After visiting a solo show Sully Erna did in the Netherlands, I’ve stayed in touch with some of his bandmembers. David Stefanelli among them. At one point, David asked me if I was willing to draw an album cover for the debut album he was planning with Lisa Guyer. They promised to pay it forward so I got to work.
Coincidentally, my kids had a wonderful gift for my birthday back in 2017. A huge table top easel.
This enabled me to use a large drawing paper and to create a big drawing consisting of photo material David and Lisa send me. I wasn’t as advanced in drawing techniques as I am these days, so the large paper gave me the chance to really get in some of the details of the photo’s they send me, trying to recreate them in my drawing. All while their, not yet published, music played in the background so I could feel the vibe they wanted to send out and try to embody it in my drawing.
And while this beautiful collection of songs, written and performed by these two extremely talented musicians, accompanied me during every drawing session, this album cover slowly appeared onto my huge paper.
By the time I finished it, I sang along with every song they pre-shared with me.
When I finally finished the drawing, after sending back and forth photo’s of my drawing and enhancing it after receiving feedback, I scanned the finalized drawing and send it digitally to the States and then shipped the original drawing by mail. David then worked his digital magic, adding the title of the album and colorizing it in sepia.
December 1. 2018 the album debuted, with my drawing on the cover.
Of course David and Lisa send me a few copies so I could proudly share this with my closest friends. Which I did of course!
Then in 2019 I had the chance to visit David and his wife in the States and see my original artwork again, in a beautiful frame on a wall in New Hampshire. During my visit I also got to meet Lisa again and even got requests to sign the cover of the album for fans who, like me, were at Lisa’s live gig.
How scared I was to make a mistake and ruin someone’s album cover….
Curious? Check out Lisa and David’s website, read all about the album and listen to a preview of all the wonderful songs on this album. And if you like the album…go support the artists!