Hey Audiosexuals, I´ve some kind of request for you guys. *yes*

I´m going to keep it short:
I´m on an album attempt, and the art is a big deal for me.
One of the first steps in designing is -before taking the pencil or whatever- to look for some references and build an inspiring backgound collage.

So here´s the request:
- If when reading this you were remembering a nice specific art, go google it and post it here. *yes*
- Add also ARTIST | ALBUM NAME | GENRE, to keep it organized.
- ...and if you want, just one or a few words about what´s moving you from it. NOT a description of what you see, your subjective impression, liking, condensed as short as you could do it

Genre doesn´t matter, neither technique or concept, just what´s printed/embraced in your memory/taste.
I´m almost 23 hours per day looking at a screen because job and university, so any extra help to keep my eyes health is welcome.
And also, it would be nice to have a dedicated place here to visit from time to time.

Thanks.

 

So this is for artists that have submitted for the album, the artwork they have in mind to go along with their track and their feelings about it and this will be included as a reference right?

 

Well, I was thinking more in some sort of open 'art library' here. This is not just for artists involved or planning to be part of the album, and not necessarily the image you post here has to be related or be representative of your track submitted for the album or its genre. *no*

This is a general request, focused in images by their own and communuty overall taste. I´m already collecting some stuff also and pinning some outstanding pieces or highlighting some related ones with the Album project, but there´s not already a clear concept -I´m just starting- so think is this stage as a first step regarding the Album, and as an open space to drop and share some subjective likings. *yes*

Then, I´ll be involved in the task of collecting/classifying/rating for the specific Album´s concept/purposes, but don´t limit this space or overthink as a general guide. Thanks for giving me a hand.

I´ll start rolling the ball here, don´t be shy after me...

[ TOOL | LATERALUS | Rock - Metal - Alternative - Progressive ]
When I first met this album I was very shocked about its detailed art. It has some sense of a huge/abstract dimension/place, cyclical motion, deepness, infinity and trascendence.

 

Tyrannosaurus Rex (Marc Bolan & Steve Peregrin Took) - My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows - Alternative/ Underground, hippyish, acoustic, Psychedelia, Acid Folk.
1967 debut album, produced by Tony Visconti.

Cover art by George Underwood, who btw is responsible for David Bowie's injured eye.
"When Bowie was fifteen years old, his friend, George Underwood, wearing a ring on his finger, punched him in the left eye during a fight over a girl"
Marc & David were childhood friends.

Further Info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_People_Were_Fair_and_Had_Sky_in_Their_Hair..._But_Now_They%27re_Content_to_Wear_Stars_on_Their_Brows

 

Mahogany Rush - Strange Universe - Acid Rock/psychedelic.
Mahogany Rush's 3rd LP released 1975, Produced by Frank Marino
Cover art by the late Ivan Schwartz, engineered by the great Bill Szawlowski.

The first 4 albums (Maxoom, Child of Novelty, Strange Universe, IV) by Mahogany Rush are trippy, mid 70's stoner/acid guitar driven rock.
Unforgettable timeless gems but sadly underrated.
Do yourself a favor and give them a spin!

 

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loSzAdynlro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gp_E4oD6zA​

Well then I'm about to make you very happy because I happen to know a lot about it. Alex Grey is the artist that has collaborated with Tool on their artwork. Grey also has an exhibit called Cosm that I'm sure you're nowhere near but it would be right up your alley so if you're ever in that neck of the woods you should check it out. You can actually stay there too but I'm sure it costs an arm and a leg because somehow there's always a crazy price tag on spirituality.

Now onto my examination of the type of art you and I are referencing:
Part of me can separate the art from the spirituality and appreciate it as such but I feel like I am subconsciously being influenced. The agnostic in me takes issue with these kinds of works because A) it's such a trend these days B) it almost always involves huge sums of money C) it puts man in the center of the universe and to me that is a defense mechanism to how insignificant we really are. We are nothing but a spec of dirt on the cosmos and I don't believe in the spirit. Show me the majesty of god and the spirit in nature when an animal gets ripped to shreds for the dinner of another. Nature doesn't care about us, we just can't face that knowledge. There's a really good saying on such matters: even if god didn't exist, it would be necessary to invent him. Then the other part of me reminds myself that it would be arrogant to say I know the secrets of the universe...and so we dance. However I am unwilling to devote my life to that which I have absolutely not a shred of evidence for and everything I've ever seen or known leads me to believe otherwise which leads me to 4) it detaches people from reality which might only matter to you if you prefer to be Neo rather than Cypher no matter how uncomfortable such a choice would be: a bitter truth vs. a beautiful lie. All this from a painting. *yes*

These opinions in no way represent the opinions of AudioSex or any affiliated websites.

However as I have mentioned I can still appreciate the art so here's some I like:

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Resources
Be sure to check out the artwork on all the sites I've linked to because there are paintings, drawings, books you can purchase, etc.

AlexGrey - artist site.

Cosm - site pertaining to Cosm.

Sacred Mirrors - direct link to some of the artwork of the Sacred Mirrors.

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The amazing..... John Baizley/ Kvelertak/ Kvelertak

 

Salvador Dali
This to me represents the epitome of the human condition. That is all.


MC Escher style but not sure of the artist.

 

Timewind is the fifth album by Klaus Schulze. It was originally released in 1975.
It was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque (Grand Prize for Records) of L'Académie Charles Cros.
Klaus Schulze – ARP 2600, ARP Odyssey, EMS Synthi-A, Elka String Synthesizer, Farfisa Professional Duo Organ and Piano, Synthanorma Sequencer.
Cover art by Urs Amann.
An all time classic!

More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timewind

 

that's funny that you posted that up because I was posting some songs from this album in one of our music threads. It's still as amazing today as it was so many years ago. That is what we call timeless music and we don't make much of it anymore. *no*

 

yeah, it is one of those albums you keep going back to- for whatever reason- timeless beauty...
stoned or not, lol.

 

Johnny the Fox is the seventh studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1976.
Beautiful artwork by Jim Fitzpatrick.

More info here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_the_Fox

 

Wait I'm confused does this have to be artwork to inspire album covers or album cover artwork?

 

Well, maybe it´s interesting to see how art´s different languages translate to a music related piece.
It´s really great what you´ve posted here guys, I could be scrolling for hours.
It´s preferable if we stick just with mind blowing covers for this thread, anyway, if there´s something that´s a gem and must be shared I´m not going to complaint about it at all.

Cat, thanks for the videos and your thoughts. I´m all the time facing that kind of stuff. I´ve passed entire nights with a friend dealing with nature, art, spirituality, god, beauty, existence... and everything ends always in nothingness. Any position you take, ANY, is always just an arrogant and more confortable place than facing nothingness, some sort of 'faith' if you will, even if your position is against it in some forms. I´m even being blind and arrogant taking also a so bluried posture. So better we dance, keep embracing girls and art beauty, arrange layers of noise behind a screen, and watch flying fishes at 4am in BBC documentaries eating some fries.