On December 2009, I received a message from Adam Tippe, a young gospel musician from Regina, Canada. He was looking for an image that would fit on his new single cover, titled When All Else Fails.
He kindly asked me to grant him permission to use my image earthWeight, part of the 4+1 Elements project, in the artwork he was about to design. He told me the sad story behind the song and that the image perfectly translated the emotions he was trying to convey with his music.
Beyond a shadow of a doubt I promptly granted him permission.
While we were exchanging messages about image copyright and attributions (a tedious process!) I came to know he was working on new songs for his EP named falling.
Designing album covers was something I was thinking about for quite a time because since 2008 I’ve been working almost exclusively with music-inspired digital art. Analogically, it would be fair enough to give my first step into this new and unexplored territory. And in this subject I sure have an idol.
I have a deep passion for the English design and art studio Hipgnosis, which consisted primarily of Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell. From 1968 to 1983, from Pink Floyd to Led Zeppelin, they did it all. Since my first Floyd vinyl record, bought when I was eleven, going through my entire collection, which was carefully built during my teenage years, Hipgnosis art have always been present. I recently received their book For The Love of Vinyl as a gift from my brother and I am still exploring every square inch of its pages.
Despite the fact that the falling EP was an experimental non-commercial project, I saw that this situation brought a great opportunity for me to design my first album cover. I offered Adam my visual art services and he immediately accepted it.
Then he sent his songs and lyrics for me to get inspired and build the project concept. It was not difficult. Adam’s music is touching, full of emotional appeal and beautiful melodies which left no space for uncertainty. The inspiration showed up almost instantly.
And it was with much satisfaction that in less than one month I finished the artwork. He loved the result.
The outcome of this story was a very nice virtual friendship.
Booklet front cover
Booklet last cover
Opened booklet - outside view
Opened booklet - inside view
Disc label
Tray - inside view
Tray - outside view
