For the 20th anniversary release of Nirvana's Nevermind, I was tasked with replacing the original dollar bill on the iconic Kirk Weddle photo with a 1991-era $20 bill. The original album artwork was pre-digital and unavailable, so we had a large, high quality scan made from a good proof. A 1990's circulation $20 dollar bill was provided by a coin collector. I used a lump of Play-Doh from my son's toy box and pressed the vintage 20 into it to get the rough shape and folds of the original bill and photographed it on my kitchen table. It was then brought into Photoshop and manipulated further to replicate the shape, color and shading of the original artwork. This version of the artwork was available on the Super Deluxe Edition re-issue in both Vinyl and Compact Disc formats.

 

Creative Direction- Vartan.  Art Direction- Andy Engel.

Original Cover Photo: Kirk Weddle

$20 Bill Photos and Digital Manipulation- Eric Heintz.

© 2011 Universal Music Group.

Replaced the $1 bill from the original 1991 release to a 1990-era $20, to mark the 20th Anniversary of the Album.

Photographing the replacement bill, using play-doh to press the bill into to mimic original $1 shape:

The original 1991 release of Nevermind, at left, and the 20th Anniversary release at right.