Pink Floyd’s Division Bell

One of three sets of the metal heads made for Pink Floyd’s Division Bell, the above ones were made for the album cover, a similar sized (15 metres high) copy was made for the World Tour as they needed more internal reinforcement and another pair were made as a tour and album advertisement for the A4.

How were they made?

The original artwork arrived in Bethnal Green via the Model Solutions fax machine, a tiny line sketch (that still exists) derived from an Elizabeth Frink sculpture which was illustrated by Keith Breeden as a left and right profile to form a secondary front facing portrait. Robert Courtney then produced a 12″ high 3D maquette of one side from polystyrene foam which was filled sanded and painted to the look of the finished concept (There is a polaroid photo of this). Once Storm was satisfied with the overall form this was sliced through laterally to form templates which were then enlarged to the size of the finished sculpture. These templates were projected onto 8′ x 4′ blocks of polystyrene foam which were then formed into shape with a hot-wire cutter.  Once the sections were glued together they were sculpted into the finished shape, covered with aluminum foil and car body filler and sanded to a smooth finish. Painted metallic silver with graphite rubbed into the surface and polished and a wooden framework attached to the back they were loaded onto a lorry and taken to the location where the final finishing details of rivets (buttons) and the target eyes were added. There is detailed photographic documentation of the whole process of their creation including the other two versions from start to finish.

Pink Floyd Album Cover Armchair

No Photoshop trickery here, this is actual size with real people sitting on it and in the foreground. Made in sections and assembled around a scaffolding frame this was hand painted with illustrations from previous album covers. Made for a US Box Set which to my knowledge never appeared.

How was it made?

Storm came to Model Solutions armed with this as only a verbal concept, an archetypal  armchair, 15 metres high able to carry people illustrated with previous Pink Floyd Covers. Robert Courtney went out and researched  all the London prop-houses and armed with hundreds of photographs set about creating the ultimate comfy armchair with Storm. Again a small maquette was made by Robert which was illustrated by another artist friend of Storm’s (there is also a polaroid of this one). Being too big to make in Model Solutions current space, a disused industrial unit with courtyard was rented, and the finished piece was created in sections from plywood reinforced 8′ x 4′ polystyrene blocks to be pieced together on site. The resultant kit was so big it required two articulated container lorries to transport it and the team watched in trepidation as they attempted to make their way through the narrow twisting country roads.

This was created using the same method as the Division Bell heads but Storm had wanted this covered with fabric that was then illustrated, the idea being to then auction off 12″ square sections of the illustration after the shoot as the chair was too big to store anywhere. This was vetoed on terms of cost, timing and practicality, in fact there wasn’t even a budget to dismantle it so we just left it there, though it was eventually taken down and ended up in a local barn as it was threatening to blow away.

Again, there is detailed photographic documentation of the whole process of its creation.

PHISH ‘Slip, Stitch and Pass’

Built on a metal frame wound with purple dyed rope and as with all of these shot in location.

Anthrax Ball

This was built on a quarter section steel frame that pivoted around a central axle, each quarter section was redressed on the ground with new scrap then pivoted in to position for the shoot, again on location.

Other Covers

Other covers Model Solutions were involved with at the time included a Pink Floyd 12″ Single shot in a Battersea Swimming Pool Studio, the 3D remake of the Relics album cover, the light for the Pulse CD and the body painting artwork.

Ones that got away…….

The cover of Kashmir, the orchestral Led Zeppelin album was originally meant to be a photograph rather than an illustration and Robert Courtney had an idea how to do it using a technique from a Tia Maria commercial that he had worked on but unfortunately the budget for it was not sufficient.