Cover Art That Stops the Scroll

Design for the small version first

Most people will see your cover as a tiny square in a playlist or a feed. Before you fall in love with a detailed image, shrink it to the size of a postage stamp. If you can't tell what it is, simplify it.

• One clear subject. A face, an object or a symbol. Not five things.
• Strong contrast. Light on dark or dark on light. Muddy middle tones disappear at small sizes.
• Few words, or none. If you add a title, make it big and easy to read.

Meet the basic requirements

Distributors and stores reject artwork more often than people expect. Check your distributor's current rules before every release. Common requirements include:

• A square image, usually at least 3000 × 3000 pixels.
• No website addresses, social handles, prices or "new release" stickers.
• No blurry, stretched or pixelated images.
• Nothing you don't have the rights to use, including logos, brand names and other artists' photos.

Using AI for artwork

AI image tools are great for ideas and backgrounds. A few tips:

• Keep the same character references and color palette as your other releases, so fans recognize you.
• Zoom in and check hands, faces and any text. AI often gets these wrong.
• Add your own touch on top: your logo, your typeface, your crop. It makes the art feel designed, not generated.

Make it a family

Each release should feel like part of the same artist's catalog. Pick two or three things that stay the same, like a color, a logo position or a photo style, and change everything else. Over time, fans will spot your covers before they read your name.