Hark the Sound 2010 is going to be an awesome show! I offered to do this poster last minute to help out a friend (and you know i never pass up a chance to do some design), but sometimes those designs are the ones that end up growing on me the most  Hope you enjoy!!

-Contessa

Sneak Peak at the album artwork for “Transistor”. I’m really excited about this artwork, it all just kind of came together perfectly. This is just a teaser, but when you see the entire design together you’ll be amazed. I this will be in one of the top designs I do over the span of my lifetime

You’re Friendly Neighborhood Design Nerd
-Contessa

Download “Without You” from the New Album at:
The Jason Adamo Store

Just a sneak peak at some of my new album artwork. This one is for “Steve-ing the Story” by Steve Smith. Once the full artwork is complete I’ll tell how the concept came about thru talking with Steve. Enjoy -Contessa

SCRIBE MUNDO DE PAPEL from ladies on Vimeo.

I’m a huge music geek. I love getting suggestions on new bands to listen to and check out. But more than that I love seeing the album artwork that these bands use. Some of it is so simple but really profound

I was listening to this band called Nouvelle Vague (a band based out of europe that covers the rarely covered early 80’s post-punk songs in a very unique and personal way) that came up on my pandora mix and decided to look up their album artwork. I absolutely fell in love. Not only did their musical style fit my tastes, but their album artwork is right up my alley. Their style is really simple almost like watercolor paintings, and flat colors, but my biggest thing was the subtle textures they use just to shake the artwork up a bit.

Although it’s sometimes hard for me in my work (however I am working very hard to incorporate more), I love the simplistic yet profound impact of artwork done in this fashion. Sometimes the simple designs are the hardest to come up with.  A lot of artists, no matter how good they are, struggle with seeing things simply just because the creative mind is already so complex.

I have to challenge myself sometimes to make a design or painting based on 2 colors as if that is all I have to work with. I like to see how to solve problems using limited means as opposed to having everything at my disposal. It is nice to challenge yourself to design out of the box.

So, as I know most designers and sometimes non-designers do, I scan the web and new design books and annuals to see what the rest of the art world is doing. It sometimes leaves me with the question…why not me?

How do some of these ideas come about? Sometimes I feel like i come up with an awesome idea and then i browse for a while and just come to the conclusion that I suck most of the time. 

However, it really does just make me want to work harder. To research more out there things outside of looking at print and web production that is already created, and look for the next interesting thing I can come up with. I’ve also reaffirmed the fact that everything really has been done, but it’s how you take those already concrete elements that we see so often today and slightly modifying them can make all the difference in the world. As I have said to people many times before, and I will say to people many times later…push yourself. The creative mind isn’t supposed to be kept in a box. It isn’t supposed to be limited to grids and everyday tools. Take the time out maybe once a week and try something new with your art and with your life in general. If you see something on the web or in a book that you like, try to recreate it and then take it one step more or ad your signature touch and see how much it changes!

Hi all! Thanks for visiting my design blog. In my upcoming posts I’ll be putting up interesting design facts, inspirations, and links to tutorials that I have found that have been helpful to me.

Feel free to leave me comments and questions, I want this to be an open forum!

Thanks so much and I look forward to keeping up this blog.