When you think of beautiful album art, you probably imagine large cardboard sleeves for vinyl records. Compact discs, on the other hand, rarely come to mind.
Yet, this CD album by Taiwan’s Taoyuan Chinese Orchestra is a breathtaking exception. It uses a symphony of vibrant colored sheets, Laser and Die Cuts to bring the album’s title, “Flowering,” to life.
Designed by Taiwan’s Keystone Design and produced by Bochuang Graphic Arts, this piece makes a substantial first impression. That’s because of its striking resemblance to a Casebound book, both in looks and its pleasingly chunky feel.
The front cover, made from 130 gsm (88 lb.) Hansol Insper M Rough, features the album’s title in Gold Hot Foil, which also appears on the spine.
The Foil is tastefully accented by a small Pink logo on both the spine and cover. This logo perfectly matches the color of one of the most exquisite front cover illustrations you’ll find.
A gorgeous blend of Laser-Cut flowers peeks through a Die Cut in the shape of a traditional Chinese lute, or “pipa.” When you open the book-like package, the design is as simple as the front cover is intricate.
Exquisite Interior Design
On the right, a Golden CD rests in a Pink Die-Cut tray, held snugly by a curved tab, with 2 finger notches allowing for easy removal. The tray’s thickness protects its contents while adding to the substantial feel of the overall package.
The panel opposite the CD contains a White folder – 240 gsm (162 lb.) Hansol Insper M Rough – held closed by a clever tab in the shape of a flower. Squeezing the sides of the closure together allows it to pass through a Die-Cut slit, causing the folder to “blossom” into a 4-panel Cross Fold.
The first visible item is a booklet Offset printed on 165 gsm (111 lb.) coated stock. Its Pink cover matches the CD tray opposite. A Black and Gold cut-flower illustration in the shape of a lute graces the booklet cover, beautifully tying into the colors and motifs found throughout the packaging.
The Glossy sheets inside are nice and thick, Singer Sewn with matching Pink thread, featuring a photo spread of the orchestra in the centerfold.
The Heart of the Package
Removing the brochure reveals the heart of this gorgeous piece: 3 loose sheets of 65 lb. Cover Neenah Astrobrights in 3 different colors. The Blue, Black, and Pink sheets have been Laser Cut with botanical and music-related shapes.
The precise use of Laser-Cutting makes it nearly impossible to see any burn marks on the paper. When stacked together and placed inside the packaging’s cover, the Laser-Cut papers give the illusion of peering through the lute at a lush garden inside.
This packaging is also customizable. The cover changes depending on the order in which you stack the papers. An uncut sheet flooded with Gold ink, subtly showing the orchestra’s logo as a watermark, sits behind the rest, providing an elegant yet subtle backdrop to this colorful artwork.
From the inventive way each detail plays on the “flowering” theme to its consistent use of the same accent colors throughout, this packaging transforms the simple purchase of a CD into an inspiring unboxing experience. The perfect seed, I hope, for your own future packaging creations!
