Difficult To Cure

This Rainbow album cover design is one of a collection of archival inkjet prints that we released in 2014, celebrating previously unpublished album cover art from the Hipgnosis archives. Originally put forward as a cover for Black Sabbath's 1978 album, Never Say Die!, the surgeons are posed in a mock rock'n'roll manner, parodying a similar narcissism which we found faintly ludicrous. Po's friend George Galatzon took the lead role whilst the backup surgeons were played by Peter, Storm, John Blake, Hipgnosis assistant George and his mate. The supporting surgeons are set back slightly from the lead surgeon, an effect achieved by spraying a thin layer of white paint, like a mist, over the entire photo after laying a carefully cut, clear, sticky mask over the image of the lead character so that it would not receive the spray. Richard Manning added hand colouring to enhance the green outfits and the yellow of the gloves. Anyone purchasing 5 or more prints from the set will receive their prints in a beautiful archival portfolio, screenprinted exclusively with a Hipgnosis logo designed by Aubrey Powell.

ABOUT AUBREY POWELL

ABOUT STORM THORGERSON