 After working with the cover for the album , provisionally titled Runaway Train , Levy went on vacation and travelled with Pearl Jam on their 2008 tour . After a concert in Washington D.C. , Levy came up with the idea " to do it all graphic black on black " and sketched what would become the yellow artwork . The record company liked it and requested he do two more in the same style , which became the red and white versions . During the promotional photography sessions , Levy made the deluxe edition art . The tracks on the album did not have much influence on the artwork as Levy had heard " maybe 5 songs at that point " , but he found it curious that his artwork fit the title track " Black Ice " , which was not among the tracks he had heard . Levy said that since the album had many similarities with Back in Black – " Black " in the title , dark covers , and AC / DC resurfacing with a sound based on the band 's early work – the art was " like a time travel , which is why there are so many psychedelic drawings " . The artwork 's resemblance to a train , echoing lead single " Rock N ' Roll Train " , was a coincidence , given Levy " never thought of it that way " . Atop the image there is a cog with an image of Angus with his fist in the air resembling the statue on Stiff Upper Lip , because Levy " just thought it was great as a continuing icon . " The photographs for the booklet and promotional photography were taken by music photographer Guido Karp , in August 2008 in London . 
