Graphic design: 12" gatefold & 24-page booklet insert
Lend-Lease EP
The Brief
Mysteriously “lost” after being recorded in 1999, Lend-Lease is a four-song EP released by San Diego label Silver Girl Records in late 2024. The artwork needed to lend a vintage feel to a project that was lost for 25 years—and tie into the band’s past recordings both visually and thematically, creating a cohesive package that’s worthy of its mythology.
My Role
- Graphic design
- Book layout
- Collage art
Dates
2022–2024
The Approach
There was a push and pull between the literal idea of Lend-Lease and the band’s desire to use a more abstract approach to the art. Previous album covers had at times been collage-based, and at other times, more photographic. It was essential, given the band’s—and the EP’s—resurrection after being dormant for decades, that this piece have a feel of gravitas and packaging that felt like it contained something special and even a little bit precious.
I decided on an approach that utilized the more literal (using public domain photography from World War II) coupled with the abstract (a grainy effect obtained by blowing up the photos then using various filters and blending methods).
The booklet’s content explores the same push and pull that band members felt about the EP’s musical content itself—both literal and abstract at the same time. The booklet cover I designed lent an almost news-bulletin effect, echoing mid-century Life Magazine covers. This added to the retro feel while staying modern and aligned with the band’s previous work.
Finished Product
