Original Cover Design
- Sleeve 031/100: Pablo Honey (1993)
- Studio Album by Radiohead
- Label: Parlophone / Capitol Records
- Genre: Alternative Rock
- Original Cover: Design by Icon, Paintings by Lisa Bunny Jones, Photography by Tom Sheehan
Sleeve #31 for my project #100albumsleeves came in a frenzy! I made the rare achievement of finishing it in ONE working day (8 hours- from ideation to mockups).
The rare thing was accomplishing the task, not putting myself to it. I deliberately asked myself “What would happen if I give myself just one day to finish this” and I put my phone on focus mode. I’ve tried this before without success, what was different this time? I populated my calendar with unnegotiable and exciting activities the rest of the week, so I basically had no backup plan😂.
Working against the clock didn’t give me time to occupy my brain with doubt or silly thoughts, and to my surprise, I got into “the zone” (a meditative state).
I started by researching and reading about the album and I found the album title comes from a prank call skit by the Jerky Boys, in which the caller poses as the victim’s mother and says:
“Pablo, honey? Please come to Florida.”
Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar) said about this: ” ‘Pablo Honey’ was appropriate for us, being all mothers’ boys.”
So I thought having a baby on the cover was the way to go, same as the original. I think it is especially fitting considering this was Radiohead’s first studio album. Many consider this to be Radiohead’s worst album, which I find fantastic, because:
- The album is actually GOOD.
- How many bands can say their worst album is their first?
These guys only became better after this, they grew. So yeah, Pablo Honey is a baby, it is Radiohead’s first step into glory.
Once I knew what to make I started by painting a gestational baby inside a honey droplet🍯 (no, is not an egg yolk🐣, though that works too). I used watercolors and colored pencils.
I purposely placed the placenta like an angel wing, and I gave the baby this huge head and eyes so it looked un-human. I finished the design in Photoshop using this free photo from RawPixel and I added a honeycomb pattern in the background. I’m super happy with the result and this is definitely among my favorites for the project. My latest pieces were a bit weak (in my opinion), so this one is also giving me the motivation to keep showing up.
Album Cover Redesign by franzmori. This is fan art, no copyright infringement intended.
Pablo Honey is one of my favorite albums by Radiohead. “Creep” was the anthem of very dark times of my life, and it brings memories every time I hear it, but I’m glad I’m past those years. Now I especially enjoy “Stop Whispering“, “Thinking about you” and “Blow Out“.
Would you like your own Album Cover design?
I’m available for commissions!
Listen to the art! I’ll be adding a new album each week to this Spotify playlist HERE.
To know more about my personal project and see the rest of the cover designs in this series, go HERE.