//05.06.2009
What is a seals favorite hobby?
For the past couple of months Austin and I have been working on what will become the packaging for the new album The Satanic Satanist. Together we have spent almost every hour away from jobs/sleep/practice on making sure this would all work properly. This artwork came together much the same as the album, lots of hard work and lots of fun. It was really great sitting down with Austin again and getting his thoughts on where the illustrations should go and seeing what he would do with the colors in the end. He really ran with this project and as we speak is still running with it as far as vinyl package and posters and stickers go. He did a truly amazing job in making sure things lined up and worked with every fold. I remember our initial talk and the initial sketch of what would become the package. Austin’s response was something along the lines of “There is no way they will let us do this.” and “You’re going to make me do all this work just to get turned down!”. It took a lot of thought to bring this together as smoothly as it has come. Austin did some really great work with this layout and color placement, there is no way it could have worked without him.
The idea was to make a package out of one solid cut, no plastic. More than anything we wanted to give the buyer something more substantial, a package that could double as a piece of art and not just be a marketable image ready to be tossed upon transfer of music to computer to MP3 player or internet for download (please share once you buy, that is how us little bands grow and how the bigger bands get bigger still.). You may not be able to see it from these rough, ROUGH small scale, handcut package photos but the CD, once transferred to computer to MP3 or internet for download, is also a part of the artwork. The sun. The template is meant to be a mountain that folds down into smaller mountains, much like the mountains that run around our home state and the illustrations are meant to represent the years of my childhood that the album was written through, 1987-93. The years my family moved around the state the most as well as the years I was introduced to films like Lightyears, Fantastic Planet, Fire and Ice and Wizards. Safe bet that those films may have ruined my growing mind.
John
I don’t think I’ve ever used the word “Sick!” before, but after John and I sat down and figured out where we wanted this artwork to go I remember blurting it out rather uncontrollably.
When John first got in touch with me about the new artwork I had a hard time believing that it could be done. He sent me several sketches of what he wanted and it really took me a while to sink in. The hard part, as always, was that both of our schedules never let us meet in the middle. It was hard to Benjamin Button ourselves to get this done—and I’m still working on it. Like, 4 months later. Almost all of our conversations were through phone, email, text, photos—it was a challenge. After we got the basic concept down I had to make a die line. It took me about 5 tries to get something that was right on. My living room had giant piles of paper scraps all over it. When my printer broke I had to draw the die lines by hand when making prototypes and actually had to take a day off of work because I pulled something in my arm from making all of the tight cuts in the package.
John’s message of no plastic really struck me as a challenge on how to make the CD stay in place once the thing was put together. It felt great when I figured out how to make it work. One piece of paperboard, 2 glue spots and a lot of folding. We nailed it. The manufacturer gave us praise for the way the package was built and that meant that we were looking good.
The artwork itself was culled from all of John’s illustrations and Zach’s photos of Alaska. After the illustrations were locked in I had to add color and texture. I was provided a huge piece of paper with hundreds of watercolor swatches and used that to fill in the white space in the artwork. Since it was pretty much blue and green I used computer magic to re-color every piece. My artwork files each had something like 400 layers before I started distilling everything down. It had turned into a mass of colors and I had to mentally reset a few times to get everything right. Some of the artwork matching on the panels didn’t work out so I spent a lot of time printing out individual pieces and redrawing, which was tough, but my love of puzzles and TCB came through and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier with a project that I’ve worked on. I’m still working on the domestic and foreign LP and poster artwork (which looks insane) and everything is the much the same way visually, but totally different composition and scale. It’s going to be stunning when each piece finally gets to sit next to each other and I think that’s the ultimate way to complement such a fantastic album. It’s really all that I had seen in my head when John and I put our ideas together. It came out exactly like it should.
Austin Sellers
www.austinmadethis.com
austin@austinmadethis.com
[nggallery id=37]
- 11 tracks for immediate download
- High quality MP3 (320k), Apple Lossless, or FLAC
- 12 page digital booklet w/ lyrics & liner notes
- Add T-shirt for $12
This is truly amazing, I’m so excited for this thing to finally come out.
Enjoy the tour
Colton//05.06.2009
artwork is soo sweet, bummed about no philly dates for the upoming tour though
Eddie//05.06.2009
this looks so great!
even more anxious for it now.
amy//05.06.2009
Amazingly creative.
It makes me happy to know that there are still bands that make a conscious effort to put something great out.
kristin//05.06.2009
looks amazing. can’t wait for the new record. this just gets me even more psyched
keith//05.06.2009
Simply amazing.
From Austria//05.06.2009
not gonna lie, pretty much the craziest/trippiest/best artwork i’ve seen to date.
nick//05.06.2009
Ok. first of all im blown away. second of all .. how the fuuuu? how is this possible.. is this legal? ha. im so proud to say this is my favorite band right now. Sick! lol.
luis//05.06.2009
that looks insaaaane! nice work
carlin//05.06.2009
wuawuawiwua – beautiful
Daniel//05.06.2009
god i sound like such a fucking dork
austin//05.06.2009
I know… Me too….
portugaltheman//05.06.2009
huhhu hey john wanna meet in the middle on friday
austin//05.06.2009
wow!! wonderful
claudia//05.06.2009
wow, that is amazing. i thought the censored colors packaging was unique but this even tops that! its awesome to be excited for the music, but to be excited for the packaging as well is just awesome.
kyle//05.06.2009
I could do thursday evening… seeing star trek before practice on friday. maybe after? We should really get those shirts done
portugaltheman//05.06.2009
yes, austin, you are truly amazing. so proud of you.
austin's mom//05.06.2009
holy lord. this is beautiful. i thought i’d see awesome album ideas before, but thiss. this is something entirely new and mindblowing. literally, my mind is blown at the idea of holding this in my hands
eric//05.06.2009
are you stoned all the time?
justin//05.06.2009
Guys this is amazing. I’m truly lost of words. I do have to agree with this Eric character above me, its mind blowing.
Much love,
ian
Ian//05.06.2009
Gourley + Sellers = The Dream Team.
This is awesome, and I cannot wait to look at this for hours.
Kelly//05.06.2009
ART ART
IanWilliamShaw//05.06.2009
holy shit . . . you guys are genius.
:syaS//05.06.2009
this is amazing.
Isn’t there a Grammy for outstanding packaging? If so you should win. hahah
Nick//05.06.2009
Ooo, pretty.
Kee//05.06.2009
no. only about 1/8 the time.
eric//05.06.2009
Im kind of peeing my pants a little. I cant wait for this to come out, success!
Amanda//05.06.2009
Jesus of Christland!
This Artwork Is AMAZING!
Eraq//05.06.2009
The Gates to Sexual Park are now open! Welcome.
Portugal. The Fan//05.06.2009
Simply amazing.. so original, I really don’t think I can wait that long for the album.. I can only listen to that live version of People Say so many times (127 so far)..
Cal//05.06.2009
Cal, i got you beat. 147. It’s too good.
:syaS//05.06.2009
oh..FUCK YES.
I can’t decide if you guys brainaported from the 60&70’s or the future,
Ive decided it was from the small world located on my parakeets underbelly.
ben woodstove//05.07.2009
Insane.
Eru//05.07.2009
I’m proud of this.
John Baldwin Grouley//05.07.2009
:syaS; Your right, people say is amazing, I was skeptical at first because of my love for the mellow style of music in censored colors, but it really grew on me, and I listen to it all the time now, Can’t wait for the studio version!
Cal//05.07.2009
Yeah, the studio version should be quite the testicle-theiver.
:syaS//05.07.2009
Its oooooook. Nothing too great….
just kidding!
Lets hope the album is as good as the artwork!
one love!
Casper//05.07.2009
Looks badass guys.
Eric//05.08.2009
From an artist to another artist(s):
Having packaging be this elaborate is the most exciting thing that I could possibly think of when it comes to the new release.
As if I wasn’t already looking forward a ton!
Thank you so much!
Jenna//05.08.2009
wow man thats fucking amazing good work :O
can’t wait to see you guys at bonnaroo
Asa//05.08.2009
Gentle Jesus! That is freaking GORGEOUS.
Sam!//05.08.2009
This is fucking gold dipped in gold, fried and then eaten by diamonds.
Jimmy//05.08.2009
[...] Portugal.The Man usciranno con un album dal divertente packaging. This entry was written by syn , posted on Saturday May 09 2009at 10:05 am , filed under [...]
The Satanic Satanist dei Portugal.The Man | Guylum Bardot//05.09.2009
you guys should sound track the next star trek movie
:syaS//05.09.2009
masterpiece of artwork – can’t wait to get the album! thank you so much…
Yugin//05.09.2009
………Wow. Just wow. This is quite possibly the most amazing and creative album artwork I’ve ever seen, and by far the most creative design.
I simply can’t wait.
Jonathan//05.09.2009
Bring on the pre-order!
Kee//05.10.2009
WOAH.
This looks spectacular. I’m blown away guys!
I can’t wait!!
Nicole//05.10.2009
Coolest artwork ever.
Elia//05.12.2009
Ok so shot outta a cannon….synch its complicated being a wizard with star trek on mute…eat some jellies…next stare at portugal artwork…then jam the fuck out at bonnaroo front rail…twice mothafucks twice!!! This shit is for real…this aint no bitch this is boy! No even better….this is Portugal the fucking MAN!!!
This message was brought to you by Trips R Us….check us out sometime, so choice ; p
Cygnus Vismund Cygnus//05.12.2009
What druuugsssssssssssssssss?
KENNY POWERS//05.12.2009
dude everyone is on drugs
austin//05.12.2009
When can we expect some pictures of ye olde Portugal??
ThatOneGuyFromSoldotna//05.12.2009
Sorry, I meant new ones..from touring, the Roo, and maybe press photos??
ThatOneGuyFromSoldotna//05.12.2009
cygnus, this is not the comatorium. gtfo <3
:syaS//05.13.2009
This is the greatest thing that ever was. If you’re ever on the east coast and need someone to sell merch, shoot me an email.
eric from nc//05.14.2009
the most amazing packaging my little eyes have witnessed.
truly creative and inspiring. and the fact that it’s all one piece!
kudos to john & austin.
as well as the rest of portugal.
looking so forward to having this and hearing the music!
jdfkasdhfksaj//05.15.2009
IS IT CLUBBING?
ps. that’s the coolest album artwork i’ve seen in a damn while. it’s going to look good on my shelf fo sho
zachary//05.16.2009
I would also like to know what a seal’s favorite hobby is … ?
:syaS//05.16.2009
“Art Art Art”… say it out loud… like a seal would. Get it?
John B. Gourley//05.19.2009
Haha i get it! Thanks John
you//05.19.2009
A lot of comments I see. I read each one of them, and then write them down in my notebook, rearrange all the words. That’s how I came up with all the lyrics on Censored Colors.
John Baldwin Gourley//05.20.2009
:O
:syaS//05.20.2009
Really gets annoyed with that…. Not annoyed to the point of anger or frustration. Just annoyed.
John B. Gourley//05.22.2009
[...] you wanna read the full explanation, click here. Otherwise check out the sweet art below (if you don’t figure it out on your own, the album [...]
If you like album artwork, you’ll love Portugal. The man | Music Socialist//06.01.2009
That is beautiful. I cannot wait to own it.
Paulette//06.02.2009
a seal favourite hobby? gettin’ clubbed!
chrissy d//02.13.2010