What an absolutely useless piece of writing that was. We are not academics. We (my class) are a bunch of awesome people who are doing a vocational course. It is not core subjecting like scientists or literary greats or mathematicians. We are people whose job it is to get a message across visually. Now note that word, visually. Not in writing (typography maybe).
So cue a piece of writing; using theories, theorists, critics and personal arguments to answer a self imposed question. The logic by it being a question you have posed means it will be on something you are interested in. No one tells you that it will drain any enthusiasm that you have for the subject.
Critical thinkers are not easy to come by in the album cover world, I think for two reasons; one; most album covers don't have any meaning. You honestly think a picture of the airbrushed male or female artist showing cleavage has any meaning other than "Sex Sells".
Two; its a new area in the grand scheme of things. Pop music covers are less than 100 years old. Art has theorists and thinkers because most paintings are provocative and laden with symbology. Albums still haven't gotten out of the rut on putting the bands name on the cover and the ones that don't have names on the cover are much more interesting.
Being critical is key when you are writing your "war and peace" but you have to justify everything you say. A statement without a because after it might as well not be there. We have been taught three to five sessions over the course of three years on essay writing and people wonder why we feel ill prepared. We (the class again) came to illustrate and design not write. I didn't read it in any brochure, any scheme of work or told it at an open day. I still would of gone to uni but I would of known what I would be in for.
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