The Art of Elton John’s Album Covers Part 1 and 2

 The Art of Elton John’s Album Covers: Stories, Behind the Scenes, and the Creators Behind the Image – Part 1

Elton John’s public image has always been shaped not only by his music and flamboyant outfits but also by the visual art that accompanies his records. The covers of his albums form a gallery of styles, techniques, and artistic visions that reflect the many phases of his career. Below, discover the stories behind these covers and the artists who created them—including their work before and after collaborating with Elton.

1. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)

Originally, portrait artist Brian Organ was commissioned to design the cover of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Organ was known for his traditional oil portraits and even developed early sketches with a more serious and classical approach. However, during the creative process, Elton’s team decided to take a more playful and symbolic route, better reflecting the album’s fantastical and theatrical tone. That’s when Ian Beck, a younger illustrator with a whimsical, surreal style, was brought on board.

Beck was given just ten days to complete the artwork. Inspired by The Wizard of Oz, he created an image of Elton stepping out of a poster and onto a yellow brick road. He used reference photos, including a model in platform shoes and childhood toys like a toy piano and teddy bear. At the time, Beck was a freelance illustrator, and the success of this cover helped launch his career as a children’s book author and illustrator, with works such as The Teddy Robber (1989) and Pastworld (2009).

2. Elton John (1970)

Elton John’s self-titled second album featured a cover designed by David Larkham, inspired by the pictorial style of Rembrandt, with photography by Roger Stowell. The idea was to portray Elton in a reflective and melancholic light, matching the introspective tone of the album. The image was intentionally printed with heavy grain, reminiscent of covers like Déjà Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The back cover was composed of two stitched photographs.

Larkham worked closely with Elton throughout the 1970s and also served as art director for album covers like Madman Across the Water and Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. His visual contributions were key in shaping Elton’s graphic identity during that era.

3. Tumbleweed Connection (1970)

The cover of Tumbleweed Connection was photographed at the Sheffield Park railway station in the English countryside, with art direction by Ian Digby Ovens. Though the album evokes the imagery of the American Old West, all the photos were shot in the UK. The goal was to blend American mythology with the British reality of the musicians, especially through Bernie Taupin’s lyrics.

Ian Digby Ovens later worked with various British artists and labels, including Island Records, and also designed covers for Cat Stevens. His style was notable for telling visual stories through real locations and moody atmospheres.

4. Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)

This cover is one of the most intricate and psychedelic in Elton’s discography. The artist responsible was Alan Aldridge, one of the biggest names in British graphic art during the 1960s and 70s. Aldridge had already designed posters and illustrated books for The Beatles, including The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics. His style was marked by airbrushed visuals, vivid colors, surreal characters, and cartoonish elements.

The album art is a visual representation of Elton and Bernie Taupin’s journey as artists, filled with characters, symbols, and autobiographical references. Aldridge also created covers for albums by The Who, Cream, and Harry Nilsson, as well as the iconic children’s book The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper’s Feast.

5. The One (1992)

The One marked a period of aesthetic and musical renewal for Elton John. For this, the cover was designed by Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace, with whom Elton had a personal and artistic connection. Versace created an ornate design with Renaissance and Baroque elements, using deep colors like navy blue and gold. The result was an elegant, luxurious, and symbolic cover, reflecting the sophistication of the album’s sound.

Versace had previously created stage costumes for Elton, as well as for artists like Madonna and Prince. His influence in visual arts was as strong as in fashion. This collaboration further cemented the link between pop music and high fashion.

6. The Big Picture (1997)

The cover of The Big Picture (1997) is a painted portrait by Julian Schnabel, the acclaimed artist and filmmaker known for his expressive, large-format works. The image presents Elton John in a contemplative and refined pose, matching the introspective tone of the album.

Mario Testino contributed to the album’s visual elements with photographs featured inside the booklet, including the page for Live Like Horses.

Paragraph reviewed by Andrea Grasso

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The Art of Elton John’s Album Covers: Stories, Behind-the-Scenes, and the Creators Behind the Image – Part 2

If the first part of this series revealed the behind-the-scenes of some of Elton John’s most iconic album covers, this second installment delves into other visually striking moments of the artist’s career. Each album image is a snapshot of its era, filled with symbolism, creative choices, and collaborations with some of the most notable names in graphic design, photography, and fashion.

Caribou (1974)
The "Caribou" cover was photographed by Richard Imrie in the surroundings of the Caribou Ranch studio, nestled in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The image features Elton wearing a blue jacket adorned with silver stars, set against a barren landscape with a dramatic sky. The stark and direct visual contrasts with the album’s lush production.

Richard Imrie was a freelance photographer focused on nature and portrait work, contributing to various U.S. lifestyle and culture magazines. Art direction was once again led by David Larkham, who aimed to maintain a visual style consistent with the album’s universe.

Visual trickery on the cover: The backdrop — that dramatically blue and mountainous sky — is actually a hand-painted fabric panel used by David Larkham, inspired by the style of Maxfield Parrish. Larkham kept that backdrop stored by a friend in the U.S.

Iconic glasses: Elton appears wearing his "Palm Tree" glasses, now considered relics on display at Hard Rock Cafes in Las Vegas and London, alongside his rhinestone-covered piano lid bearing the word "BITCH".

High altitude = unique sound: Recorded at 2,600 meters above sea level, the studio required oxygen masks and produced richer bass when played at sea level — something other artists like Tom Dowd and Rod Stewart also capitalized on.

John Lennon's visit: Lennon joined Elton during sessions in 1974. It's said that right after a vocal take, he rushed to the oxygen tank — and Elton pulled him back in to sing backing vocals on “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”

Studio vs. final product: Caribou Ranch was built by Jim Guercio inside a barn and hosted legends like the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Barbra Streisand. Technicians even created magnetic microphone stands to allow for quick adjustments without dismantling the setup.

Rock of the Westies (1975)
Continuing Elton's Rocky Mountains aesthetic, this cover was captured by Norman Seeff in an informal photo shoot. It shows Elton and his new band in a relaxed, almost family-like setting. This was deliberate — a way to introduce the new band and highlight the album’s rockier sound.

Norman Seeff was known for spontaneous sessions with artists like Joni Mitchell, Ray Charles, and the Rolling Stones. He sought natural, unforced moments. His work helped humanize Elton’s image during a time of sonic reinvention.

Blue Moves (1976)
The double cover of "Blue Moves" stands out as a true artistic piece. It features “The Guardian Readers” by British painter Patrick Procktor, a pop art figure connected to London’s bohemian scene. The image evokes melancholy, introspection, and a near-cinematic atmosphere — perfectly aligned with the album’s emotional weight.

Procktor, a friend of David Hockney and Francis Bacon, blended watercolor, graphic elements, and fragmented narratives. The use of his work marked one of the most artistic moments in Elton’s discography.

Peachtree Road (2004)
This album’s simple yet powerful cover shows a railroad track cutting through a rural Southern U.S. landscape. The photograph was taken by British multimedia artist Sam Taylor-Wood (now Sam Taylor-Johnson), known for emotionally charged, cinematic visuals.

The image evokes the American South — a recurring theme in Bernie Taupin’s lyrics — and matches the album’s organic, introspective sound. Taylor-Wood would later direct Nowhere Boy, a film about John Lennon’s early years.

The Diving Board (2013)
With visual direction by photographer Tim Barber and graphic concept by Mat Maitland, the cover shows a stylized Elton atop a diving board in an abstract, mysterious space. It symbolizes rebirth, risk, and the leap into the unknown — all themes of the album.

Barber is known for poetic, urban aesthetics, while Maitland became known for bold digital collages. Their collaboration produced a cover that references both surrealism and minimalism, matching the album’s introspective and mature tone.

Jump Up! (1982)
Shot by Brian Griffin, the cover shows Elton in a formal pose, wearing a dark blue suit, white shirt, and plain tie, complemented by a hat. The dramatic lighting, clean background, and serious expression create a sober, elegant, and subtly theatrical image — a focused aesthetic with a powerful presence, typical of Griffin’s expressionist style.

The cover isn’t minimal in the traditional sense (empty spaces, absence of elements), but it embraces a clean, graphic approach that stands out compared to Elton’s more fantastical or detailed covers.

The pose is serious and static, with contrasting lighting.
The album title appears in simple typography, and the framing is free of excessive graphical elements.

Griffin, inspired by German expressionism, was known for using strong shadows, dramatic angles, and rigid poses.
Intense, artificial lighting adds theatrical and melancholic flair.
The flat, uniform background focuses attention solely on Elton, with no visual distractions.

Brian Griffin trivia:
He also photographed covers for Depeche Mode, R.E.M., and Siouxsie and the Banshees, always maintaining that symbolic, dramatic style.
In interviews, Griffin said he tried to portray an artist’s soul using light and visual silence.

Made in England (1995)
The "Made in England" cover presents a frontal portrait of Elton John, captured with sobriety and elegance. Wearing round glasses and a dark turtleneck sweater, he appears slightly smiling against a neutral gray backdrop — a clean image with no distractions.

This restrained, mature visual reflects the album’s lyrical and musical introspection, which explores personal themes, memory, and belonging.

The photo was taken by renowned American photographer Greg Gorman, known for celebrity portraits emphasizing light, shadow, and dramatic simplicity. Gorman’s style involves soft lighting and careful direction to achieve natural expression — which can be seen in the serene, confident way Elton is portrayed.

Art direction was handled by the Wherefore Art team, led by David Costa, who had worked on previous Elton albums. The graphic design mirrors the photo’s minimalist spirit: artist name and album title appear in white at the top and bottom, using clean typography with no ornamentation. This reinforces Elton’s artistic maturity at age 48, balancing tradition and reinvention.

Though no specific interviews about the session are available, the involvement of Gorman and Costa suggests a process focused on direct portraiture and precise visual communication, emphasizing Elton’s identity. The absence of overt British symbolism is, ironically, one of the cover’s strengths — it conveys Elton’s “Englishness” not through clichés but through posture, elegance, and restraint, all traits of refined British aesthetics.

Songs from the West Coast (2001)
This cover shows Elton walking down a desert road in American cinematic style, aligning with the album’s more organic sound. Sam Taylor-Wood captured the image using natural light, evoking road movies and introspection.
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Wonderful Crazy Night (2016)
The cover features a vibrant, colorful portrait of a smiling, moving Elton, captured by photographer Juergen Teller. With saturated colors and a spontaneous pose, the image celebrates the album’s upbeat energy and optimism.

The visual art is straightforward yet striking, reflecting the album’s lively tone.

Verified reference links (as of June 2025):
https://www.mariotestino.com/
https://briangriffin.co.uk/elton-john-jump-up/

Text: Robson Vianna