Album Art Thread...Hipgnosis et al

Bellycaster

We all have our favourite Album Covers imprinted on our brains, but it seems a lot of the ones burned into my mind are by the same designers.

Which is Hipgnosis!

Blimey, looking through their catalogue, it's a wonder anyone else got a look in during that period.

They really produced some memorable stuff.

A few of my faves are:

Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel (The Car)

Sabbath - Technical Ecstasy

Scorpions - Lovedrive

Most of them are pure class to be honest.

One of my other favourite Album Covers is not by Hipgnosis, which is the album art to XTC - Drums and Wires, there are many more faves of mine that are unknown to me too.

Let's have a massive knowledge outpouring of Album Artwork designers, what/who were the other prolific designers, any era. It must be a pet subject to many of you.

PS: Derek Riggs goes without saying.

:-D

John_P

Mark Wilkinson deserves a mention -  mostly known for his work with Marillion and Fish.    Script and Misplaced Childhood are great album covers (and great albums)

http://thedailygrime.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/marillion-script-for-a-jesters-tear.jpg

RocknRollDave

Mansun - Six
Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible
Pink Floyd -Dark Side.../ Division Bell

guitarfishbay

http://slyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/circasurvive-onlettinggo.jpg by http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esao_Andrews

axisus

That balloon thing is awesome! Thinking about it, I was really into album cover art back when vinyl was the thing. I would go into shops just to look at all the covers, and the first two albums I ever bought were because I loved the covers. However, since CDs, and then mp3s took over, I haven't really thought about album art at all.

DulcetJones

I got these books in the 80's and drag them out now and then.  I actually still have some of the records on vinyl that are featured in them.  We lost something when CD's took over and even they are being threatened with "no art" mp3 files.

gjonesy

http://www.stpaulsgallery.com Loads of signed prints here

ChrisMusic

This thread NEEDS more pictures !

How can you have a thread about artwork with just words, doesn't work for me, it's *all* about the visuals.

I am *looking* forward to *seeing* some great creative artwork here, covers were always a really good expressive medium.  

steamabacus

I've always loved Hipgnosis covers. This one always made me chuckle...



"Headline mean joint"

DulcetJones

ChrisMusic said:

This thread NEEDS more pictures !

How can you have a thread about artwork with just words, doesn't work for me, it's *all* about the visuals.

I am *looking* forward to *seeing* some great creative artwork here, covers were always a really good expressive medium.  

You're right.  Here's some photos from the books I posted about earlier, pardon my photography and cropping "skills", these are album size and won't fit in my scanner.

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b634/jim9guitars/Cov1_zps434b9614.jpg

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b634/jim9guitars/Cov2_zps1a1b261b.jpg

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b634/jim9guitars/Cov3_zpsa650107e.jpg

axisus

I like George Hardie illustrations, like this one:

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/c5/ff/d1e4431378a0f18532787110.L.jpg

Can't put image in with iPad!!!!

ICBM

I really did not realise how many classic covers Hipgnosis did.

Reading the discography listed here is stunning - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipgnosis

There are a lot in there that I've *got*, and still didn't actually realise were by Hipgnosis - the styles are so varied. I can't imagine anyone else could come close to having the impact on such a major part of pop culture as they clearly have.

Wow.

DulcetJones

You beat me to it with that one axisus, that's a classic.  Here's a few more,

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b634/jim9guitars/Cov1_zps1a7ff503.jpg

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b634/jim9guitars/Cov3_zpsbf790a57.jpg

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b634/jim9guitars/Cov2_zpsdfa972b2.jpg

Grunfeld

I always loved the 23 Envelope artwork for 4AD records.  Much of it was strange, almost Victorian.  Looked classy.  I definitely miss album covers, they were great.

Bellycaster

Good shout @John_P

Some great artwork from Mark Wilkinson

@ChrisMusic

I agree, I need to post images, I'll give it a go. I'm used to posting my photos etc, but not images from the internet.

Some great examples posted here guys, lots of variety. The Balloon one is very eerie.

@ICBM

Yep, it's quite a list. It made me smile when the penny dropped, realising a certain taste I had was mainly all down to one design studio.

ICBM

Bellycaster said:

@ICBM

Yep, it's quite a list. It made me smile when the penny dropped, realising a certain taste I had was mainly all down to one design studio.

It's OK, you can admit you like Prog Rock without anyone being too judgemental these days .

Bellycaster

Do Linkies worky on your ends?

steamabacus

Bellycaster said:

Do Linkies worky on your ends?

Pictures showing up fine with me.

Bellycaster

ICBM said:

Bellycaster said:

@ICBM

Yep, it's quite a list. It made me smile when the penny dropped, realising a certain taste I had was mainly all down to one design studio.

It's OK, you can admit you like Prog Rock without anyone being too judgemental these days .

Lol, that's the thing though, even if the music isn't ones first choice, the artwork stays in the head over the years as they are so eyecatching.

Now, let's see, I have 20 minutes before I do the housework, so I have time to listen to 1 track

;-)

Bellycaster

This is a classic design, as stated in the OP, not Hipgnosis though.

similar in style to this

ICBM

Try this one… not a Hipgnosis cover - it's H.R. Giger - but it's probably the definition of Prog .

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0d/ELP_-_Brain_Salad_Surgery.jpg