Here is the first part of the interview with the designer of the Oh!Gravity album cover:
The Oh! Gravity cover...it’s a curious, gripping piece of art. It tells many stories.
Stories that only the creator could tell. I was extremely intrigued by this cover and contacted Joshua Levy, the artist. The following is the result of that contact.
There’s not much I can say about this interview. It speaks for itself.
In an odd paradox (since I was involved in this interview very little...it was all Josh)
this is probably the most personal interview I have ever done. I think you will feel that as you read it. I’d like to thank Jeremy Cowart for connecting me with Josh. And mostly Joshua...thanks for doing this interview has you did.
Joshua: I am currently an In-House Art Director and Illustrator for Columbia and Epic Records in New York City. I also work freelance if the project is right. I’ve been making this style of ink drawings since around 1998. hey are drawn up quite large on Acid Free Strathmore- most are 19x24". The trick to these drawings is that they are not made with a pen or brush, but the ink droppers that come on small bottles of Higgins Ink.
For "Oh Gravity" they were scanned in and then collaged together in Photoshop along with portraits of the band that they oversaw. Album art is a lost art that I really believe needs to get back... so I worked late night hours to give the fans what they deserve.
I can't tell you how many albums I pick up and I'm like, "that's it? Where's all the art???" You know the story.
The whole cover gets unfolded as a poster...
The cover collage keeps going and It's an overwhelmingly intense 6 cd panels.
A giant maze, it'll give you something to look at throughout the entire album.
Unfortunately I can't show you, you'll have to wait for the album to come out-
It's just around the corner now! I can say it's their best album to date.
The band really wanted a hand drawn natural feel to this cover
but also wanted themselves to be on the cover.
I flew out to San Diego to meet the band in person and
there we went through a number of styles and directions for the cover.
Really nice out there in San Diego.
We also discussed the upcoming photoshoot I directed with
Jeremy Cowart, which was a blast.
He's a great photographer.
Heard some early cuts in the studio and it just blew me away.
It took about a month for us to decide to use the ink drawings
and then I had to get it right.
A lot of the imagery on the album are objects and symbols
that I have used for sometime now... boats, birds, skulls, water, etc.
These can sometimes be interpreted in a number of ways-
such as the skulls may really be rocks on the beach getting kicked up by waves.
A lot of objects, characters and creatures make up other objects and symbols
when you start to really look at the big picture.
It means that we are all one- the world is one together...
How making a big mistake in life can trigger an instant-karmic avalanche,
so keep it cool.
Life is a giant network, a coaster, and sometimes you just have to hang on
and pray that it's all going to be alright.
I usually do these drawings when confused or down & out-
The ink allows me to get out my frustrations,
everyday pressures and the weight of the world.
When starting these drawings, I'm not specifically saying to myself,
"Now I'm going to draw this specifically"...
It just comes out of me, naturally.
Kind of like Keith Richards and a guitar.
Not all the drawings are gold, I take a lot of chances...
and I'd say more then half get thrown out. But, please don't raid my garbage. |
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