Doorway to My Comfort: Translating Emotion Through Album Design

Presenter: Daniel Patrick Disessa

Faculty Sponsor: Donald J. Tarallo

School: Fitchburg State University

Research Area: Art & Design

Session: Poster Session 3, 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM, Auditorium, A16

ABSTRACT

This thesis explores the role of graphic design for album covers, the emotional impact of sound, and its influence on society. The objective was to design a comprehensive album package that unites these three dimensions from the research I did about album design and concepts on the translation of sound to artwork. I want to investigate what album covers mean and why they are still so important today even in a digital streaming era.

Album covers can be interactive, and they help transport people mentally to a place of comfort. Album design often acts as a kind of visual portal. This album cover reflects a comfortable space and invites viewers to enter it. I used color, typography, and imagery to create a multi-component set including a record cover, sleeve, and supplemental ephemera. This thesis is important because it deepens understanding of the designer's multi-dimensional role in the representation of meaning, and it explores the relationship between emotion and design. By translating sound into visual form, it highlights how design can shape perception, memory, and cultural understanding. Even in an era dominated by digital streaming, physical album design remains a tactile and conceptual framework that deepens engagement with music and reinforces the enduring cultural importance of visual storytelling.

RELATED ABSTRACTS