Elya Stumbaugh
Graphic Designer & Illustrator
elyastumbaugh@gmail.com
About
07.
Music is Alive!!! Album Merch
Develop a visually compelling album cover and merchandise system that thoughtfully merges two contrasting source albums. The challenge centered on pushing the boundaries of design samplying while unifying opposing visual and musical styles into a single, cohesive identity.
Solution
Key visual components were sampled from both albums and informed by deeper research into each artist’s history and stylistic approach. The resulting concept (Music is Alive!!! by Allies and Friends [and enemies]) explores how design can express community and bridge the gap between Holly Near’s softer, introspective sound and the bold, playful energy of Sid Feller and co. The repeated exclamation marks celebrate Feller’s exuberant style, while a restrained color palette reflects Near’s contemplative tone.