Design
  f you are a musician and you’ve just started the process of recording music for your new CD, now is the time to think about design. In fact, it’s never too early. The easiest way to begin is by browsing through your own CD collection and noting what you like and don’t like. Even a rough concept will save time and money. Then it’s time to contact
Leslie Lee. As a graphic designer, she can turn your ideas, photographs, and lyrics into artwork that represents your own unique message and sound. As a fellow musician and music presenter, she is sympathetic to your budget and offers affordable rates.
Full service design includes everything from concept development to providing completed digital art files to your choice of disc manufacturers. It can also include logo design, printed promotional materials, copywriting, and web design.
Below are samples of Leslie's artwork designed for independent musicians. To view samples of other printed materials, visit Concert Fliers on the Photos page.
Joe Crookston's Able Baker Charlie & Dog CD
Joe had a definite idea how he wanted the artwork to look, so the main challenge for me was to get as close to his vision as I possibly could. We worked closely together during each step of the process. Joe opted for the environmentally friendly 6-panel Digipak in lieu of the traditional jewel case.
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Randy Browning's Radical Rags CD
Randy wanted something simple and "rootsy." Earth tones, tree roots and a guitar illustrate the title and concept of traditional music and radical (meaning "arising from or going to the root or source") themes. Randy requested that the artwork focus on the music rather than the musician.
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Randy Browning's Quick Start Guitar Class brochure
This brochure provides potential clients with information about Randy's guitar class, suggesting that learning can be quick, easy and fun. It needed to emphasize that this was an offer for beginner's classes, outlining the program costs and times, enticing clients to sign up.
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Leslie Lee and Steve Gretz's Recovered CD
The artwork for this collection of all cover songs relates to the title, but with an unexpected twist. Photographs of a furniture restoration shop were taken specifically for the project. Leslie and Steve knew their faces wouldn't sell CDs, so they relied on this play on words to capture the attention of their audience.
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BACHA brochure
The Boston Area Coffeehouse Association needed a flier with information about the organization and a map to locate member coffeehouses to bring them together under the common umbrella of acoustic music at nonprofit Boston area venues. The artwork includes big names in folk music circles and
shows that folk music is a cohesive community.
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Steve Gretz's Waiting for the Sun CD
As childhood memories provided inspiration for some of Steve's songs, childhood photos inspired the artwork for his debut CD. Rubber stamp images scattered among the lyrics serve as visual introductions to the songs.
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Gerry Ryan's Halfway Home CD
Gerry provided photos of himself as a weathered New Englander for his debut CD. He said his guitar likes to be photographed, so it was included as well. Images of a house (or home), a ruler (suggesting measurement), and a compass (emphasizing direction) work together to clarify the title Halfway Home.
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Green Pastures' Strangers in Meshech CD
Recorded as a tribute to old time gospel music, the songs evoke images of old tent meeting posters and church suppers. Historic church literature and photographs provide the background for liner notes while caricatures of the musicians assure listeners that you can have fun singing about dying and going to heaven.
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