Mika: Life in Cartoon Motion
Mika’s music is catchy, fun and colourful and its good to see his cover artwork is much of the same. I didn’t even know who Mika was but then after checking out his website I realized I’d heard that “Love Today” song many times but never knew the singers name. His music reminds me of Queen meets Scissor Sisters.
Here’s the back of the album.
The characters were designed and drawn by Mika and his sister, Yasmine, who goes under the pen name DaWack. They created little narratives and scenes and then took all this to the ever talented Airside, one of who’s directors is Fred Deakin of Lemon Jelly fame. These ideas were then developed and expanded with Richard Hogg, and later repainted by DaWack. Together they created the magical world that you see on the different releases and posters.
I actually saw Richard talk in Sydney and he was responsible for getting me into Lemon Jelly (and Airside) through their film clips.
Airside sent us me some sketches and cover design notes. It’s interesting to see how it progressed and if you can read the comments some are quite funny.
The single “Relax take it easy” has a die-cut cover that reveals the illustration beneath the title. It’s a nice and simple execution but the texture contrasts nicely with the colourful painting on the actual cover.
The inside cover depicts all the pressures of modern living.
While the back shows the daily life of Billy Brown.
For the collector there’s also the “Grace Kelly” remixes LP and other singles out there all keeping the consistent visual style of the main album.
Mika’s website also carries the artwork and is animated nicely too. This isn’t just a background image job like some musician’s websites.
You can view a full case study on the Mika artwork on the Airside site.
Chris Bowden:
When I first saw this album cover I kind of, sort of hated it, but when I found out it was by Airside I sort of kind of started seeing the merit in it, it’s funny how your perceptions can change when you find out who actually did it! In my defence I may have been put off by my girlfriends non-stop playing of the first single ‘Grace Kelly’. The subsequent singles and remixes packaging impressess me more than the mass market CD release - you’re certainly correct in saying the colourful cover matches the music (as annoying as repeated playings of that music may be. Good to see Airside working on something as mainstream as this as well. Any chance of uploading a bigger scan of the cover with the design notes? Maybe it’s my ‘aging eyes’ but I couldn’t read it.
# 18 Sep 07 at 10:32 am
Ash:
I’ll check if Airside can resupply the artwork nots scan. I received it as per my request at 500×500.
# 19 Sep 07 at 10:10 pm
Ryan:
Have you had any luck with getting any bigger images? I am currently basing my AS Level typography coursework on DaWack and MIKA in graphic design and would love to see a high rez version of the design sketches and cover design notes, would help me alot. Thanks.
# 09 Nov 07 at 5:43 am
Who Needs Friends… » I found My Pelikan:
[…] drawings look weird but I think it is the pen that I used for the track-listing on the back of the Mika album. The 100 is the classic pre-war Pelikan. They look like big old cigars. One […]
# 23 Nov 07 at 9:44 pm
Cicia:
T.V.T.T.T.T.T.T.T.T.T.T.B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bye Cicia
# 09 Apr 08 at 2:13 am
ioi:
mika rocks…
# 18 Apr 08 at 12:44 am
chocolate wishes:
Hi every1 my name is chocolate wishes
i am a gr8t fan of mika i’ve got his albums pic’s posters etc etc etc etc etc etc i av 2 dash gotta o my house work so toodles peeps!!!
# 06 Jun 08 at 2:22 am
christof verelst:
the videoclip of “relax, take it easy” is great and very similar with the album design. one of my fav’ videoclip.
# 27 Jul 08 at 7:04 pm
beth taylor:
i love mika he is the best singer ever i have everyting of his and i am only 12
i love you mika xxx
can i have a autograph thanks bye
xxxx
p.s
love ya all to
# 29 Jul 08 at 5:01 am
Christa:
YELLOW SUBMARINE…does that ring a bell to somebody?, Didn’t mean to hurt anybody’s feelings. But just look at the cogs…anyway, great work from A studio, aaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnddddddddd, I think that this work became original in the singles…now that’s da new thing.
# 30 Jul 08 at 4:05 am