How to Create Professional Album Art with Generative Art

Step 1: Define Your Visual Direction

Before opening DeadPixel, consider your music's characteristics:

• Genre: Electronic/ambient → Galaxy Mode or Neon Cyber
• Mood: Dark/moody → Deep Ocean or Monochrome
• Energy: High-energy → Increase particle count and speed
• Vibe: Organic/flowing → Use fluid motion and low noise scale

Pro Tip: Listen to your track while experimenting. The visuals should feel like they're "dancing" to the music.

Step 2: Choose Your Color Palette

Color is the most impactful decision. Here's how different palettes work for music:

• Neon Cyber (Pink/Cyan): Synthwave, vaporwave, electronic
• Galaxy Mode (Purple/Blue): Ambient, space-themed, cinematic
• Deep Ocean (Blue/Teal): Chill, lo-fi, relaxing
• Royal Gold (Gold/Purple): Luxury, hip-hop, premium feel
• Monochrome (Black/White): Minimalist, techno, industrial

For a consistent brand across an EP or album series, stick to one palette and vary other parameters.

Step 3: Configure Density and Texture

Particle Count: Controls visual density

• 3,000-5,000: Minimal, spacious (ambient, minimal techno)
• 6,000-8,000: Balanced (most genres)
• 9,000-12,000: Dense, energetic (drum & bass, hardcore)

Trail Opacity: Controls how trails fade

• 0.02-0.05: Soft, watercolor effect (dreamy, ethereal)
• 0.06-0.10: Balanced visibility
• 0.11-0.20: Bold, graphic lines (aggressive, energetic)

Step 4: Fine-Tune Flow and Motion

Noise Scale: Controls pattern complexity

• Low (0.002-0.005): Smooth, flowing rivers → chill, ambient
• Medium (0.006-0.010): Balanced complexity → most genres
• High (0.011-0.020): Chaotic, intricate → experimental, glitch

Motion Type:

• Fluid: Organic, natural flow (most music)
• Geometric: Angular, circuit-board aesthetic (electronic, techno)

Check out our Flow Fields tutorial for deeper understanding.

Step 5: Add Symmetry (Optional)

Symmetry creates mandala-like patterns that work beautifully for:

• Psychedelic music (6-8 symmetry points)
• Meditation/yoga music (4-6 points)
• Sacred geometry aesthetics

Tip: Symmetry = 1 means no symmetry (asymmetric flow)

Step 6: Generate Multiple Variations

Don't settle on the first result! Here's the pro workflow:

1. Find settings you like
2. Click the Share button to save the seed URL
3. Click Randomize 5-10 times
4. Save seed URLs for your favorites
5. Compare side-by-side
6. Choose the winner

Why this works: The same settings with different seeds create variations that feel cohesive but unique.

Step 7: Export at the Right Resolution

For Digital Releases (Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp):

• Export at 4K (3840x2160)
• Most platforms display at 1400x1400 or smaller
• 4K provides headroom for cropping and zooming

For Physical Releases (Vinyl, CD):

• Export at 8K (7680x4320)
• Ensures print quality at 300 DPI
• 8K can be printed at 25+ inches without quality loss

See our resolution guide for details.

Step 8: Post-Processing (Optional)

While DeadPixel exports are ready to use, you can enhance them:

• Add text: Artist name, album title in Photoshop/Figma
• Crop to square: Most platforms use 1:1 aspect ratio
• Adjust brightness: Ensure text remains readable
• Add vignette: Darkens edges, focuses attention