Another sample from Tim White used for the cover of the 1983 novel “Welcome Chaos” by Kate Wilhem. Though not strictly a Sci-Fi image in the most obvious sense (that really doesn’t matter here) I’ve decided to feature this because it’s simultaneously naff & cheesy but also dramatically striking in that psuedo-realistic neon style that’s so quintessentially 1980’s - think Athena Posters….
Uk artist Tim White has his own site, with extensive gallery and shop: http://www.tim-white.co.uk/
Ok so dovetailing into the previous post, here we have a sample from the portfolio of one of ‘Metal Hurlant’s’ founding members - French Comic Book legend Phillippe Druillet. This Illustration is cropped from a full page feature advertising two of his signature strips “Lone Sloane & Delirius”.
Image again comes via Flickr user jl.incrowd and his superb collection of original scan’s: “Heavy Metal Memories: Turning the pages, 1977 - 1981 (Set)” Do check that out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jl-incrowd/2455581417/in/set-72157604843541927/
A chromed robotic female suggestively poses for the cover of “Heavy Metal” the infamous American/French Sci-Fi Magazine. Art from the idiosyncratic airbrush of Hajime Sorayama - dated Novemeber 1980.
Heavy Metal was created by American Publisher Leonard Mogel, who upon a trip to Paris had come across “Metal Hurlant”(Howling Metal) a French science-fantasy magazine that had debuted in 1974 and featured contribution’s from illutrators such as Jean Giraud AKA Moebius, Phillippe Druillet, Philippe Caza and Italian Erotica specialist Milo Manara. Inspired, Mogel set about licensing and translating this material for an American version and thus in April 1977 Heavy Metal was born, a franchise that’s spawned two feature length animated Movies and still runs to this day - check the official site: http://www.metaltv.com/ (warning Saucy over 18 type content)
Read more about Heavy Metal at Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_Metal_(magazine)
Image Sourced via Flickr User jl.incrowd - check his excellent selection of scanned Heavy Metal Artwork: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jl-incrowd/sets/72157604843541927/
So back to the subject of Hajime Sorayama and all thing’s bright, shiny and VERY 80’s - Hafidz from http://puteraaladin.blogspot.com/ has kindly contacted me to reccomend these lovingly crafted techinicolor Sorayama tribute Wallpaper’s:
http://www.behance.net/Gallery/Hajime-Sorayama-Tribute/161565
Digital Art by: sakke soini… Cheers!
One final note I’d like to add - I think perhaps the most enduring element of Heavy Metal is the collapsing chrome Logo-type - Perfection!
A selection of graphic illustration’s produced for UK Space Rock Band “Hawkwind” all by the late UK Designer Barney Bubble’s (July 1942 - Nov 1983).
Here’s a quick breakdown of the featured samples, from the top: “In Search of Space” this was Hawkwind’s 2nd Studio album and dates from 1971. Second down is “The Hall of the Mountain Grill” this was the band’s 4th Album, released in 1974, often regarded as there career high point. The lower two pieces, are part of a series of poster’s I believe - produced around the time of “Doremi Fasol Latido” their 3rd Album dated 1972.
Barney Bubble’s (real name: Colin Fulcher) career began with initially cutting his teeth as a Typographer before moving on to become a Senior Graphic Designer for the Conran Group in the mid Sixties. During this period he began to become involved in London’s blossoming counter-cultural underground scene, and thus the start of his road to becoming one of the most renowned independent British Music Designer’s of 70’s and early 80’s…. Read more at wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Bubbles
Also definitely worth a read… Contemporary designer and Illustrator John Coulthart has featured a superb and encompassing feature on Barney over at his excellent ‘Feuilleton’ blog http://www.johncoulthart.com/feuilleton/?p=1296
** Update March 2009
Check Paul Gorman’s brand new “Reasons to be Cheerful” Blog http://www.barneybubbles.com/blog/
These spindly and fragile looking spacecraft are still’s taken from the 1982 French Animated Film ‘Les Maîtres du temps’ (The Masters of Time, a.k.a. Time Masters) directed by René Laloux and designed by Moebius. I have to admit that I’d never actually heard of this until I saw it featured over on Eric Carl’s excellent Blog.Sans-Concept.
Full post here: http://blog.sans-concept.com/?p=293 and check the full stills set at: http://flickr.com/photos/mr_carl/sets/72157612581774973/
In my opinion, pretty much any French Sci-Fi automatically qualifies as extremely interesting, and ‘Les Maîtres du temps’ certainley fit’s the bill! Also worthy of more reading; the career of Animator & Director René Laloux (July 13, 1929–March 13, 2004) most famous for ‘La Planète Sauvage,’ (Fantastic Planet 1973). Check his wonderfully bizarre 1965 Short film ‘Les Escargots’ : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiXn6d13YC0 a parable of Nuclear Holocaust?
A tangerine Death Star spinning in the inky blackness of space, cover art for the 1977 Discus Editon of Isaac Asimov’s ‘The Planet That Wasn’t’. Alas no artist is credited anywhere in the book, so I’m unsure of whom its by, although it look’s like it could be the work of Dean Ellis but that’s purely a guess! If anyone knows more please let me know…..
