There are some truly iconic pieces of album art out there, and the format is synonymous with graphic design. Indeed, there are several album covers that will likely remain instantly recognisable for years (and years) to come. But it isn't often that we're blown away by the art for a soundtrack album – particularly one belonging to a video game.
The soundtrack art for 2016 indie hit Firewatch has resurfaced on Reddit this week, and users are blown away by the ingenious design. At first glance, it looks like a simple image of audio waveforms. But look a little closer, and you'll realise you're actually looking at the game's signature woodland. Like the best print ads, it's guaranteed to make you double-take.
"The whole art and branding of this game is perfect," one Redditor comments, while another adds, "I absolutely love that cover. Turning a waveform into trees by a lake is such a clever idea that I never would've thought of."
The cover was designed by the game's art director, graphic artist Olly Moss. Known for his reimagining of film posters, including a series of officially licensed Star Wars designs (below), Moss has created art for various video games, including The Last of Us and Resistance 3.
Two of Olly Moss's reimagined Star Wars posters. (Image credit: Olly Moss)
Moss's Firewatch artwork wouldn't look out of place in our roundup of the best optical illusions, and it's always nice to see a great design getting a new lease of online love a few years after its release. (We don't think that'll be happening to Lana Del Rey's new album art any time soon.) If you fancy creating some album art of your own, check out today's best Adobe Creative Cloud deals below.
Daniel John is Senior News Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of art, design, branding and lifestyle tech (which often translates to tech made by Apple). He joined in 2020 after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more.
