Dezeen Magazine

Storm Thorgerson Pink Floyd artwork

Storm Thorgerson 1944-2013

News: Storm Thorgerson, the British graphic designer who created the iconic album sleeve for Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, has died aged 69.

Thorgerson studied at the Royal College of Art in London and founded his studio Hipgnosis in 1967 with fellow designer Aubrey Powell. Together they created dozens of album sleeves for bands including T. Rex, Led Zeppelin, Yes and Peter Gabriel.

Storm Thorgerson Pink Floyd artwork

Above: Animals by Pink Floyd
Top: The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd 

They were also responsible for a string of covers for Pink Floyd, including Dark Side of the Moon, Atom Heart Mother and Animals, which featured an inflatable pink pig tethered to one of the chimneys of Battersea Power Station in London.

Famously, the photo shoot descended into chaos when the pig broke free of its moorings and rose into the flight path of Heathrow Airport, before eventually coming to ground in Kent.

Storm Thorgerson T Rex artwork

Above: Electric Warrior by T. Rex

In the 1980s Thorgerson began directing music videos and eventually commercials and television documentaries. More recently he produced artwork for rock bands including Muse and Biffy Clyro.

Storm Thorgerson Led Zeppelin artwork

Above: Houses of the Holy by Led Zeppelin

Earlier this year we featured Peter Saville's hazard sign-referencing sleeve for Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and graphic design studio Barnbrook's defaced artwork for the latest David Bowie album – see more music-related design on Dezeen or see all graphic design.