Creative direction for Linda Thompson by Marvellous

We were recommended to Linda Thompson by another of our clients, her daughter Kami. When we met with her to discuss the artwork for her 2013 album, we asked if there was a particular theme to the album. We were told that there were several songs that featured the sea. That gave us a starting point for several creative concepts.

The one chosen worked wonderfully with the album's title, Won't Be Long Now, and was to feature the artists staring out to sea, teasing the listener/viewer: is she waiting for someone who won't be long or is she even contemplating impending death?

A photo shoot was arranged with a photographer we knew was best for this project and on the chosen day we took over a small cafe on the beach for make-up and planning. As well as the cover shot, we wanted to finish the session with enough extra images that could be used throughout the packaging including some that could be overlayed with lyrics or other text. We also had to consider advertising, promotion and her website for which we had also been commissioned to design and build.

One of the things we couldn't control on the day was the weather. The sky was cloudy and non-descript and none of the original shots evoked enough mood for the album cover. Back in the studio, we added our atmosphere: a dark thundery sky and a shadowy sea. We now had a cover shot that worked fantastically and which everyone was happy with.