This box set was designed for a series of 4 albums from the indie recording artist Aviators. A synthpop/alternative rock solo artist who; for the last 5-6 years, has been telling an ongoing story with his albums about the rise and fall of an empire under the reign of a cult known as The Bleeding Sun. The box itself is designed as the perfect keepsake with custom wrapping bearing the sigils. The front, showing the striking imagery of a red sun, bleeding its light down along the pyramid temple that was built in its tyrannical honor.
The Bleeding Sun is a trope used a lot in the media. This creation of warmth and life turning on those below it as it strikes its vengeance against the people is a striking symbol. Aviators brilliantly uses this concept to establish that of a mortal god corrupted by power.
The box art shows the power of the sun itself, bleeding onto the symbol for said power; an all looming pyramid. The god's castle; as it were, a show of its rule and corruption that will be present throughout the other works presented. It was also included in the sigils for the four main albums, showing the sun looming behind the pyramid in various establishments and forms. For a god's influence persists even when its rule is no longer established.
Close Up Gallery
Front Cover painted in Sketchbook Pro
Back Cover arranged in InDesign
Sigil Marks created within Adobe Illustrator
Texture for custom wrapping paper designed in Adobe Illustrator
The Albums within the box set
Each album’s artwork has been redesigned; taking inspiration from the original, stunning artwork done by ABluSkittle as seen below. The bonus disk Daybreaker; is a merging of all four cityscapes as the album has additional tracks from all the other albums plus thematic similar songs from Aviators' other works. The disks themselves are marked with the custom sigil that contains the main aspects of the cover art of the pyramid seen in various forms.
Taking inspiration from ABlueSkittle's amazing landscape work as shown above, I reimagined each album to better unify the themes presented in each album. All with the common theme of the sun and the pyramid, the two symbols of the Bleeding Sun cult.
Stargazers: A story about hope in the future; the building of better worlds as they were. Hope established in a place that seems uncertain of such goodness. The sight of the moon being the source for peace and serenity, unaware that a threat of the bleeding Sun looms behind it.
Dystopian Fiction: The threat of the bleeding sun established, the ruling class of the cult taking over. Erecting their all-looming pyramid; an imposing structure cutting through the sky as the sun itself is eclipsed and the stars fall. People do what they can to get by, trying to survive under an overpowering regime.
Godhunter: Tells the story of a rebellion fighting back against the god's that have claimed power over them. The act of hunting a god is no easy task, and so bloodshed and conflict run rampant through the songs of the album. So to; the work must show that struggle. With a ruined city behind a broken throne all bathed in the fire of a burning, overbearing sun.
The Cinematic Future: Is an album not of hope for a better tomorrow but the sad folly of people trying to rule themselves. Without someone pulling the strings, people are forced to find their own way. Establishments of new religions that serve only the self are formed, and while the looming pyramid is gone, a new order of corruption still bears its ugly façade.
Daybreaker: A mix of various bonus tracks and thematically similar songs from Aviators' other albums not directly involved in the Bleeding Sun timeline. However, they establish various other avenues of hope like rebellion, reform, and religion. All of it set in a city of conflict torn between the old ways and the future that is yet to be.
