Become an album designer with just one click! No need for pesky “fine arts degrees” or “creative integrity.” Simply enter a keyword and see what happens! Now for Mac OS 9.
The AlbumBot2000 was created in response to the growing trend of algorithmic-based design. As more and more jobs are lost to automation, designers also face radically shifting methods for ideation and execution.
I created a simple computer program that houses a library of images, fonts, and colors. The user is intended to select a keyword they feel best describes an album, and the AlbumBot generates a cover by randomizing these elements into a single responsive composition. 3D elements and shifting color combinations can be manipulated via mouse movement.
The deliverables for this project included a javascript program, interface mockups, a short user guide, an instructional video, and a musical theme. Sights and sounds were inspired by the golden age of brand-new digital design in the 1990s, when computer art was omnipresent, exciting, clunky, and just a little bit ugly.
In spite of its complexity under the hood, the AlbumBot’s spare interface underscores a simple notion: that subtracting the designer from design creates results that are amusing, bizarre, wildly imperfect, and just a little bit worrying.