Besides writing songs, Shinoda, who started painting as a toddler, also designed the cover for the album.

"I wasn't forcing too many concepts into the work because I thought that the emotions behind the work were obvious. In the beginning, it was just very abstract. As time went on, characters started to materialize and became more figurative," he says of his paintings for the album.

Born and raised in Southern California, Shinoda, who is half-Japanese, started learning classical piano at a young age before meeting his Linkin Park bandmates Brad Delson and Rob Bourdon in high school. They formed the band in 1996, and vocalist Bennington joined three years later.

Shinoda graduated in 1998 with a major in illustration and obtained a job as a graphic designer. When the band took off, painting became a background for him to express his thoughts.