Who is Michael Doret? It’s rock and roll over once again for the Kiss artist who has come full circle with his latest Kiss album cover art. Michael grew up near Coney Island and had a love for the amusement parks he frequented as a youth. He fell in love with the poster art and fonts used in the old days. This influence made him an unknown household name. He designed the cover of Rock And Roll Over in 1977 for Kiss. Kiss hired him again for, Sonic Boom, a new album sold exclusive to Wal-Mart. When you are there you can see his mini gallery of art in the music section of for lesser known recording artists.
Michael grew up in Brooklyn, NY near Coney Island; the influence of which is permanently etched in his work. After graduating from The Cooper Union he went on to start his own design studio in New York City. His work revitalized the art of hand-lettering by expanding it into areas of illustration and graphic design initially inspiring many imitators, many of whom have moved on to making their own contributions to this art form.
Other than the Coney Island midway, the inspiration for his work has come from such diverse sources as matchbook covers, theater marquees, enamel signs, early and mid-20th century packaging, and various other American artifacts. Currently he operates his studio in Hollywood, California, sharing it with his wife, illustrator Laura Smith.
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