Establish a portfolio by creating "fake" album covers or posters for your favorite bands or re-imagining their existing album covers. Get in touch with local bands and promoters to offer your services for free or a low cost to build a name for yourself and strengthen your portfolio. Focus on mastering Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, the two tools you will use the most. Once you have obtained a client, the project should be executed in phases to ensure the highest level of satisfaction and to help you maintain control and exude professionalism.
Decide on an artistic approach. Listen to the band's music and get their opinion on style and overall message. They may want a straightforward "metal" look that requires little more than some research into the genre's great swag and covers, or they may want something more conceptual. Create an inspiration board containing colors, imagery, textures, and type that appeal to the band and your vision. If the band already has a logo, use it as the foundation of your design style.
Create a few concept sketches and present them to the band for feedback. If you are working on a concert poster, the band may be less of a participant than they would be if it were an album cover. Use the promoter or any second opinion to help you refine your design if the band is not available.
Obtain design specifications from the publisher or printer. This may include digital format and size requirements or strict print dimensions and file standards. While the design itself does not have to adhere to any rules, the final product must be produced professionally, in line with the band or promoter's choice of medium.
Begin work on a full-color mock-up. The mock-up allows the band to get a realistic idea of how the finished product might look. If you are designing artwork for a CD cover, for example, present a printout or JPG file of the design on a digital representation of a CD. Download CD, album, and t-shirt templates from a printer or design website, or photograph your own objects to modify.
Create three full-resolution versions of the design the band has approved. Final designs are typically 300dpi and provided as PSD or PDF files with margins. Produce one black-and-white version and one grayscale version as well as the full-color CMYK version. These will allow the band to submit the appropriate artwork depending on the intended display: websites, newspapers, magazines, or other print media. Provide the logo separately, without a background color.