Animating album covers as motion for the streaming era.

Overview

What if album covers moved?

This was a passion project animating some of my favorite album covers. In a world where GIFs are a means of communication, I wanted to explore the format in more depth. The bigger idea: someday, album covers might be released through streaming platforms this way.

Technique

Cut it apart, then bring it to life.

1. Layer it
Cut the album artwork into layers in Photoshop.

2. Import it
Bring the layered file into After Effects.

3. Animate it
Be creative — animate whatever resonates with you.

Pro tip: play the album while you build. Those audio waves can really spark something.

The covers

Nine favorites, brought to life.