The NYT asks album cover designers whether the small size of art used on iTunes, iPods and other digital devices influences their design choices. While some musicians still want complex covers, the industry seems to agree that how well an album cover reads at thumbnail size can contribute to sales. Above, the cover of the Black Keys' album "Brothers," praised for its recognizability and simplicity, earned designer Michael Carney a Grammy for best best packaging. Check out a slide show of other albums discussed in the article here.
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On the Obey Giant blog, Shepard Fairey gives his version of his recent trip to Copenhagen, where he was beaten up and called an "Obama illuminati." He says the media misrepresented the story of why he was there, potentially contributing to the anger that fueled his attackers, by erroneously stating that he was being paid by the local government for one of his murals. (Bewarned: the blog is tight white type on black and will probably give you visual ghosting after reading it.)