almost 7 years ago from Adam D, Something I'm not
Whadya think? Credit given where credit was due? Curious.
http://hypebeast.com/2016/12/chris-brown-usher-gucci-mane-party
vs
https://graphicriver.net/item/80s-style-text-mockups-v1/8467827
Am I missing something? I don't get it. Where does it state that you have to credit a design template you bought?
I don't believe he needs to give credit if they've purchased the correct rights, you're right about that. But surely someone like Chris Brown must have a budget big enough to not have to get a template design from Graphic River?... Or is this a common thing with modern artists? I'm not really into music enough to know this..
The music industry is not as savvy as you think it is.
He probably has a team of underpaid, millenial-age, employees fresh off a communications degree with photoshop skills pumping out his stuff. Then middle management, who think they know better approves, gets sent to upper management who also think they know better and they approve.
Chris Brown most likely has no idea what ThemeForest is.
I worked for a major media company. Am jaded now.
wow.. that's really interesting to hear. Is all of the music industry like this? I imagine things used to be very different with the cover art of records being such a big deal
I think it probably varies from artist to artist, I imagine some are more knowledgeable or more dedicated to pulling together really good cover art. Others, not so much, and they'll take whatever their management hands them. There are artists who care about these kinds of details, but its probably a rarity these days more often than not, because as you alluded to, the shift to digital has put album covers lower down the totem pole.
Cover for Kevin Abstract's MTV1987 vs. Hit Boy's single cover + commentary from Kevin Abstract
Future's DS2 cover is just a stock image.
This is pretty standard, ironically it's MORE prevalent with BIGGER artists/major label artists IMO.
Be that as it may, the OP mentioned giving credit, and that's what I was replying to.
In regards to CB using a template, I really don't see it as a big deal. It's not his album cover, it won't be printed, this is just a digital single. This image will probably only be seen on soundcloud/spotify for a few weeks and that's it. Perfect usecase for a template, when you need something quick and effective today, instead of waiting for original high-quality artwork.
Exactly, I think people are overreacting. This would be a different discussion if it was an album cover, or if they were taking design credit.
So? That's the entire point of that site.
This is not new!
Matter of fact Envato regularly compiles a list of templates that appear in the media. I've seen a ton of videohive templates in blockbuster movies (esp. HUD screens)
http://community.envato.com/15-items-that-gained-fame-in-2015/
Super, super lame to use a generic graphic river template for your cover art when you're at Chris Brown's level. Obviously CB had no clue that this is some cheap template so it isn't his fault. Whomever is responsible for phoning in their design work like this should really be ashamed.
They probably didnt use the template. This aesthetic is easily reproduced and very popular. /r/vaporwave....
Looks like they did use the template though, if you compare the [https://i1.wp.com/hypebeast.com/image/2016/12/chris-brown-usher-gucci-mane-single-1.jpg?w=2369](image from the article) with [https://0.s3.envato.com/files/103908606/09_80style.jpg](this picture) from GraphicRiver. All of the stars in the background are in exactly the same place and the little light flares on the sides of the triangle itself also are.
Has obviously used the template...
Don't say that. As a man that still has stuff on GraphicRiver, I hope a celebrity buys and uses my stuff. That's the f***ing point of selling designs on GraphicRiver. So people buy and use them. Don't discourage potential buyers. A lot of people make a living through that site.
Digital single art ≠ album cover, judge it based on that and you might realize it doesn't really need fully custom art.
I may be thinking of this in an old school way where musicians thought of each release as a statement and a contribution to the culture. With that sensibility I think bespoke design is the only way to go. If the track is considered less than that, then stock art is going to do the job just as well as a custom job.
Designers news ≠ designer gossip?
Management: "He likes this"
Designer: "OK, thanks. I'll send you some concepts."
does concepts
Management: "No, he literally liked the one I showed you. Just do that and send it through."
Designer: "But this is a template. Heaps of other people have used this."
Management: "And?"
Designer: ka-ching
this, 100%. having worked around the music industry for so long, if someone gets an idea in their head they won't be swayed by any amount of work.
also possible the designer made something bad and they were like uhhh shit just buy this template instead.
Hopefully at least they bought an extended license :)
I'm not sure what the ruckus is all about. So the author puts up a graphic for its buyers to use, Chris Brown (his management) purchases it with the rights to not give credit, and people complain about the buyer not giving proper credit? Chris Brown should not be treated less equal as other buyers, it's his right to not give credit.
I'm equally astonished by all comments about a (debatable) high end music performer using a template. As if custom is always better than something meant for mass usage. It's not a shame to use a cheap template, it's smarter than putting up $10.000 dollar for a super custom cover that doesn't necessarily look better than a cheap graphic on ThemeForest. Especially when they think it looks great and does its job.
they should have just used this:
Damn I was going to link that haha. Looks the same.
Isn't the whole point that he's taking the piss by using what became a bit of a meme?
I think I'm most appalled by the fact that somebody thought that would be a cool album cover in 2016. That whole faux-80s arcade game type thing peaked back in 2011 with this Justice music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiDsLRQg_g4
To the underpaid person who worked on this: weak sauce.
This happened to Future when they used stock for his album cover:
http://www.complex.com/style/2015/07/future-ds2-album-artwork-also-chemistry-book-cover
You just end up with cheap, unoriginal artwork if the designer is too lazy to make the stock art unique.
This is a very common aesthetic. The GR author has no case.+
I see that template used everywhere. Youtube videos, album covers. Marianas Trench used it too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBDNvlvR8vA&feature=youtu.be
Who cares?
This is for a single cover too - it's not like it's an EP cover.
For EP covers you may see something like "use artist XYZ cause I love their cover work - or use Agency X since they have a great track record." The artist may actually care for those as well - I can definitely see Kanye telling his designer "this broken grid thing seems like a thing - use that for the cover" - and "NO. It's too tasteful God dammit, It needs more butt."
For singles though - it's literally a manager bringing the artist 20 comps from some internal design team that's paid peanuts and has to kick out 10 album covers a week for 4 different genres - and going "this one ok?" and it gets rubberstamped.
For those of us offended by this it occurs to me that we should all take a deep breath and go back to not giving a f*ck about Chris Brown again.
Congrats! You sold a template to Chris Brown!
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