Cold Cash & Colder Hearts Inspired Illustration - Thrice

I’m turning my attention to the album The Artist in the Ambulance by Thrice. Specifically, I’ve illustrated Cold Cash and Colder Hearts, the opening track of the album. This song has always resonated with me because it highlights themes of power, greed, and indifference, and I felt that a Tarot card design would be the perfect way to bring those ideas to life.

The Emperor Tarot Card: A Symbol of Power and Control

For this illustration, I chose to focus on the Emperor Tarot card. The Emperor is traditionally a symbol of authority, power, and control, but in the context of Cold Cash and Colder Hearts, the Emperor takes on a darker, more cold-hearted persona. The song speaks to the greed of the elite, those who hold power while disregarding the suffering of others. The line “we hold our own by keeping our hearts cold” encapsulates the essence of the character I wanted to create—a ruler who is detached from the struggles of the world, ruling through fear, money, and indifference.

While I’m by no means an expert in Tarot, I thought it would be a fun challenge to explore the symbolism behind the cards for this project. I’ve spent some time researching the meaning behind the Emperor card and found that it felt like the perfect fit for the song's themes of authority, control, and emotional detachment. I wanted to create something that felt imposing and powerful, but also reflected the emptiness and chaos that comes with such control.

The Design: Skeleton in a Business Suit, Chaos, and Control

The design features a skeleton in a sharp business suit, sitting on a jagged stone throne. I wanted the throne to look both imposing and chaotic, symbolizing the instability of wealth and power. The skeleton is adorned with a gold crown, a symbol of his dominion over the material world. The scepter he holds is an extension of his control, topped with a golden orb, representing his reign over the riches below him.

Beneath the throne lies a mountain of money, scattered chaotically across the ground. The pile includes cash, coins, gold, and even bones—representing the corrupting influence of wealth and the cold-heartedness required to maintain it. The mountain of money is constantly shifting, symbolizing the instability that comes with the pursuit of power and wealth.

I wanted the overall feel of the design to reflect the song’s message of coldness and greed, while still maintaining the grandeur and authority associated with the Emperor card.

The Process

Creating this design was both exciting and challenging. As I worked through the design, I focused on capturing the cold, detached feeling of the song, while also incorporating the symbolism of the Tarot card. I used Adobe Fresco to sketch and refine the design, and I’ve created a time-lapse video of the entire process that I’m sharing on my Instagram (@drawn_to_noise). Watching the design come together in real time was a rewarding experience, and I’m really proud of how it turned out.