Ladyhawke is a pop rock singer-songwriter from New Zealand. She has released two studio albums as well as a special edition version of her first album. All three albums feature cover
artwork by Sydney-based illustrator and painter Sarah Larnach.
Representational
Many albums portray their main
singer on the cover but Ladyhawke’s albums take it a step further. The
illustrated watercolor artworks represent not just the singer but also the
influences and feel of the songs on the album. The bright neon colors and retro
gaming systems on the covers represent the 80’s, electronic influence of her
songs. Her image represents her style and becomes a symbol seen on all her
album and singles covers and gives way to abstractions of her image. All three
work together to give a face and identity behind the beautiful melodies and
hypnotizing voice heard in Ladyhawke’s songs.
Abstract
The use of
watercolor in the illustrations gives Ladyhawk’s image a dreamlike feel. Her
signature messy blonde hair becomes a sea of yellow, brown, and red lines. The
neon colors of the watercolor paint highlight her face, hair, and clothes. The
backgrounds are all white, as she becomes an oasis of color in an otherwise
blank, empty world. Her most recent album “Anxiety” features her with mini
versions of her tangled in her hair. These abstractions further represent her
image and sound and only enhance the singer’s symbolic status.
Symbolic
Ladyhawke’s
image becomes a recognizable symbol on each album. Her familiar baggy clothes,
hypnotizing blue eyes, and tangled mess of long blonde hair become a familiar sight
to the viewer. All the tiny women in the last image are easily recognizable as
Ladyhawke due to her symbolic look, despite being tangled in her messy hair. Her
symbolic status makes way for abstractions that further help to represent
Ladyhawke’s signature sound and style.
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