From our in the studio feature from last summer

MEATLOAF ASCENDANT (1997) by Michael Whelan

Along with the science fiction and fantasy cover art I was sorting through in the studio, I stumbled on album artwork as well. Here’s Michael’s original painting for The Very Best of Meatloaf.

Thematically, the painting follows Michael’s iconic cover for Back Into Hell. You can see an echo of that cover in the clouds above the bat demon.

Michael was asked to make a myriad of changes and additions during this assignment, which prompted him to insert a “kitchen sink” among the debris (see the zoom of the foreground) as his own wry commentary on the difficulties experienced trying to please all parties involved.

Art direction by committee is never a good idea, and I think he found a good outlet for his frustration. What do you think?

(via theartofmichaelwhelan)

Source: michaelwhelan.com

Sepultura covers (albums and singles) by Michael Whelan. Michael’s comments are in italics.

NIGHTMARE IN RED (1981) - Cover for Beneath the Remains, the band’s third studio album. The image was originally the cover illustration for Tales from the Nightside by Charles L. Grant.

ARISE (1990) - Original painting for the band’s fourth studio album. The single Dead Embryonic Cells and Under Siege use a detail from the painting for their covers.

CACOPHONY (1992) - Original painting for Chaos A.D., the fifth studio album. The cover of the single Territory was an early digital piece.

I took a class in NYC to learn how to use Photoshop way back when [I think it was Photoshop 4 we were using!]. While I waited for some of the newbies to learn how to press cntl/alt/click or whatever, I stayed in the back and worked on this piece, which ended up being used for the “Territory” cover. I had painted the “S” logo and the rocks but then I scanned them in and fiddled around with filters and cloning and stuff to make the firey background.

ROOTS (1996) - A digital painting for the band’s sixth studio album.

The concept for ROOTS was largely Max Cavalera’s idea. He wanted me to paint the face off of a denomination of Brazilian paper money [I don’t remember what bill it was] and just put in some kind of background. I tried to digitally paint the face off the bill, then fooled around with some photos I had taken of tree branches and stuff till I came up with a background I thought might work.

Source: michaelwhelan.com

sortyourlifeoutmate: “ theartofmichaelwhelan: “ CACOPHONY (1992) by Michael Whelan, cover for Chaos A.D. by Sepultura Mixed Media - 24" x 24 ” Michael Whelan did the cover of Chaos A.D.?! ” Yeah, he produced original paintings for Arise and Chaos...
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sortyourlifeoutmate:

theartofmichaelwhelan:

CACOPHONY (1992) by Michael Whelan, cover for Chaos A.D. by Sepultura

Mixed Media - 24" x 24

Michael Whelan did the cover of Chaos A.D.?!

Yeah, he produced original paintings for Arise and Chaos A.D. Roots, I believe, was a digital piece. His art was also used for a handful of singles as well. I’ll post the covers I have.

(via sortyourlifeoutmate)

Source: michaelwhelan.com

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