My Top 10 Favourite Album covers (part 1)
Now I’ve explained my process and how I got started, I thought I’d go even further back and talk about some of my influences. A good way to get a grasp of the kind of art I want to make is by looking at the kind of art I admire and enjoy. So I thought I’d kick things off by listing my top 10 favourite album covers, along with a bit about why I love each one, hopefully it gives a bit of insight into how I view things creatively.
10. Bat Out of Hell II – Meat Loaf - Artist: Michael Whelan
You might be thinking, why Bat Out of Hell II when the first one’s right there? Honestly, I just prefer the composition of the second. The angle, looking up at the bat on top of the Chrysler building, gives it such an intimidating feel. I also love the motion in this piece, the motorcyclist sweeping in from the top left adds so much energy. The colours are really nicely balanced too: that burning orange city fading into the clear, electric blue sky is a great way of showing the contrast between heaven and hell. Overall, it’s such a bold, dramatic image, perfectly in line with the sheer theatrical madness of Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman’s music.
9. Simulation Theory – Muse -
Artist: Kyle Lambert
This was actually the first Muse album I got into, so there’s a personal connection there, but the cover itself is just incredible. It’s a full-on love letter to 80s sci-fi, glowing neon, gridlines, and hyperrealistic illustrations of the band kitted out in tech and leather. It’s just really slick and visually exciting, capturing Muse’s futuristic, electronic energy in a way that’s instantly recognisable.
8. Rising – Rainbow -
Artist: Ken Kelly
A classic, and a favourite for a lot of people I know. It only sits at number 8 on my list because the red of the rainbow bleeds a little too much into the red of the background at the top, but that’s just a nitpick. It’s still an incredibly painted scene that makes me think of epic fantasy and old mythological legends. The forward movement of the hand coming up out of the waves to grab the rainbow has such a powerful sense of motion. That’s the part that really gets me. It just feels huge.
