Project Overview
Use Your Illusion III is a personal passion project — a conceptual tribute and visual reimagining of what a third installment in Guns N’ Roses’ iconic 1991 double album release might have looked like.
Inspired by the original artwork from Use Your Illusion I & II, I recreated and expanded upon the design system using fully rebuilt vector artwork, updated color theory, and new layout explorations — all built in HD resolution for modern digital and print use.
This project commemorates the 30th anniversary of the original albums and reflects the deep creative influence that Guns N’ Roses, their music, and their era-defining visuals had on my early development as an artist.
The original (double-album) debuted September 17, 1991
The Process
Visual Reconstruction & Vector Fidelity
• Reverse-engineered the original album layout to replicate the Kostabi-style illustration using clean, scalable vector forms
• Maintained the Renaissance-meets-rock energy while applying a modern polish and expanded contrast range
• Explored multiple compositions for front cover, inner sleeve, and packaging concept
Album Cover Art: custom high-quality rendering & layered text with corresponding official font
Inner-booklet Art
Album Back Cover Art (100% Fully-vectored, tracklist, custom logos and affiliate footer)
Packaging & Layout Concepting
• Designed a full mock LP/CD layout, complete with inner artwork suggestions and presentation structure
• Applied color strategies that split the tone from Illusion I (red/yellow) and II (blue/purple) — creating a new chromatic identity while respecting the original scheme
Deluxe artwork rendering
Inner-artwork booklet (left page)
Inner-artwork booklet (right page)
Custom layered (vector) artwork, including custom re-designed (vintage) record label logos, custom tracklist, copyright and liner notes, 100% match to the 1991 original album release.
Final render
Variant render
Alternate artwork render (V.2)
Alternate artwork render (V.1)
Custom editorial (album cover and CD)
Custom editorial (CD only)
Vinyl Artwork (generated product mockup)
Vinyl Artwork (Editorial)
Personal Tribute Framing
Original artwork, framed poster rendering
Re-sized (custom) artwork and backdrop for merchandise placement.
Custom artwork, framed poster render
Apparel Design
To bring the concept into the physical world, I designed editorial-style mockups for a custom t-shirt and hoodie featuring the Use Your Illusion III artwork. These pieces extended the visual identity into wearable merchandise, combining music nostalgia with bold, modern streetwear presentation.
product apparel (t-shirt)
product apparel (hoodie)
Results & Impact
✅ Delivered a fully vectorized tribute edition honoring the legacy of Use Your Illusion I & II
✅ Designed a packaging concept that could exist as a 30th anniversary collector’s edition
✅ Created a deeply personal, professional-grade passion project that connects design, music, and memory
✅ Reaffirmed my ability to translate nostalgic inspiration into modern creative work
My conclusion / analysis
This project is more than fan art. It’s a love letter to the music, visuals, and raw emotional ambition that shaped me as a creative. The original Use Your Illusion albums represented a moment when rock bands dared to be cinematic, maximal, and vulnerable — and that energy lives in how I approach design.
Use Your Illusion III gave me the opportunity to honor that legacy, push my skills, and create something that didn’t exist… but should have.
Role Summary Snapshot
Role: Concept Designer · Illustrator · Art Director
Tools: Illustrator, Photoshop
Deliverables: Album Packaging Concept · Vector Rebuild · Layout Design · Passion Project
Tools: Illustrator, Photoshop
Deliverables: Album Packaging Concept · Vector Rebuild · Layout Design · Passion Project
