Saturday 14 June 2014

Album cover artwork for Rob Snarski's Wounded Bird


I am so pleased to be able to show you my little painting above for Rob Snarski's (The Black Eyed Susans) new solo album, Wounded Bird.  Concept by Rob Snarski.  Acrylic on wood.  


Work in progress, above.  After Rob approved my pencil sketch, we decided on the colour palette by doing what Rob called a "blob painting": I very quickly outlined all of the different sections of my sketch in Photoshop, and coloured them in until we were both happy with the result.  (The sparrow is a photo that I manipulated in Photoshop in order to simplify it a bit.)  It's a great idea, and one that I will definitely use again, especially as it's not so easy to change colours when you are working the old fashioned way.
Above: the painting has begun.  Background first, then I get to know who is in the picture by doing the majority of the face and other visible skin before tackling the decoration.
This is the first sketch, which Rob did not approve, even though I quite liked it.  Boo hoo.  But all's well that ends well.  The final art is simpler and probably communicates Wounded Bird better.

My first ever CD cover!  Very exciting.

11 comments:

sister outlaws said...

Gorgeous Sandra! The Susans always have great covers. I live the sketch of Rob looking straight ahead too but the painting has a real tenderness that just seems very "Rob"!

Evie said...

I adore this and seeing your process and sketches broken down like this is such a treat. Thanks for sharing Sandra! Congrats on your first album cover : ) x

Sandra Eterovic said...

Thank you Julianne -- yes I am very happy to be part of a cover history that includes Mrs Madeleine Stamer. I'm quietly glad too that you like my rejected sketch!!!! ;-)

Thank you Evie! I am very excited to have done a CD cover, although unfortunately CDs and their covers seem pretty unimportant in the scheme of things these days.....oh well, there's always the merch....

xxx

swinkie said...

Congratulations on your wonderful album cover.. Love it! love also hearing with pics about the whole process. Xx

Sandra Eterovic said...

Really lovely to hear from you Sandra. Thank you -- glad you like it :-)
xx

Anonymous said...

Dear Sandra, I came here through a link on Rob's CD announcement. What a lovely picture you have made for him. Very fine and full of feeling. And astonishingly small. A wonderful work. Regards, W.H. Chong

Sandra Eterovic said...

Thank you very much indeed, W.H. Chong!!! How lovely of you to write. I am very pleased that you like it. Yes, a few people have been surprised that the artwork is so small. I guess that I have a habit of working small so that I can scan more easily.

Saskia (1=2) said...

Love visiting your blog Sandra when I haven't been here for a while. You are a creative dynamo, lady! So inspiring! This painting is melancholically (is that a word?) beautiful. Love seeing your creative process. Just ace that you can add CD art to your resume!

Sandra Eterovic said...

Thanks so much Sass!! It's so nice to add 'CD' to my resume, even as they die a slow death! (I haven't bought one in years! Instant gratification loving I-tunes user....)

jen storer said...

Gorgeous post, Sandra, i loved seeing the various stages. You have been so productive. Everything is so beautiful as always. I hope you have a warm studio! Brrr. It's great weather for creating! ;-) xx

Sandra Eterovic said...

Thanks so much Jen!! I DO NOT have a warm studio. We all waddle around the place in millions of layers, like very unglamorous paint speckled versions of skiiers, blimps or bears.