Album Cover Design – Plastic Fantastic

Album Cover Design – Plastic Fantastic

Background

Plastic Fantastic was a British band active in the mid-’90s, blending post-punk, art-rock, glam-rock, and what the music press at the time dubbed “romo.” Signed to Mercury Records in 1995, they released a single in early 1996 before spending the year touring and demoing an album that never saw the light of day—until now.

The Design Brief

This triple album cover design marks the band’s 30th anniversary and the long-overdue release of their material on streaming services. The packaging includes three inner sleeves, reflecting the scale of the project.

The Album Cover Design

A couple of years ago, a photographer I hadn’t seen since the ’90s got in touch. He had documented much of the London scene at the time, including Plastic Fantastic, and generously shared a set of black-and-white negatives. One image stood out immediately—it had the perfect energy for the cover.

Plastic Fantastic, Live in London, c. 1996 – Photograph ©MD Art Hub

To bring it to life, I experimented with coloured inks and bleach, layering the results over the original photograph. The final effect captures the band’s post-punk, art-glam aesthetic, balancing rawness with a touch of theatricality.

For the finishing touch, I collaborated with singer Stewart to settle on the typography. He always had a sharp eye for design and was a driving force behind the band’s image, so it made sense to get him involved. For any font enthusiasts out there, we went with Playfair Display Bold Italic.

Plastic Fantastic’s YouTube Channel