Flying Colours
He’s best known for his conceptual designs on blockbuster movies including Star Wars, Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and Harry Potter, but prog fans will recognise Iain McCaig’s fantastical illustrations from The Broadsword And The Beast. The US artist, writer and filmmaker shares the secrets behind the album art… and reveals the truth about the terrifying Beastie that once lived in his attic.
Words: Johnny Sharp Illustrations: Iain McCaig
When illustrator and designer Iain McCaig takes a glance down his CV, he finds no shortage of projects to be proud of. As a conceptual designer of the Star Wars franchise, and a contributor to the Harry Potter movies, Marvel’s Avengers trilogy and many others, he’s got plenty of reasons to brag. But one job that remains closer to his heart than any of those big-name gigs is his role in creating the cover art for Jethro Tull’s The Broadsword And The Beast.