An illustration of a bald person with a tired expression and a small red clown nose. A bold, red geometric shape sits behind their head against a white background with colourful paint splatters.

Ralph Steadman's cover illustrations for Breaking Bad Blu-Ray boxset

Words: Rob Alderson
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Date: 15 October 2014; Work
Illustration

As the man who gave form to the twisted genius of Hunter S. Thompson, British illustrator’s Ralph Steadman’s latest project seems like a perfect fit. Ralph has worked with Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan to illustrate some limited-edition Blu-Ray covers for a special boxset of the series due out early next year.

Presumably thanks in part to his work with the Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas author, Ralph has a special skill working in a world dominated by drugs, shady characters and a hefty dollop of moral relativism, and his vibrant, evocative draughtsmanship brings Walt, Jesse and the rest to life in style.

An illustration of Walter White from Breaking Bad. He is depicted as a bald figure with glasses and a goatee, set against a pale blue sky and an orange desert landscape. — Above
Ralph Steadman: Season 1 – Walter White

An illustration of a person with a long, narrow face and bright blue eyes. Abstract black ink splatters and geometric lines float above their head, while a heavy black wash covers their shoulders. — Above
Ralph Steadman: Season 2 – Jesse Pinkman

An ink illustration of a person in a white suit, wearing a bright orange tie and green cuffs. They stand with one hand to their chin in a thoughtful pose, surrounded by loose black ink splatters. — Above
Ralph Steadman: Season 3 – Saul Goodman

An illustration of a person wearing a bright yellow shirt and a striped tie. Their face is rendered in thin black lines, with a dark, splattered mark covering one eye. — Above
Ralph Steadman: Season 4 – Gus Fring

An illustration of a bald person with a moustache and a red nose. They wear a white jacket over a yellow shirt, set against a splash of red paint. — Above
Ralph Steadman: Season 5 – Mike Ehrmantraut

An illustration of a bald person with a stern, frowning expression. A splattered black ink question mark floats beside their head. — Above
Ralph Steadman: Season 6 – Hank Schrader

Further Info

www.ralphsteadman.com

About the Author

Rob Alderson

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Rob Alderson is a freelance writer, editor and strategist. He was previously editor-in-chief of It’s Nice That and WePresent, and editor of Design Week. He publishes the newsletter Undo, which tries to make sense of how AI is changing design work, the design process and the design industry.

Ralph Steadman's cover illustrations for Breaking Bad Blu-Ray boxset

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