A rising star of the album cover game wants to branch off to other forms of media. Let’s see what this amazing artist has to say! Go team Liam!
First off, tell us about your artistic past, would you tell us about your early years?
I’ve been surrounded by the arts for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I was always fascinated by photography and music. I lived with my grandfather who was a studio drummer. He always brought me along to his shows, and I loved it. I started picking up an interest in photography too. We had this pretty basic DSLR lying around the house that I would always mess around with. Around age fourteen, I picked up my first guitar, along with some friends of mine getting their own instruments. We naturally started a band together. We had the name, we had the music, but we didn’t have a logo. A friend of mine had a copy of Photoshop CS3 and let me borrow it. I took it home, installed it, and that’s when I made my first logo.
I continued to play music and design for local bands up until I went to college for Audio Engineering. At this time, I wanted to be a producer. I had three roommates, though. One was a film major, and the others were art majors and a graphic design major. Seeing what these guys would make, it inspired me. So I learned from them what I could in the short time I was there. Since then, I’ve dedicated my time to becoming a better artist. Through any medium possible.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
It’s kind of a mix-up. I’m known for both dark and grungy, but also bright and vibrant. I like for the designs to have some sort of ‘mystique’ about them.
Which artists have the biggest influence on your aesthetic?
Luarel Austin, she’s a senior illustrator at Blizzard Entertainment. Her concept art is just incredible. It always has this gritty, yet vibrant feel to it.
Scott Cumming, he is a designer I would frequently see posted in the Creative Media group on Facebook. His designs always had me blown away, and really everyone from the Creative Media group. Every time I scroll through, there are so many talented designers there. It’s hard NOT to get inspired.
What’s your favorite medium?
My favorite would have to be music. Without music, I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in now. It’s given me so many opportunities for so many things.
What’s the last piece of art you’ve admired?
I stumbled upon a guy named Vini Hummel. I really admire the designs he’s making. They are incredible.
What’s your source for experiencing new art?
Twitter mostly. I was never much of an Instagram guy.
What led you to art, and what motivates you to keep making it?
It was this drive to create something. That’s always been the push for me. As long as I’m creating, I’m happy.
Tell us about the creative process. How does it all come together?
First, I like to talk with the client to get an idea of what they want. Typically by the end of that conversation, I already have the design in my head. I’ll typically do hours of research to find the best assets and elements to use. After that, it’s all about pulling out the graphics tablet and blending till I can’t see straight anymore.
How do you connect with your audience? What is the easiest way for them to connect with you?
Twitter is probably the best way to contact me. I use it more than anything. I’m also constantly updating my website to showcase all the work I’ve done.
You can find me and reach me at:
Instagram: @liamgregg_
Twitter: @liamgregg_
Facebook: @EthericMediaTX
Creative Market: creativemarket.com/Liam.Gregg
Website: ethericmedia.com
You have an extensive portfolio of album art. What got you into creating album art?
Really, it all started from doing my own band’s album art. People took notice and wanted to commission me for their band. It kinda took off from there.
Does the musical style influence your art?
Definitely, I like to listen to an artist to get a feel for them before starting the design. It helps me get into their headspace. I naturally have a pull toward darker/metal styles, but I try to keep my horizons broad.
What musical style gets your creative juices flowing? Do you have a preference?
Real proggy instrumental music. Bands like Polyphia or Covet are my go-to when working on projects.
Does hearing the music help inspire you in creating the album art?
Absolutely, especially if it’s just a cover for a single or something, the cover needs to match the tone of the song.
Tell us about a difficult client. You don’t have to name names. What made it a bad experience?
Quite recently, a band reached out to me to do their cover art. They gave me a very vague description of what they wanted. They wanted a creature, and they wanted it to be half-terminator, half-demon. Obviously, I couldn’t do terminator because of copyright issues. So I scoured stock photos looking for any kind of android I could use. I think I spent close to fourteen hours working on this, doing revision after revision for days. He then asked if I would just hand-draw an illustration of it since none of the composites were working. I had already agreed to do this cover super cheap, so I declined. He eventually decided to go with someone else. You can’t win them all.
Tell us about a good client. What made it a good experience? What made it go smoothly?
There have been quite a few recently, they give me their brief, and within an hour I’ll have the finished product. I consider myself to be blessed in the fact that I’ve had such good clients recently with very clear direction, allowing me to add my own style to it. And I love it when you can joke around with your client between submissions. A lot of people get too caught up in being 100% professional. If me and a client can have a little banter in between, then it’s a great project.
What’s your goal with your graphic art business?
My goal is to keep growing and make it more sustainable. Having to work one or two full-time jobs on top of running your own media business can be rough, and really straining on the mind. One day I’d like to wake up, go for a jog, come back, shower, have some coffee, and design for the rest of the day. If I can make that happen, that’s the dream.
What’s next for you?
I plan on venturing out into different mediums. Right now, I’m primarily doing cover art and logo designs. I’ve recently started doing more stream and lyric videos, along with dipping into UX/UI design for mobile apps and websites. I have some ideas for a Youtube channel I’m working on, so keep an eye out for that.
Anything else you’d like to add or let us know about?
Just that I’m really excited about where this will lead, I finally found my calling, and I plan on making the most out of it. Take risks, follow your dreams. It pays off in the end. I do also sell custom fonts, asset packs, and templates on my website, and Creative Market.
Review: As a repeat client of Liam Gregg, my opinion of him may be biased; however, his art is too amazing to not showcase on CTRLPlusSpace.com. We first encountered Liam when we commissioned him to do the album cover for Black It Out’s “Halloween.” We gave him little direction other than make it dark and not cheesy. Liam created a dark, gritty piece of art within the hour that was completely awesome. It was easily the best experience we’ve had with an artist at the time. Next, we asked him to create the album cover for the upcoming Black It Out single “Merry Christmas, Don’t Get Me Anything.” We told him what we wanted. He completed the art again in less than an hour, and it was perfect. It was immaculate the first time, and we didn’t have to ask for a single revision. That was the actual best experience we’ve had with an artist. He knew exactly what we were going for. As for the art he’s done for other artists, they all look interesting, unique, and I’m completely drawn to listen to the musicians due to his art. If you need album art, a logo, a website, or anything related to media, Liam Gregg is your guy! Get in touch with him now!
