nach
Album Concept Art Toy
Genesis
This piece is an example of the synchronicities that sometimes happen.
When I had my studio in Alicante, one day my neighbour, an event organizer, told me he wanted to talk to me because a well-known artist had shown interest in my work.
When he asked me if I knew Nach, not only did it turn out that he is one of my favourite artists ever (the first concert I ever went to was his), but also, months earlier on my own, I had been planning the creation of an Art Toy inspired by him, which was sitting among my pending personal projects.
Shortly after, we had a meeting. Nach wanted an Art Toy that could work as an image for his next album (Destino). We went to my studio so I could show him my work in detail and talk more deeply about the project. It was a meaningful meeting for me, as Nach’s lyrics have accompanied me throughout my life as inspiration and even as guidance.
Process
The main concept was a torn and stitched teddy bear that would represent him but also express how we keep going despite—and thanks to—the scars life leaves on us.
My first proposal leaned toward a 90’s urban style, which is what I personally like, but that approach didn’t fully fit.
After a second brainstorming session, we moved toward a more cute, more vulnerable, more nude style. My next proposal did hit the mark.
The modelling process was very enjoyable. In the overall aspect I knew I wanted a piece with presence, with thick volumes, and then go into detail with the seams, tears and patches. For the head I wanted to keep the teddy-bear concept while bringing it, as much as possible, closer to Nacho’s features.
Cover Concepts
I also proposed taking some photographs that could work as the cover of the new album. Once I was deep into the photo editing, I wanted to add complete proposals with album name and title. A typical reflex for a graphic designer.​
These are three curated versions I created for visual exploration.
Outcome
Although he liked the Art Toy, the album still had almost two more years of development before it was released, and the final artwork did not include my piece. Even so, on a personal level, this project remains very meaningful to me: it brought me closer to someone I admire, it allowed me to refine the craftsmanship behind a piece, and the character carries the subtle attitude I crafted carefully, both in its facial expression and body language.
