Metal Zone was a Swedish Heavy Metal magazine written in Swedish around the mid 1990’s. Here’s a translated article for you of the incredible artist Kristian Wåhlin who have made album covers for Dissection, Emperor, King Diamond, At the Gates and many more.
Kristian “Bullen” Wåhlin from Gothenburg does something that many people only dream of. He paints album covers.
Despite being no older than 22 years old, he has already drawn over 25 covers and countless T-shirt motifs. He has also released an album with his band Liers in Wait.
The entire Wåhlin family house seems to be full of paintings, since both Kristian and his mother paint.
Seeing a picture that you have only seen as a CD cover in its original format, 80 by 80 centimeters, is almost a shock. There are so many details, colors and nuances that you can barely see on the album.
Although Kristian still refuses to sell his paintings, he does not have all of them left at home. Siblings and relatives usually show up and “snatch” paintings from time to time, when they feel that they have an empty space on the walls at home. Completely understandable, because the paintings are truly incredibly well-made and beautiful.
— I've been painting for as long as I can remember. When I was little, I painted from old Renaissance paintings from art books, brushes and stuff. It was fascinating. I also thought fantasy art was cool, especially when I was younger, says Kristian.
RED WINE DORKS
Of course, he got a fifth in art, and "painted his way into" the two-year art course at high school. Then he spent a year at FKU (preparatory art education) and a year on another painting course.
— But I didn't like it there. There were too many red wine boys who thought they were something, even though they weren't particularly good. I'd like to be able to paint perfectly ordinary before I paint abstractly. I respect a skilled abstract painter more, like the Spanish painter Salvador Dali (1904-89). When you see that he can paint, you understand that he must want something, says Kristian.
Kristian doesn't just paint album covers and T-shirt motifs, but also does various posters and regular advertising assignments, as well as motif paint for trucks and motorcycles. His friends often nag him about getting things painted, and even if Kristian wants to, he has to prioritize.
— The album covers are the most fun to do, because I play myself. I usually get to do what I want. I work best under stress, and I know that many others get hurt if I'm late. I also like music, play and listen, and understand how bands think. I try to illustrate the music.
DICKS AND MARIJUANA LEAVES
This thing about being able to paint how you want, yes.
The little penis that Kristian put on a Therion cover without the band's knowledge is notorious, and now he's apparently put a leaf from a cannabis plant on the back of the band Lake Of Tears as well.
— Huh? Well, they were the ones who told me to draw it. I said I would paint leaves, and then they said “throw in a May leaf too”. The thing on “Ho Drakon Ho Megas” is not visible, I wouldn’t make it obvious. It was fun, bizarre. If someone tells me to put something there, I do it, I have no qualms. But I would never put something like a May leaf on someone else’s cover! Don’t they dare admit that it was their idea? Kristian snorts.
Getting him to list some of his favorite artists or which of his own covers he is most satisfied with turns out to be downright impossible.
— I am never completely satisfied with my pictures. If I were, I would probably stop, but now I am encouraged to continue instead, to fix the mistakes. Sometimes I get really excited to fix the originals when I get them back…
DIVING INTO THE PAINTING
Kristian charges just over 7,000 kronor ($700) per cover, including overheads, and that is a cheap price.
The canvas, paints and brushes are expensive, not to mention the photography, which costs 200 kronor ($20) per image. Kristian does not send the original paintings to the record companies, as he did in the beginning, but small photo negatives. When he paints, the format is 80 by 80 centimeters.
— I could have painted half as big, but it becomes more of a painting, more massive like this. You “dive into” the painting. It doesn’t have as much importance as you might think for the details, but it’s more fun.
Kristian paints covers for the most diverse hard rock bands, everything from the “buttery” Keen Hue to Therion. He thinks he would probably get a little tired if he only had to paint monster covers, but now he gets to use many of his ideas.
— The record companies or bands usually get in touch. They ask if I can do the cover, and say when they want it. Sometimes they say “do whatever you want” and sometimes “do this or that”. Sometimes they have special requests, but if I feel like it's not working, something spontaneous happens instead.
Kristian's paintings are often structured in a similar way, something that happens subconsciously. But when Kristian feels like he's stuck in a rut, he usually gets anxious and quickly adds something to the picture. What he finds most difficult is negotiating prices.
— I should really do more for myself, market myself, but I don't want to be a slob. It's lucky that I live at home... It might take three weeks to paint a cover, but it's hard to say, because I'm working on many at the same time. I work at least eight hours a day, and with that in mind, I charge very low prices.
CREATIVE ENERGY
Kristian certainly agrees that he has a dream job, but it's definitely not something he got for free. He's painted on the bench his whole life, and painting is the only thing he's ever wanted to do.
— Some people think it seems cool, and that they also want to make covers. But it's not just about doing. Painting is the only work I can do. I can live out my creative energy without getting tired. I really get into it, all the pictures are like different worlds. I can get completely snowed in, and bury myself in work, forget to contact friends...
Kristian hasn't had an exhibition yet, but wouldn't mind having one in a few years. He would like to have one with just album covers, but he still has a hard time selling his pictures.
— I have so many memories of them that I can't sell them. The bands often want to buy the originals, and I understand that. But soon I'll probably be able to sell some. When it becomes easier to paint, it becomes easier to sell.
COLLECTING IMPRESSIONS
Now Kristian paints about twice as fast as a year ago. He is no longer as limited by the technical aspects, and has learned a lot.
— I have benefited from school, but mostly the basic knowledge. Back then you often didn't understand what the teachers meant, but now you understand, when you have learned from your own mistakes.
One thing the teachers talked about was collecting impressions, and Kristian does that. He takes a lot of photographs, angles, perspectives or cheeky trees, and buys old magazines from second-hand shops to find inspiration.
Kristian also paints for personal use, without having to think about how someone else wants it, without having to sell it. A painting contains a lot of symbolism, emotions and moods, things that cannot be expressed in words.
— People who talk about money when they are gambling should do something else instead. I am allergic to that kind of talk. A band is not a company, says Kristian, who plays with Liers in Wait, a band that is recording its first full-length album this summer.
The fact that he himself played in a band was one of the reasons he started painting covers.
— The first thing I did was a thing for Tiamat. They asked me. The reason was that I played, and people knew that I painted too. Then Therion asked, and from there it has been rolling. People have seen what I have done, and apparently liked it. I have never applied for a job myself. It is not bragging and talking, but only the result, that sells covers.
COVER SHOCK
Kristian does not have any direct advice for those who want to paint covers themselves.
— It makes it easier to know music people, and an interest in music is a prerequisite, says Kristian and continues:
— Commitment. It would be strange if someone painted covers without being involved. It is not just a “rush” to become a cover painter. If you know a band, you can ask them if they want something, and if you do good stuff, people usually notice. You have to show that you exist. Demo covers and logos are a good place to start.
Painting covers is not all sunshine, and Kristian often gets a slight shock when he sees the CDs. The colors are usually different, and sometimes the labels can even manage to reverse the images. It can also happen that they only use a small part of the image.
— It's a bit sensitive if they change the image, but you have to accept that. If there are too many changes, it can feel restrictive, hmm. They do it to make it look good, I know, and sometimes it can be fun. On both Tiamat covers, they've done things that I hadn't thought of.
In the beginning, Kristian was careful about which bands he painted for, but now he tries to see the positive and make the best of the bands instead.
— I might refuse to paint if it was a group that stood for completely different opinions than me, if they had completely skewed values. In the beginning it was more sensitive, but now it's more of a habit, it's the paintings that count, says Kristian, who tries to create his covers in the same present and spirit as the music.
PLUCKS A LOT
He describes himself as very patient and stubborn as a painter, and he "plucks" a lot. He usually paints in oil and acrylic alternately, and also uses an airbrush. He would also like to learn how to tattoo.
— It's cheeky, fascinating. It's always there. There's a lot of symbolism in it too, for the person who has the tattoo.
What Metal Zone readers have probably seen of Kristian Wåhlin's art is probably only his cover paintings and T-shirts. However, after a look at his collections, it can be said that this likeable guy is at least as good at drawing still lifes, seas, horses or whatever.
Dan Seagrave, fuck off!
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| Front cover of #4, 1995. |