Album Cover Art Design Project
Design album cover art for a real or imaginary band — choose a band name, album title, and create the visual artwork. Where music meets graphic design.
What You'll Need
- 1Paper (square format if possible, like album covers)
- 2Markers, paint, or colored pencils
- 3Optional: magazines, scissors, and glue for collage
- 4Phone or computer for looking at album cover inspiration
What You'll Need
Paper in a square format if possible (album covers are square!)
Markers, paint, or colored pencils
Optional: magazines, scissors, and glue for collage-style covers
Phone or computer for browsing famous album covers for inspiration
How to Play
Decide on the band: your child's real or imaginary band, a favorite artist, or a totally made-up group with a wild concept.
Choose a band name and album title. Brainstorm freely and pick the coolest options. "The Electric Monkeys — Return of the Bass."
Look at famous album covers together: The Beatles' Abbey Road, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, Nirvana's Nevermind. What makes each one iconic?
Discuss what great cover art does: captures the mood of the music, creates visual interest, tells a story or creates mystery.
Sketch a rough draft on scratch paper. Try 2-3 different concepts before committing to one.
Create the final version on nice paper using the medium that fits the concept: markers for bold graphics, watercolor for dreamy vibes, collage for punk energy.
If your child has written original songs, pair the cover art with their music for a complete album package.
Tips
Album cover design is where visual art and music intersect. The cover shapes how people feel before they even press play. That's powerful.
Encourage your child to think about color psychology: bright colors = energetic, dark colors = moody, pastels = dreamy. Color sets expectations.
Typography matters too. The band name and album title are part of the design. Should the font be bold? Handwritten? Tiny? Enormous?
For digital-savvy kids, free tools like Canva can create album covers that look surprisingly professional.
Mount the finished cover on cardboard to give it weight and frame it. Your child created original artwork inspired by music — that's worth displaying.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this activity take?
This activity takes about 40 min, with 5 min of preparation time beforehand.
What materials do I need?
You'll need: paper (square format if possible, like album covers), markers, paint, or colored pencils, optional: magazines, scissors, and glue for collage, phone or computer for looking at album cover inspiration.
What age is this activity for?
This activity is designed for 8-12 years. You can adapt it for younger or older children by adjusting the complexity.
Can this be done indoors?
This activity is designed for indoor play, making it perfect for rainy days or when you're staying inside.
How difficult is this activity?
This activity has a moderate difficulty level. It may require some preparation or guidance, but is manageable for most families.
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