If a picture is worth a thousand words, then D.W. Pine, Time’s creative director of 26 years who recently published his thousandth cover, certainly has a lot to say.

Much has changed since 2001, when creative director D.W. Pine produced his first cover for TIME ... the role of a magazine, D.W. has been instrumental in ensuring TIME’s enduring impact.

Meanwhile, Time’s February cover, which placed Elon Musk behind the Resolute Desk, used more overt symbolism since the magazine “didn’t have to say a lot.” Pine stressed that the simple ...