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WorkGraphic Design

Record sleeve designs that aim to remind each of us of our own dreams

New York-based designer Shangning Wang has created these intricate designs for a new album from Chinese rock band Chinos's new album. The imagery takes the form of delicate monochrome illustrations, weaving natural reference points into something that feels crisp and modern. According to Wang, one of the concepts informing the work was the idea that designing for music means designing the “audiences’ visual memory of the music.”

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White book spine showing "Chinos Until The Break Of Dawn" title with intricate black and white illustrated cover visible above

For his approach to this sleeve, he looked to the album’s themes of creams and fairytales. “Some research on dreams suggests that the vast majority of people actually used to dream in black and white,” says Wang, “which means there are no popping colours to draw focus.

“In order to to demonstrate and visualise Chinos’ songs. I decided to combine black and white illustrations with a flexible layout to express its spirits. The partnership of black and white in the illustrations is an ideal match of opposites. The purity of white, coupled with the mystery of black, shows a balance on the eyes which can produce a powerful emotional response, so elements such as type, illustrations and graphics take on an added importance.

“I wish to remind the audiences of their own dreams, hoping to make them stop for a minute, and start to create their fairy tales.”

Chinos album CD case with monochrome illustrated cover featuring intricate dreamlike imagery and decorative borders in black and white
Open CD case showing monochrome illustrated sleeve and disc for Chinos album designed by Shangning Wang, featuring intricate black and white drawings inspired by dreams and fairytales
CD featuring intricate black and white monochrome illustrations of fantastical creatures and dream-like imagery designed by Shangning Wang for Chinos' album
Open CD case and booklet for Chinos' album featuring intricate black and white monochrome illustrations and typography design by Shangning Wang
Unfolded CD packaging with intricate black and white illustrations depicting dreamlike and fairytale imagery across the booklet pages and disc
Unfolded CD digipak showing black and white monochrome illustrations of natural elements and ornate details across panels and disc
Shangning Wang's monochrome record sleeve design for Chinos featuring intricate black and white illustrations radiating from a central panel with barcode labels visible on the edges
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