Our guide on branding yourself as an artist includes establishing your visual identity, determining your brand values, and identifying your competitive advantage.
The steps involved in developing a brand identity can differ depending on the artist, target market, and genre, but there are some fundamental elements that can be applied to any artist.
Before focusing on the visual aspect, it's important to first establish a brand platform that can be applied throughout your entire brand, not just in the visual aspect.
Developing your brand platform involves five key steps: identifying your unique selling point (USP), determining your brand values and competitive edge, defining your genre, researching your competitors and idols, and creating a mood board. If you're short on time, focusing primarily on the mood board can be beneficial.
Unique Selling Point (USP)
A unique Selling Point (USP) is a statement that defines the unique qualities of your product or service that sets it apart from others. It answers the following questions:
Who are you as an artist?
What is your art style or medium?
Why is your art special or important?
Defining your brand and visual identity can be challenging, but writing them down can assist in maintaining consistency for you and your team. To make them unique to your brand, focus on making them as specific as possible. The "why it matters" aspect is crucial as it will help differentiate you from others.
Brand Values/Edge
Brand values or your edge refer to 2-3 distinct characteristics that you want people to associate with your brand. These should reflect your music and help you stand out from others. Having these values defined will also make it easier for those you work with, such as photographers, stylists, and graphic designers, to understand your brand and how to represent it.
An example of an artist who has effectively utilized their brand edge is The Weeknd, who has cultivated a sense of mystery and intrigue throughout his career. He has used changes in his appearance and limited information about himself to maintain an air of uncertainty and maintain a long-lasting career. He emphasizes the importance of visual elements in his branding, and the role they play in how people hear and perceive his music.
Genre
It's understandable that you may not want to be confined to a specific genre, but others may still attempt to classify you within one. To aid in this, it's beneficial to understand the characteristics and conventions of different genres, as they each have their own unique tropes, styles, and trends. This insight can be helpful in determining which genre you may fit in.
Competitors/Similar Artists
People may inevitably compare you to other artists, whether you desire it or not. To differentiate yourself, it's helpful to define yourself, your competitors, or similar artists. Your audience wants to connect with you, so consider the story you want to convey. How do you want your fans to feel when they engage with your music? Give them a reason to choose your music over that of other similar artists in your genre.
Mood Board
Mood boards, also known as vision boards, are useful tools for creating and visualizing the identity of a brand. They are a collection of images and text that serve as inspiration and guidance for a team, helping to communicate the brand's identity and align on future goals. They can contain inspiration for color, typography, photography, and video.
Once the mood board is created, it can be used as a starting point for designing typography, colors, logo, and other visual elements for the brand. To create a logo, one can consider using online services such as Fiverr or Upwork to connect with talented designers.
Perfecting Your Album or EP Cover Design
When creating cover art for your next release, it is important to first consider whether it is for a single or part of a larger project, such as an EP or album. If it is part of a larger project, try to connect it with your brand and upcoming release. Additionally, the cover art should represent your music and help connect fans to it. To achieve this, you can try to convey a story or a feeling from the song in the artwork.
Advice for creating eye-catching cover art on Spotify.
Tips for creating noticeable cover art on streaming platforms include
keeping the design simple.
utilizing bold colors.
customizing stock images.
maintaining consistency in your visual identity.
If you’re not a design pro check out Grafiksbox to get premade or custom cover art for your next project.
Think big when designing your merch
Consider your brand identity and what you want your merchandise to represent before printing items with your logo. Think about what elements of your music or artwork can be incorporated into the merchandise and seek inspiration from other merch producers.
It can be effective to design merchandise around key career milestones such as album releases or tours. Instead of simply printing a shirt with your logo, consider creating something more unique, such as a magazine featuring your lyrics or a wearable piece of artwork.
Comments