Undercover artist: Lucy Holt on music industry design and her August 2026 cover for LeftLion

Tell us a bit about yourself…
Two truths and one lie, look to my instagram bio (@pastedminddesign) to find the answer: 

1. I was born in a car on the side of the road (it was a Renault Espace).

2. I was involved in the design of the Spotify disco ball logo.

3. I can make origami boobs out of a napkin.

I’m also a graphic designer and artist inspired by electronic music and collage. 

What is the story behind the cover?
With it being the August issue, the cover is inspired by Nottingham on a sunny evening. 

I wanted the buildings to look as though they were being projected onto, inspired by the projection art that I’ve experienced while living in Nottingham for the last six years. I LOVE projections and have a side dream of becoming a visual dj, so I wanted to subtly bring that into it. 

I’ve created textures using my own sketches. Mixing handmade with digital is something I like to do a fair bit in my work. 

What inspires you as an artist?
My one person creative studio, Pasted Mind, is where I experiment and express myself as an artist. Music is probably my biggest source of inspiration. I listen to a lot of electronic music, and I love creating designs for the music industry. 

I'm also inspired by my own dreams and imagination, as well as the world around me. I enjoy creating work that comments on everyday life, exploring themes around politics, online dystopias, and exaggerations of the way we live. 

Tell us about some things you’ve worked on in the past…
I’m most excited about designing posters for events in Amsterdam, creating motion visuals for one of my favourite DJs, Papa Nugs, and designing a board game to teach primary school children about dementia. I’ve also loved designing a whole load of posters and album covers, including for the Nottingham-based Girlband.

Do you have any tricks for getting started and staying inspired as a creative?
The biggest thing I've learnt is not to wait for inspiration. I think creativity comes from doing rather than waiting. 

I also try not to put too much pressure on every idea being brilliant. Sometimes the interesting work comes from experimenting without pressure. 

I'd also encourage people to reach out to creatives they admire. 

If you could sit down and chat with any artist in your field, who would it be and what would you talk about?
Jamie Hewlett. I’d talk to him about the visuals behind the Gorillaz, tell him that I saw them recently and loved it, and maybe ask him for a job. 

Is there anything else you’d like to tell the LeftLion readers?
"If you are not playful, you are not alive," – David Hockney

@pastedminddesign