Thursday, October 13, 2011

F'n' R Stew album cover, 10 years in the making



This album cover originally started out as a two panel mural for a recording studio, I was asked to do the preliminary sketch for Twang Records probably in 1999 or 2000 I'll have to ask Carl to confirm that. The studio was busy and there never seemed to be a good time to do the piece and time went on for all of us. I was contacted last week for permission to use the drawing as an album cover for Twang Records (project details still secret, I'll fill you in when the album comes out). I couldn't possibly just have that sketch printed and we decided to advance the idea. I wanted to keep the comic book aspect of the sketch intact,  I didn't really want to paint it, I thought that doing a bar scene that may have taken place in the Haight or London in the late 60's would be best and then add the idea that it was an underground comic or leaflet/poster handed out at gigs. The next image was the block in for the second drawing and the bottom image is the final, I think it captures the spirit of the times quite well and has a very cool rock'n'roll feel.

This is my fourth album design this year, I've done Dany Laj "the match, Shotgun Wedding Band "OK Alrite", Twang Records "F'n"R Stew" and am still working with the Unseen Strangers on their album cover, each is different in design from the other and that's what I like about working with musicians other collaborators I get to flex another part of my brain producing something unique that serves both the music and the identity of the band, the whole album sound, it's alway interesting....hmmm I have more to say about this, but I have some work to do.You can see all my designs, posters, T'shirts etc. if you click the label "Pub Life Sketches" or TShirt Designs
cheers,
A.Shay Hahn

New Series Block Ins (tentative)



Early days on these, not happy with anything that's going on in them, but I wanted to continue the "conversation" I was having with myself about the flying chair paintings. That furniture can represent people pictorially so somehow these are portraits, or images of folks. I'm still trying to figure it out I may trash the whole thing, but this is where my head is at right now, a lack of figures, exploring objects in a plane.
yours vaguely,
A.Shay Hahn
madcraftshoppe@live.com
p.s Ray guns are already selling so if you like'em best get to the Press Club (850 Dundas West) tout suite and head to the Wilson 96 (615 College Str.) for flying chairs and paintings from the series "The Royal Families" (see labels section to the right).