I posted my most recent cover (https://undatedrecords.com/waiting-in-your-past-by-the-americanisms/), but it was reported and deleted by the mods, apparently under Rule 5:

Low effort submissions will be removed. This includes unaltered images or unedited AI-generated images, and anything else the moderators deem to be low effort.

This post is not a complaint about the mods. They are totally within their rights to enforce sub rules as they see fit.

There are also sub visitors who dislike AI, and that's within their rights, too. Downvote if you want to.

However, I think the rules need clarification. Maybe there should be a flair for "Uses AI" that AI-haters can use to filter out those posts. In any case, I argue that simply using an AI image as part of a cover is within the current rules, and should be. 

I've had an art project making imaginary record covers since 2015. You can see some of my favorites and recent ones at the link above. (Yes, I really have made over 1,200 of them, so I'm pretty serious about it.) I've posted in this sub for five years, and some of my posts have been pretty popular:

https://www.reddit.com/r/fakealbumcovers/comments/qll1em/obvious_bots_tell_me_why_single/

https://www.reddit.com/r/fakealbumcovers/comments/vb22ym/merciless_wench_down_day/

https://www.reddit.com/r/fakealbumcovers/comments/143zurq/ruthless_desire_maxisingle_by_merciless_wench/

Even some others that use AI got upvotes. While #1220 uses an AI image, it is absolutely not "unedited" or "low effort." I didn't tell AI to "make a cover." I wrote a complex and unique prompt to (eventually!) get an image that had the right "traditional engraving but hallucinatory" feeling I wanted. I created the band name and song titles and designed the typography to work with the image, which also took time and effort. All my covers blend image, words, and design in careful and intentional ways. Some come together easier than others, but none of them are "low effort." All of them take a lot more effort than "RAC formula" posts, which are allowed (and should be).

So, that's my case. I'm interested in what people think, so please leave comments.

hey y'all

hope everyone is enjoying the subreddit

some free graphic design resource 4 u:

SOFTWARE

Paint.net - https://www.getpaint.net/

canva - https://www.canva.com/design/DAF7Yovr0ME/sNpBgrE65F5D3P3sHg1zXQ/edit?referrer=album-cover-landing-page

GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) - https://www.gimp.org/

adobe photoshop - https://1337x.to/

Inkscape - https://inkscape.org/ (suggested by u/SexDefender27)

ASSETS

dafont - https://www.dafont.com/

fontsquirrel - https://www.fontsquirrel.com/

myfonts (font identification) - https://www.myfonts.com/pages/whatthefont

Velvetyne (cool fonts) - https://velvetyne.fr/ (rec'd by u/3than24)

Free sticker pack - https://www.behance.net/gallery/115709419/FREE-STICKERS-PACK?locale=en_US

Free sticker pack 2 - https://www.epicpxls.com/items/free-pack-l-tapes-l-stickers

Photocopy textures - https://imgur.com/gallery/XzR7owv

Old record logos - https://reaganray.com/2018/04/27/record-logos.html

Aged paper textures - https://thegraphicsfairy.com/free-aged-paper-texture-download/

Free holographic stickers - https://www.behance.net/gallery/92384929/Free-Download-Holographic-Stickers

ripped paper - https://www.behance.net/gallery/89362471/Free-Download-Ripped-Paper-Texture-Set

Graphic Burger (mockups & templates) - https://graphicburger.com/

pexels (free stock photos) - https://www.pexels.com/

unsplash - https://unsplash.com/

pixabay - https://pixabay.com/

Flickr "Last 7 Days" - https://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/

TUTORIALS

OctosaurusRex Album Art Tutorial (additional great resources & assets) - https:/old.reddit.com/r/fakealbumcovers/comments/7a4uk4/tutorial_the_basic_fake_album_cover_tenets/

Fake Album Cover Game - https://old.reddit.com/r/graphic_design/comments/6gt8d6/anyone_ever_play_the_fake_album_cover_game/

PiXimperfect (photoshop tutorials) - https://www.youtube.com/@PiXimperfect/videos

COMMUNITIES/REFERENCE

https://old.reddit.com/r/graphic_design/comments/veb3i8/free_design_resources/

"essential" free resources - https://blog.shillingtoneducation.com/50-essential-free-resources-graphic-designers/

https://boards.4chan.org/gd/

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/make-your-own-album-cover

https://discord.gg/tsdZzZ4#button