Estelle Naughton

Contact sheet/Image manipulation of CD Digipak and PosterWhen creating my CD digipak and advert including my front cover from my digipak, I used Adobe Photoshop to allow image manipulation to enhance the images. I used this software to enable a synergy by using the same tools and effects which allowed a professional element to the ancillaries.

CD DigipakI took a picture using my iPhone 4S of the two characters from the back holding hands, this image was then used for both my ancillaries to create a synergy between the two, which was then carried through into the main product; my music video. I cropped the image down to the couple holding hands as I knew I wanted this as my front cover. I adjusted the brightness and contrast and the colour levels to ensure certain elements would be highlighted when the image was put into black and white.

This is the original image which was then cropped down to fit the size of the digipak and suggests the theme of relationships through this image. This then indicates to the audience of the music video, that by looking at the digipak, this theme has been instilled from the beginning, of the music video and construction of my ancillaries.

The image was then placed into another Photoshop file, so I had the original to refer to if I wanted to change anything. Then I placed into another Photoshop file the size of the digipak, knowing that it will be the correct size when I then placed the whole digipak together.

I adjusted the brightness and contrast to ensure the impact of the picture was strong and that certain elements would be highlighted when put into black and white.

I altered the colour balance to add vibrancy to some areas of the image which I wanted to highlight when it was put in black and white. By doing this, I was allowed to enhance the shadowing and natural highlighting of the picture, to bring to light the indication of the themes present in the video and digipak. I then added text, with drop shadows to allow a professional look to the digipak. In a similar fashion, I edited the other pictures for my digipak, using the same effects in order to make sure the images connect by the continuous use of black and white, yet changing the colour balances of the images whilst in black and white.

For my poster, I decided to use the image of the two characters holding hands that I used for my digipak as the background but in colour and blurred. I then decided to

align the front cover of my digipak with the background image, so that it looked like it suitable. If not, the blur disguised where the two images didn’t match up.

This is the original image, but cropped down focusing on the two characters holding hands.

I then used the box blur multiple times until I had found the desired effect. I was able to use box blur to throw the audience, a synergy has already been created through my finished media products and my poster reinforces this link and relationship. The image is the same as the digipak and one of the inside pages of my digipak, uses the original image without cropping down.

This is my poster with the digipak cover over the top. This is effective and somewhat professional looking as the synergy is built up throughout my ancillaries and main product. I then went ahead and added text and white boarders around the edges which made my poster link to my digipak as the lines are used once again.

In conclusion, I have manipulated my images used for the full effect and to suggest to the audience the genre of the band. The use of image manipulation has enabled my ancillaries to provide a professional look and enhanced the effects used within the main product; my music video.