Typically I'll draft a few versions before deciding on a final cover image. For The Outer Rings there were two competing ideas, each with a series of drawings. In the end I produced three finished versions and had to choose between them. Occasionally I'll switch which version accompanies the album on the Bandcamp page.
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| The Outer Rings version 1 |
Version 1 is the closest to the original drawing I made of the god Ra entering the mouth. Originally Ra was touching one of her teeth and was less anatomically human. I was initially happy with this cover, but eventually the cut-out clash of the scanned paper drawing and the digital stars drove me to try again.
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| The Outer Rings version 2 |
Version 2 is a collage of a series of ink drawings. The central figure, the hoper, has a quality or expression that relates to all things Smalt Mine, and I like using him/her as an icon. The ghosts in the background vomiting word bubbles presage what are probably the most iconic Smalt Mine characters: the ghosts on the cover of Intent. I like a lot of the images in this version - the hoper, the earringed lady, the drinker, mother-and-child, octosmiley - but overall it's a little too much, the splash page compulsion to show a few too many characters at once.
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| The Outer Rings version 3 |
Version 3 is another attempt at the god Ra idea, but going into it I knew I was going to cut out the characters in an editor and place them on the starry background. This version has been the cover for most of the album's existence.
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