Before & After Progressions - Book Design - 3 Graphics

 

International Touring Performer and Nashville Studio Musician

JCM participation: Graphic Design, Photoshop manipulation, Copy Editing, and Copywriting for front and back covers and interior merchandising content. Also some photography and wizardry for the interior. All work ~ David Andrew Johnson

 

 

Front Cover

As source material, I was supplied with a variety of low resolution photos, none of which satisfied the clients wishes. The in-progress image below does not remotely approximate all the Photoshop work that went into piecing together "parts" of individual instruments. Sections of wood, ivory and plastic, instrument soundholes, necks, the tie with the big hole in it, and even individual strings where tamed into submission. The lighting from different photos was not a match, and as the photos were taken without a tripod, the size, angles and perspective of the instruments did not match either. It was tricky to bend and distort the parts into submission, but it worked. Mr. and Mrs. Dudash "loved" what I did with the photos of his beloved instruments. We had a great time working on this. Stephan (pronounced Steven) and his wife Linda are a joy to be around.

 

 

 

In addition to the the extensive work on the instruments themselves, the background image behind the instruments is also made from many, many different parts, using a variety of techniques.

 

 

 

 

Back Cover

Here I was provided with three starting items. One cropped photo, one paragraph of text from a bio, and a barcode. Stephan is originally from the northern Midwest and his photo was taken in the paler months. The cutouts of Stephan are from my effort to give him a subtle tan. The final background pattern is a combination of the swirl pattern I selected and a variety of layers from the front cover background. I also did a little background painting to tweak the color, and I added many crisscrossing shadows to make the image rich and the type easy to read.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CD Page

On the left you see the original quality of the images that were my starting point. How do you make anything out of those? Well I can! Provide me with very little, and I can usually spin it up into something that will surprise you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Stephan Dudash

     Stephan is a 5-string violinist with an impressive wealth of knowledge and world class experience. He has performed and recorded across multiple musical genres for many well-known artists from around the globe. His violin work has sung out with Gypsy Jazz, Cajun, Country, Rock, & 40’s Big Band Swing. Stephan has performed with John Jorgenson, Olivia Newton-John, George Jones, Beryl Davis,  Shania Twain, Joel Sonnier, David Lee Roth, Pat Matheny, Crystal Gayle, Dave Brubeck, Tommy Emmanuel, Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan, Lee Greenwood, Byron Berline, Johnny Rodriguez, Janie Fricke, Dorado & Samson Scmidt, Ludovic Beier, Peter “Madcat” Ruth, David Grisman and many more!

     Stephan has lived in Nashville for 25 years where he has continued his extensive teaching career. Among his many Nashville engagements, Stephan had the time of his life performing as the longtime fiddle player for the original swing band “BadaBing BadaBoom”. Stephan Dudash is a Certified Suzuki Violin Instructor & Alumni of Interlochen Arts Academy.

 

Do You Need Someone To Turn Your Weak Photos Into Something Special?

Drop me a line or give me a call. JCM can do jobs big and small. Let me surprise ... YOU!

 

 

More

A few quick promos.