This completed project was the culmination of months of passion projects, spurred on by sparks of inspiration and a newfound desire to get back to my basics. This resulted in an expanded approach to my experimentation with the tools that make up my current digital design arsenal, rather than constantly seeking out new programs or methods of solving the same problem in ten different ways. This resulted in far more polished results and a greater understanding for future problem-solving.
After beginning to experiment with symmetrical design features in Adobe and Procreate, I began to notice faces often appearing in my linework designs. Rather liking these designs, I decided to pursue this further. As the faces presented an “uncanny valley effect” if designed too realistic, a demonic or evil entity theme was chosen, using the unsettling effect to the advantage of the designs. These designs being that of a goat headed demon, a golden demonic king, and a Japanese Oni.
With these designs coming together I could think of no better way of presenting them than on a series of heavy metal vinyl covers. Having always wanted to design album covers and never finding the opportunity, I jumped at the chance to create my own series in this unique style and theme, pairing the symmetrical designs with various textures and print mediums.
The first cover took inspiration from the depictions of Satan, with his goat-like head. However, by adding additional horns and removing the mouth, the new form appears far more inhuman. This design was paired with white cracking paint emphasising the chaotic nature of the design. Next was a golden demonic king of hell with a crown of fire, loosely inspired from Japanese myth combined with popular media’s depictions of hell and the devil. This design was printed in gold foil and paired with a decaying black wall texture, intending to display the duality of the king of hell title. The final design is that of a Japanese Oni, this design above all most closely reflects its inspiration. This design was paired with aged, blacked paper and a large worn red circle, representing Japan’s flag.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR COVER DESIGNS
