Uploading album cover art

[Barry]

A historic moment for Zappa Wiki Jawaka!
I have just uploaded the first album-cover image, for Freak Out!, see here.

I thought it useful to establish some standards specifically for cover art uploads.
- The uploaded image should be 300px wide, its resolution 72dpi, its format .jpg
- The image should appear first thing on the page (that is: right underneath the ==Release Info== header)
- The markup on the wiki-page should be like this: [[[image:album_name.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Album Name]]]
As you can see, thumbs should be of 150px (all that's needed to accomplish this is to use the above markup - the wiki takes care of creating the thumbnail and linking it to the big image).

I'll try and do most of the cover uploading myself, but there's bound to be rare albums out there that I don't own. We'll see...

[maroual]

As an answer to Ducan's question (WOIIFTM talk page): "If we are having the original release date (should these be original US release dates?) should we not also have original cover art?"

(1) The original US release dates were usually (if not always) the earliest.

So I would say yes myself.

(2) The original cover art of the LP sleeves is not that easy to scan as common scanners can't handle a 12x12 picture. So the current CD scans will make it until someone can provide the LP's.

Let's just adapt the proposed rule of the first release artwork:
*Short term work (ongoing): to get as close as possible to the original release artwork
*Medium/long term (target): Use the original release artwork

Also it would not be a shame to temporarily have the CD covers. For instance, I did not see the Mystery Discs original cover art on so many web sites. I only found the Mystery Disc 1 on http://rineke.net/records/coverhtmls/BPR%207777-6.html

[Dunk]

I do not have a problem with any particular date/cover but I feel it should be identified for what it is.  Refering to an original issue date but showing a later cover will confuse rather than clarify.

The release date should state where this date applied - or it should not be included anywhere other than in the Versions table for each particular release.

[emdebe]

The image should appear first thing on the page (that is: right underneath the ==Release Info== header)

I'm not sure if the cover art has anything to do with "release info".

My suggestion would be to put the image before the first header, or to create a different section "cover art" (sometimes there's a lot to tell about the cover art).

While you're at it: why not include the back and inside cover as well?

For the rest: good show!

[Barry]

The image should appear first thing on the page (that is: right underneath the ==Release Info== header)

I'm not sure if the cover art has anything to do with "release info".

My suggestion would be to put the image before the first header, or to create a different section "cover art" (sometimes there's a lot to tell about the cover art).

While you're at it: why not include the back and inside cover as well?

For the rest: good show!

Reason I stuck it inside the Release Info header is because if you put the pic before that ("standalone" so to speak, right at the top) it simply takes up too much screen real-estate. I do feel it belongs there, since the cover art is part of what makes up "release info" in my view. Adding a ==Cover Art== header would only add to the complexity of an already complex page.
As for back and inside artwork: that is subject to change from version to version as far as I can tell. I for instance only own all the CD-releases (with the exception of JABFLA which I only have on vinyl). So I can already hear the indignified voices from within the piano telling me "but that's not the original!"... That's not to say inside and back cover art shouldn't be there; it's just that I'm not going to be the one providing it (unless you're okay with artwork from mostly Ryko-releases...)

"a different section 'cover art'": in fact, if you click on the thumb of any cover; you get to the image page which itself is editable. For now I've just made short blurbs there genre "Freak Out! cover art". The notes could be extended there although I would warn against information overload (I'm beginning to know you Emdebe! )

[emdebe]

Reason I stuck it inside the Release Info header is because if you put the pic before that ("standalone" so to speak, right at the top) it simply takes up too much screen real-estate.

Since when are esthetics an issue at the wiki?

I do feel it belongs there, since the cover art is part of what makes up "release info" in my view. Adding a ==Cover Art== header would only add to the complexity of an already complex page.

I’m not convinced, really.

"a different section 'cover art'": in fact, if you click on the thumb of any cover; you get to the image page which itself is editable. For now I've just made short blurbs there genre "Freak Out! cover art". The notes could be extended there although I would warn against information overload (I'm beginning to know you Emdebe! )

If the cover art is going to be documented on a separate page, then the lyrics should get their own too; they also take up too much screen real-estate...  

As a reminder:

I am still not convinced. Would it not be better with a separate category for the lyrics linked to from the track details? Why just the lyrics why not musical notation too? - I know the answer

[Barry]

Since when are esthetics an issue at the wiki?

Since I introduced that concept.

I’m not convinced, really.

Well I am. Say something that will make me change my mind.

If the cover art is going to be documented on a separate page, then the lyrics should get their own too; they also take up too much screen real-estate...  

A track page without lyrics, yet with a link to a page with nothing but lyrics of said track? Eddie are you kidding? We've already gone so far as to agree upon creating a separate track page for each version of a song. To link up to Yet Another Page listing nothing but the lyrics of said track is right over the top as far as I'm concerned.

It seems to me that some here have an incurable tendency to lose sight of the trees through the woods.

[emdebe]

I’m not convinced, really.

Well I am. Say something that will make me change my mind.

At my age - and when you are not into politics - you can have an idea or opinion, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that you desperately need to convince someone. Since this is apparently a discussion between the two of us, chances are that it will turn into a yes/no-good/bad-black/white chat.

So, this is just an expression of the thoughts I had when I wrote that the cover art deserves more than a "release info" status. In other words: this is not meant to change your mind.

When you look at an album as a "work of art", there’re basically two things that matter: the music (or "content") and the cover art (the "packaging" – this certainly was true in the age of the LP). When you try to review an album, there are 2 more subjects that come to mind: 1) those that made it happen (composers, musicians, producers, engineers, ...), and 2) the context in which it was created (trends in music, the development of the artist, news of the world, releases from other artists, ...).

Thus, the way I see it, err, Barry, the packaging is a very important part of documenting an album (unless of course there’s merely a stupid photo on the cover). The cover art is not just something that happens to be wrapped around a disc.

[emdebe]

A track page without lyrics, yet with a link to a page with nothing but lyrics of said track? Eddie are you kidding? We've already gone so far as to agree upon creating a separate track page for each version of a song. To link up to Yet Another Page listing nothing but the lyrics of said track is right over the top as far as I'm concerned. It seems to me that some here have an incurable tendency to lose sight of the trees through the woods.

Well, I'm with Duncan on this one. That makes 2 against 1, which is the majority of the contributors at this stage...  

[emdebe]

It seems to me that some here have an incurable tendency to lose sight of the trees through the woods.

Is this "sneering and stabbing" or is this just an observation?
 

[Dunk]

The cover art is not just something that happens to be wrapped around a disc.

And I agree with Emdebe on this.  

It deserves to be as fully presented as the lyrics - ideally on it's own page  

[emdebe]

Wouldn’t it be better to move the album art work to a separate page (to be able to document it better – font cover, back cover, inside cover, booklet)?

Those who are in favor: Bálint (“maybe”), Duncan, emdebe.
Those who are against: Barry.

Where does this take us?

[SOFA]

FZ also felt that the album art was of a singular importance; he tried to maintain an involvement from day one...
I think that that the cover art serves two purposes: a reference frame, and a work of art that compliments a release. I think a small thumb in the header for each release is appropriate for the reference, but I wouldn't mind seeing stand alone pages for the art work - a page that would allow you to magnify, study, and appreciate the art for what it is, art.

[emdebe]

FZ also felt that the album art was of a singular importance; he tried to maintain an involvement from day one... I think that that the cover art serves two purposes: a reference frame, and a work of art that compliments a release. I think a small thumb in the header for each release is appropriate for the reference, but I wouldn't mind seeing stand alone pages for the art work - a page that would allow you to magnify, study, and appreciate the art for what it is, art.

I can go for that. I think that's the way Bálint sees it too. I also think Duncan wouldn't mind.

And while we're at it... Take "One Size Fits All" as an example. When we have an "One Size Fits All (art work)" page, showing the front, the inside and the back, ... I can easily document the depicted "universe" on this page... instead of creating a single page for each and every name on the cover. That way we could get rid of the "One Size Fits All (The List)" category...

Same goes for the "Freak Out!" names, the WOIIFTM cover, the TTR cover...

[Bálint]

that's the way Bálint sees it too

Ja! :-)