The work created a surrealist environment, changing relative concepts of scale and subject matter. According to : "Each component became a formal abstract element, interacting with all the images to make a unified whole. Both the inside and outside of the gatefold cover feature a smorgasbord of images with a number of them related to the theme of flight zeppelin airships, UFOs, butterflies, birds, hot air balloons, fighter planes and dragonflies included. I didn’t put it in my show because it wasn’t really a proper idea, and there wasn’t enough original thought in it.” Led Zeppelin II (1969):ġ5. He explained to Eye On Design: “I didn’t think Led Zeppelin was a very good bit of work, apart from millions of copies being around, and the fact I was paid $60. Eventually creating an illustration of the Hindenburg photo at Page’s suggestion, the then Royal College of Art student didn’t include the artwork in his degree show. He showed Jimmy Page a number of album cover ideas including “a multiple sequential image of a zeppelin” based on a club sign in San Francisco but they were rejected. Although he helped create one of the most iconic album covers of all time, Hardie doesn’t rate it highly. Highly sought after by record collectors, an original turquoise version fetched $1890 (around £1450) on eBay in 2012.Ħ. Weeks later, the colours were switched to the now familiar orange version. The very short-lived initial ‘Led Zeppelin’ pressings – estimated to be less than 2,000 copies - featured the album title and Atlantic Records logo in turquoise.