So, TUFLUV came back and wanted me to work a bit of magic on the cover for the album, before the album: Suicide Smoke. It’ll be released as a free download to hype up his album, Suicide Note. The initial Illustration was created by www.homeinvasion.tv (see below). After chatting to TufLuv I decided to go for a green look to this cover due to the title. The album cover had a more sinister red tint to it, to represent blood, but with Smoke being in the title it only seamed right to make it green and some purple to make it POP.

I thought it would be cool to walk you through some of the steps I took to create this album cover for Tuf Luv. This isn’t a tutorial as it only briefly goes through the main steps… all the work done between those steps is left out. Bare in mind, this is an album cover, not a mixtape cover which are too often is filled to the brim with cuts and glows. 

1. First we have the original image. The photographer has taken care of the lighting that they want on the cover along with a few effects. This is the picture I got sent to work on. Photo credit: @ShinesFresh

2. Now to open the canvas for the front cover and work out what placement of the photograph works best. I went for him to be in the middle. This was the maximum the image would shrink to and fit on the canvas otherwise I would have opted to show more of the image. One thing I didn’t like is the lampshade, it ends up looking like a black box at first glance, but more of this later.

3. Time to take things into illustrator for the text. I think things work better that way but it’s all personal preference. At first I was using a chunkier typewriter style font, but I found this one on my list of fonts which worked a lot better. I decided the name should be the most prominent bit of text so I go for the top version.

4. I brought that text over to Photoshop and try various positions. Naturally I prefer the text which covers the lampshade.

5. I like to send over a few versions for the client to look over, so I had the basic text versions down. Now to try something a little more with the text. So I cut down and put together various paper and newspaper to create a backing. Then I messed with different dark grays and blending modes to get a look that made the text look like it belonged on the paper. It felt like it needed a little something else… ah yes! Blood! Great.

6. Next I try out various places for the text with backing and settle for two which will be sent in the previews. I’ll only be showing the development of the one which was chosen.

7. Looks okay… but needs work! So I decide to place it behind him and the horns. Ah… better!

8. Now…. time to get rid of the blue. I saw his latest video, it was dark (like… horror/murder dark), so a red look to the cover will work better. He also asked for his logos on the cover. Let’s have those on the back wall they don’t need to be in your face on the front cover.

9. Done. Now… it’s too damn soft! Let’s grunge it up a little… it’s a gritty release. Few layers of grunge later it’s looking more like the part.

10. Next step… adding the final effects which will end up changing the final look quite a bit. Let’s make it look less flat.

11. Ah there ya go! Now… what else? Oh! The PA sticker! …and a couple more adjustments and it’s done. Sent for approval and a few hours later: ACCEPTED. Now the same thing needs to happen for the back cover.

- Liv

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Trailblaza approached me knowing exactly what he wanted for his cover art, after seeing Effie’s ‘Lonely’ single cover. After a couple of mistakes which turned out to work great, this is his cover artwork for his latest EP presented by the prestigious clothing brand Oxyrotin. If you like your hip hop you WILL like this EP so stream or download it here.

Harmony Muzik releases her Gen X [Uncut] mixtape today via bombonem.com today so go and check it out. Track list after the jump!

Simple, clean and bold single cover for Team Mask’s latest release.

Here’s the single and the artwork for Brad Tanners latest single ‘Party in the sky’ produced by Certified and features Elim. Listen/download below. I was originally going to do a whole party scene on the roof top but it was starting to look like one of those over done, crammed, mixtape covers – not the sort of look they’d be wanting for a single, so I went with something a little more simple.

Brad Tanner – Party In The Sky (Feat. Elim) (Prod by Certified) by Certified_Music

Follow on Twitter: @BradTwistTanner • @ELIMBand • @Certified_Music

Download the DJ Package

Once again Certified teamed up with DJ Ykcor to present another Beat Kings series! Pt. 2 features plenty of top artist remixes, with plenty of features from independent talent!! Certified had the chance to collaborate with plenty of great artists, and a few producers. This tape is available for direct download from the links provided below. It will also be featured on Certified-Beats.com, DMVixen.com. DJYKCOR.com & Swurvradio.com! There is a “No DJ” version that is completely CLEAN, for any promotional airplay.

Tracklisting :

1. Britney Spears – Inside Out (Certified Remix)
2. Mike Posner – Please don’t go (Certified Remix)
3. Kesha – Blow (Certified Remix)
4. Elim – Say Yes (Benny Stixx Remix)
5. New Boyz – Back Seat (Feat. Dev, & The Catarac’s) (Certified Remix)
6. Dev – In The Dark (Feat. Brad Tanner) (Certified Remix)
7. Britney Spears – H.I.A.M. (Feat. Harmony Muzik) (Certified Remix)
8. Lil Jon – Hey! (Feat. 3Oh!3) (Certified Remix)
9. The Catarac’s – Bass Down Low (Feat. Codes & Dev) (Certified Remix)
10. Effie – Turn That Beat Back (Certified Remix)
11. Diddy – Coming Home (Feat. Skylar Gray & E-Skillz) (Certified Remix)
12. Far East Movement – Rocketeer (Feat. ELIM, Ryan Tolson & Black Knight) (Certified Remix)
13. Kelly Rowland – Motivation (Feat. Lil Wayne) (Strada Remix)
14. The Catarac’s – Top Of The World (Feat. Brad Tanner, Wordsmith & Dev) (Certified Remix)

DOWNLOAD: Direct Download • No DJ Version // Follow certified here.

Did you see the original Beat Kings cover? If not go here. Certified got me to do the cover for part 2, we wanted to keep the original look whilst changing it slightly. Instead of the Billboard colors of part 1, I went for the black/gray/red color scheme. Some artists pictures weren’t good enough to work with the cover so you’ll see the Catarac’s in the New Boyz glasses and DEV in Lil Jon’s glasses – Brad Tanner is on the back wall too. This will be released on 5th September ‘11!