This poster started as a visual burst - the idea of Locust + Feather exploding out of someone’s head like an Aha! moment, or the chaotic rhythm of a toy my kids couldn’t stop playing at the time: the Bop It. That mix of sound, surprise, and sensory overload felt perfect for the energy of the band.
Original Concept Sketch
Additional pencil sketches and beginning of clean pencil line work.
Once the pencil work is complete. I like to refine and add additional details with my ink work.
The spark for the bug on top of the head came from a cicada I found outside the house a year prior. It immediately brought back memories of St. Louis being swallowed by the 2024 cicada brood - the buzzing, vibrating presence you couldn't ignore. From there, the whole piece became a mash-up of St. Louis elements: the cicada, the Cardinal, the Arch, and the feeling of a full-on locust swarm attacking the senses.
The figure in the poster has bits and pieces of my own features, but it was never meant to be a self-portrait - more like a vessel. Originally I planned for the exposed parts of the head to show the album title, but after a few rounds of sketches, I realized it worked better as part of the sunglasses instead.
I prefer to do my color work with alcohol markers. I find the color phase to be very satisfying.
Always Nice To See The Finished Poster at Full Size In My Poster Frame
