Shades of Black
Category
Print & Editorial
Mentor
Golan Gafni
Year
2024
Shades of Black is a printed catalogue tracing the history and evolution of corpse paint in black metal. Created for readers outside the subculture, it looks beyond the imagery’s shock value to explore its visual, cultural, and historical significance.
The Brief
The brief was to research and design a printed catalogue around a chosen subject, working with complex content, multiple text hierarchies, and varied imagery.
The project involved defining a concept, selecting and organizing the content, and translating the research into a coherent editorial system.
Corpse Paint and Black Metal
Corpse paint predates its association with black metal. Early forms appeared in the theatrical makeup of performers such as Alice Cooper and Arthur Brown in the late 1960s and early ’70s.
As black metal developed through the ’80s and ’90s, corpse paint took on a darker role, becoming closely associated with death, decay, nihilism, and the visual identity of the scene.
The Concept
Rather than presenting corpse paint simply as shock or rebellion, the catalogue traces its evolution as a visual language with its own history and symbolism.
Shades of Black was designed as an entry point for readers unfamiliar with the scene, while preserving the intensity and character of its subject.
