WCR: KGLW Bootlegs
Album Art
Illustration
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Bootlegs
In 2024, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard made an unconventional move: they released the music and artwork from their 40+ stop North American tour to the public, encouraging indie bootleggers to freely distribute and repackage the material. For a small startup label like Westchester Records, it was a unique opportunity to gain exposure by tapping into a massive, devoted fanbase.
Westchester jumped in, but one major challenge quickly surfaced: the original artwork was publicly available to anyone. That meant standing out from the crowd was essential.
I approached the design problem with respect and creativity. Rather than replace the provided artwork, I chose to highlight and build upon it. By limiting my color palette and recreating textures found in the original pieces, I was able to extend the existing visual language in a way that felt cohesive, almost like an official release.
To strengthen Westchester’s identity within the bootleg community, I introduced a “Made in Oklahoma” sticker, prominently featured on the packaging. I also designed custom cassette shells, placing the Westchester name and logo clearly across the top, subtle details that made the releases feel thoughtfully produced and uniquely ours.