encapsulate the eccentricism, layers, and texture of Weezer’s music. I then applied this same treatment to all my photography and typography to ensure consistency. All of my photography has been edited to black and white to provide interest and a visual rest from all of the vibrant colors.
