Glossary
Plain-language definitions of cover art, illustration and licensing terms used in the music and publishing industry.
- Album cover art
- The illustration, photograph, or graphic design that fronts a music album release. In the streaming era it must read clearly at 256×256px (thumbnail) and scale to vinyl (12×12 inches).
- Book cover design
- The illustrated front of a book, including dust jacket, paperback wrap and hardcover. Combines cover art, title typography, author name and spine treatment.
- Single cover
- Cover artwork for a one-track music release. Released ahead of an album to build anticipation, or as a stand-alone drop. Usually 3000×3000px square.
- EP cover
- Cover artwork for an Extended Play release: 3–6 tracks, longer than a single but shorter than a full album. Same square format as albums and singles.
- Mood board
- A curated collection of visual references — colors, textures, photography, typography — that defines the direction of a project before any artwork is produced.
- Concept art
- Exploratory artwork developed during the early stages of a project to test ideas. Concept art is not the final piece; it visualizes options the team can react to.
- Color palette
- The defined set of colors used across a project. A strong cover palette is usually built around 2–4 primary colors plus 1–2 accents, derived from the music or narrative.
- Art direction
- The creative leadership of a visual project: defining concept, tone, palette, typography and execution standards. Distinct from illustration, which is one of the deliverables an art director may commission.
- Visual identity
- The full visual system for an artist, release or brand — covers, single artwork, social media adaptations, lyric videos, merch, typography. A visual identity ensures all touchpoints feel like the same project.
- Cover art licensing
- The legal grant from the artist to the client allowing the use of the artwork. Licensing specifies usage (cover only vs. merch vs. promotion), territory, duration and exclusivity.
- Exclusive vs non-exclusive license
- Exclusive: the client is the only entity allowed to use the artwork during the licensed period (typical for album covers). Non-exclusive: the artist can license the same artwork to other clients (typical for stock illustration).
- Gatefold
- A vinyl record sleeve that folds open like a book to reveal interior artwork. Gatefold covers require extended canvas: front, back and interior panels, often with their own narrative.
- Cover art deliverables
- Final files supplied to the client. Typical bundle: master TIFF or PSD at 3000×3000px, JPG and PNG variants, CMYK print versions for vinyl/CD, and platform-specific crops for Spotify Canvas, Apple Music animated covers, Instagram, etc.
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