Morgan Willis is a Synthwave composer, producer and DJ based in France. I've been working with him since 2017 to make cover album for him. Each of this artwork had a different direction and idea, but mostly stay on the same headlines, 80s Retro.
I introduced to Morgan 3 years ago by a UK Synthwave duo, Paradise Walk. It was a collaboration ep between those two, since then I've been collaborate to deliver his amazing tracks with my specialties in illustrations.
This is the logo that Morgan commissioned me, it was 2017. The main idea of the logo is to make it looks modern and retro. I want to make it looks stand out than other synthwave musician logo. I personally like the colors of the MORGAN.
The three in the below are the first pitch I send to Morgan. After few hours brainstorming, we decided to combine the elements of this three, and I like how it turns out.
TURBO FLASH (2017)
This is the first work from Morgan to me. The brief is pretty simple, he gave me the reference of Sam Todhunter's drawing and I draw him in same vibe. I tweak the colors so it not looks same. I love how this turns out.
SOPHIE TEENAGE DREAM (2017)
This is one of my favorite work. I love the idea about a girl just standing smiling back to the locker, so 80s. I'm taking the reference for what she wear from Power Rangers comic actually (I forgot which one), also varsity jacket and jeans is a good combination. I put the colors of the locker pink to give some "Sweetness" because this album is so 80s pop. Skateboard and Keytar is symbol of youth.
I never told this to anyone, this is the first time I telling this. I actually write some references on the locker sticker. This including the name of my crush at the time and one of my favorite anime, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
This is the final product of limited vinyl.
Left: Front | Right: Back
Left: Side A | Right: Side B
SUPERNOVA (2018)
This is a concept album. The idea and is about a story of a Knight from far away galaxy searching for his love that imprisoned by evil empire. For the pilot I'm taking reference from Macross combined by the pilot guy from Daft Punk's Interstella 5555. The ide for the girl dress is kind of difficult because I want to looks like graceful but sci-fi, I remember that I just watched playthrough of Super Robot Wars (forgot which one). Yuki Mori from Space Battleship Yamato wearing some kind of dress, so I search it for reference.
The physical release of this album is vinyl. Timeslave Recording emailed me to make a mock up design for the sleeves and the vinyl stickers.
Left: Front | Right: Back
Left: Side A | Right: Side B
THE JENKINS HOUSE (2019)
Been two years working with Morgan, and I feel like my illustration skill going better. The Jenkins House brief was also simple, Morgan wants to make some kind of poster like of 80s horror movies. I rarely use painting styles, but for this work, I wanna push myself far on this illustrations. I added grid on the bottom of the illustrations, because I don't want it feels like just kind of horror movie poster, I want it feels like a cover album for music, and shiny grid is best choice for synthwave.
DREAMER (2020)
Dreamer was explained as the sequel of Sophie Teenage Dream. I love the concept and the story that Morgan told me. The brief is explained as like the scene of after last day of school, just after Sophie taken the picture from Sophie Teenage Dream. The scene was about Sophie kissing his boyfriend who just confessed to her. The DeLorean for just adding the scene.
Outland Records also commissioned me to make a mock up for Double Sleeve Vinyl, CD and Cassette.
Left: Front | Right: Back
Left: Vinyl, separate in 4 | Right: Inside of the Double Vinyl Sleeve, contains the lyrics
Left: Front and Back | Right: Inside, the CD version doesn't contain lyrics
Cassette version, the side A and B of the cassette
SUPERNOVA : In Search of Adhara (2020)
This is the current work that I just finished, and Morgan just released it on his Bandcamp. Yes, it's a sequel to Supernova. Morgan wants to make it looks like 80s anime poster, the helmet was a homage of his favorite anime (mine too!), UFO Robot Grendizer or Goldorak in France. It's from Daisuke Umon helmet. For the ship, Morgan gave me a creative freedom, its a bit hard since I never draw a spaceship before but I pretty satisfied with the result.
FIRST KISS (ENA MAN MEDIA EXCLUSIVE 2017)
This is an EP exclusively released at Ena Man Media on their Soundcloud. The story behind this artwork is the boy who is a delinquent fight some other delinquent who kidnaped his girl, and this is their first kiss after the boy through the battle.
We're almost at the end of this post. It's not complete if I not sharing the process of every artworks I made, please enjoy it. Thanks again!!
