Album Artwork

Over the years, Eric Clapton has worked with many different artists, photographers, and graphic designers to create the packaging for his albums. Albums with the most interesting stories regarding their artwork are:

DISRAELI GEARS (CREAM)
Martin Sharp created the psychedelic artwork. Sharp, an Australian pop artist, moved to London in the late 1960s. In addition to creating album covers, he is also well known for his contributions to Oz magazine and concert posters for such luminaries as Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Donovan. At the time the album was recorded, Eric and artist Phillipe Mora shared Sharp’s Chelsea studio with him. The collage created by Sharp on the album’s back cover includes photos of Cream shot in the Kings Road, London and at Ben Nevis in Scotland. Sharp is still active in the art world.

WHEELS OF FIRE (CREAM)
Martin Sharp created the cover art for this album as well. Sharp received the New York Art Director’s prize for Best Album Design / 1969 for it. He also wrote the lyrics for “Tales Of Brave Ulysses” which appears on this album.

BLIND FAITH (BLIND FAITH)
Eric Clapton’s friend, Bob Ciderman, painted the image that appears on the cover. When the album was initially released, the artwork was withdrawn in several countries (including the U.S.) due to its controversial subject matter of a nude young girl holding a phallic-looking silver airplane / spaceship. The object is supposed to symbolize both sexuality and futuristic approach to music and life.

LAYLA AND OTHER ASSORTED LOVE SONGS (DEREK & THE DOMINOS)
The liner notes say, “Cover painting by Frandsen-DeSchonberg with thanks to his son, Emile, for the abuse of his house.” The artist’s full name is Emile Théodore Frandsen de Schomberg. For more information, visit the artists’ official website at www.peintre-emile-frandsen.com. The site is in French and English.

THERE’S ONE IN EVERY CROWD (ERIC CLAPTON)
The interior of the gatefold sleeve contains a sketch by Eric Clapton. The back photograph of Eric was taken by Robert Ellis.

BEHIND THE SUN (ERIC CLAPTON)
Larry Vigon executed the paintings on the front and back covers. Vigon also did the cover art for the Counting Crows album, August and Everything After. A photograph of Eric taken by Pattie Clapton (his wife at the time) is in the interior.

CROSSROADS (ERIC CLAPTON)
Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones executed the front cover portrait of Eric Clapton based on an image in the archive of the legendary Star File Photo Agency in New York City.  Star File ceased business operations in late 2006.

24 NIGHTS (ERIC CLAPTON)
Sir Peter Blake did the cover art and sketches that appear on the interior of the booklet. Blake is most famous for executing the album cover for The Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Blake also worked with Clapton on the book, 24 Nights, from Genesis Publications which details Eric’s record record-breaking run at the Royal Albert Hall. The men worked together again in 2004 for Eric Clapton’s CD, Me And Mr. Johnson.

FROM THE CRADLE (ERIC CLAPTON)
Eric Clapton took the cover photo for his 1994 studio album of blues covers, From The Cradle. It depicts the light coming in under his front gate. He also hand-lettered the album title and the quote on the inside front cover.

PILGRIM (ERIC CLAPTON)
Eric Clapton conceived the packaging for Pilgrim, but Japanese manga and anime artist, Yushiyuki Sadamoto, executed his idea. Sadamoto is probably most famous for Neon Genesis Evangelion.

ME & MR JOHNSON (ERIC CLAPTON)
Sir Peter Blake painted the image of Eric Clapton and Robert Johnson that appears on the cover. Blake worked from a series of photographs taken of Eric rather than paint Eric from life.

Artwork for all of Eric Clapton's albums can be viewed in this site's DISCOGRAPHY.