searching for celia

i am so excited that i can finally talk about one of the biggest projects i've been working on!

the back story:: 

over the past year i've been involved in the branding/promo/publicity of a band (which started with my love of their music). undoubtedly one of my favorite branding gigs i've had. searching for celia is a rock-type band...but instead of a singer, they have a violin and cello. they don't even need lyrics. i would haven't believed it myself, but you can read my personal experience with the band if you'd like.

long story short, this is how i see it: their music explores the whole spectrum of emotion which provides a catalyst for thoughts to flow freely, preventing them from staying stagnant or circular. it's invigorating and beautiful. at least, that's what it does for me. i cannot even tell you how many times i've listened them while working on a project or on one of those drives you take specifically so you can think.

the promotion:: 
on february 9 they released their first album at their sold-out album release concert! over a week later, i'm still reeling in how beautiful it was.

i made the promotional stuff; the tree was based off of a painting by band member and artist sebastien gallego. it looked something (exactly) like this:

the album::
i also had the privilege of designing their albums, which were (surprise!!) actually swanky USB's in classy little cases! i thought this was innovative and interesting. it also provided some challenges as well as liberties. 

one of those liberties was that the drives held more space than a cd would, so they've included awesome extras like sheet music for the string parts as well as files to one of their songs that listeners can re-mix with any music editing software. there is a limited edition, so each has its own number signifying its place in the run.

the animation:: 

one more thing...this also meant that i could do the liner notes in a different way. so i decided to animate them. :) i mean...animated liner notes? was there even a question about this?! however, this brilliant idea came to me at 1:30 am, three days before the concert. i'm just barely learning after effects, so you can imagine how much sleep i got those days. (imagining sleep was pretty close to the actual amount i got). however, i was so grateful that my friend and fellow artist ellis elkins, who teaches an after effects class, stepped in and finished the animation after i'd created, exported and placed the assets. i basically directed and he animated. without him, it likely still wouldn't be done.

eventually it was decided that rather than liner notes, the animation would be a whimsical interpretation of a quote from a t.s. eliot play from which searching for celia got their name. it serves as sort of an album preview. here are some screenshots of it: 

we haven't put it online yet, so be sure to buy the album if you'd like to see it soon! the whole thing is a very reasonable $12. usb, packaging, the songs, the extras...all of it. we'll even throw in a flyer that i made for the concert for free. ;) if you don't believe me, city weekly thought they were pretty great too. 

to get your hands on one of these lil' gems, either contact me at kgull.art@gmail.com, or the band via their facebook page or searchingforcelia@gmail.com.