Illustration Archive - Sci-Fi-O-Rama

Hajime Sorayama (5)

Hajime Sorayama

Once again apologies for the brief pause in posting, and the slow response to emails, going to try and catch up this week/weekend. Actually part of the last month’s break has involved work on a Sci-Fi-O-Rama spin off project with Dan McPharlin, more on that in a moment, first here’s the lowdown on this article…

Kind of a quick post this one whilst I’m prepping some more wholesome material, I had intented to run this on the 29th of March as that was in fact Sci-Fi-O-Rama’s 3rd birthday, but alas didn’t get time! Anyway so for no particular reason other than it was at the top of the stack here’s another hyper-real selection of Hajime Sorayama’s masterful, airbrush craftsmanship. A few notes:

First of I’m embarssed to say I’m actually not sure of the titles here as these images are via the Hungarian Fantasy/Erotic Art bunker known as http://www.net-cafe.hu/ I do own a Sorayama book, but it’s in storage, so if you know how any are named please let me know. I’ll ad-lib then…

Top Image: This sultry vixen, adorned in glimmering chrome and gold crested armour is typical Sorayama subject material. If your your familiar with this strain of Sorayama’s work you’ll know how far he veers into fetishistic porno, by his standards this example only vaguely hint’s at eroticism. What I love about this piece is not just the flawless, impeciable rendering but more so the suit’s detailing, look closer and you’ll see many of Hajime’s familiar trademarks such as the venting on her inner left thigh, and the tiny winglets on the left forearm. It’s as complicated and fussy a design as a modern F1 car, and every bit as amazing (no doubt better too watch too)…

Middle: Although it’s what he’s most renowned for not all Sorayama’s work revolves around scantliy clad females undergoing robotic metamorphism, on a more advertising/commercial tip he also prouduced a series of metallic animals of which this dinosaur creature is one. Again check the beautiful detailing, such as the ever so spindly chromed hydraulics.

Bottom: This final example features one of Sorayama’s famous ‘Gynoid’ creations which I posted a little more about way back in September 2008. Something so quintessentially 80′s about not just this one but all three examples here – love them!

To check out more on Hajime Sorayama visit his official site – be warned there’s explicit content! http://hajimesorayama.com/. Also of interest I featured a post on British Illustrator Jasper Goodall who admits to being a fan, if you missed that it’s definitely worth a look check it here.

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Finally a quick one regarding the aforementioned Sci-Fi-O-Rama spin off project. I’ve managed to tie in my day job to the blog and with the help of Kieran Gutteridge and Dan McPharlin am currently developing a special Sci-Fi-O-Rama quiz game coming very soon to iOS… In fact if any iPad owners out there would like to take part in the Beta trial please get in touch via Twitter – send me a Direct Message with your iPad’s UDID cheers, Kie.

Spotify Playlist #03 – Alternate 80′s Synth

Here’s my 3rd Spotify playlist and this time I thought I’d go for something of a theme, that being “Alternate 80′s”. Therefore then all tracks I’ve featured hark from that era. Ok so maybe there not all alternate, and actually one isn’t from the 80′s at all (although in spirit is) but once again there all pretty much synth driven.So a couple of notes on this selection:

We kick off with an obscure Eurythmics B-Side from 1982 before moving into several familiar cuts from some of the UK’s seminal acts of the time. Then moving uptempo swoop into a more club oritentated angle with offerings from Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks) & Depeche Mode before swerving southbound into Italo Disco mode with Aeroplane’s ( They’re better than Daft Punk) recent remix of Sebastian Tellier and then Peter Richards “Walking in the Neon”. The last segment moves to electro-pop with Tim Simenon’s Bomb The Bass Project, followed by some early Moroder-esque-euro-disco from Belgium. The selection ends with, for me, one of the greatest pieces of electronic music ever produced, the totally timeless and therefore completely amazing “Dead Eyes Opened” composed by Aussie industrialists and synth pioneers, Severed Heads.

Here’s the full tracklist:

1. Eurythmics – Monkey Monkey (1982)
2. Talk Talk – Such a Shame (1984)
3. Brian Ferry – Don’t stop the Dance (Special 12″ Mix -1985*)
4. Japan – Quite Life (1979/1980)
5. Sharpe & Numan – Change Your Mind (1984)
6. Pete Shelley – I don’t know what it is (1981)
7. Depeche Mode – Get the Balance Right (Combination Mix – 1983)
8. Sébastien Tellier – Kilometer (Aeroplane “Italo 84″ Remix – 2009)
9. Peter Richard – Walking in the Neon (Dub Version – 1986)
10. Bomb the Bass – Don’t Make Me Wait (7″ Mix – 1988)
11: Sue Ann – My Baby My (1981)
12: Severed Heads – Dead Eyes Opened (1984)

Here then is the link for the playlist: http://bit.ly/h9rZFX hope you enjoy!

*Note that you must have the Spotify App installed, and of course be signed up to the premium service to dodge the Adverts. Artwork once again – as is custom – from Eric Carl’s fabulous Flickr Photostream: http://bit.ly/e18NTx

*Quick note on “Don’t stop the Dance” – John Daly (fave producer of mine) has done an excellent re-edit that’s not too hard to find …

European Starwars Posters

Italian Star Wars Poster

The Empire Strikes Back

Empire Strikes Back

Here’s an expansion on something I tweeted last week, apologies to those who’ve already seen this set. If you didn’t see the thread and in particular are a Starwars fan, then your in for a bit of treat!

Now then, here’s a selection of three posters lifted from a larger crop over at a www.chelloveck.sfblogs.net. Chelloveck is an Hungarian Sci-Fi website, so if your a backward monolingual speaker like me and/or your Hungarian’s somewhat limited then try viewing the site in Chrome, as it’ll attempt auto-translation for you. Before I start with some ramblings on my selection be sure to check out the full post over at Chelloveck http://bit.ly/gfN5fz. Onto the notes:

Top: “Guerre Stellari” – This is a rendering for the Italian market, as with the others presumably used to promote the cinema release of the film. A slick, pretty camp graphic style that wouldn’t look out of place splashed over a pinball table or retro arcade machine. Art by Michelangelo Papuzza.

Middle: Moving on from the light ‘disco-esque’ Italian offering we have this slightly freaky example from Hungary. This is actually part of a set of three, check the other two here: http://bit.ly/eORlW2 I don’t remember the winged lizards either, but love the style. Artist responsible is Tibor Helényi (thanks Chelloveck).

Bottom: The final part of my selection hails from Poland, a real design gem this one with a wonderful diffused look, similar in vain to this Roman Cieslewicz piece I posted back in 2008. This piece dates from 1983 and is the work of Miroslaw Lakomski, see more of his work, and other far out design here: http://www.eatbrie.com/Polish.htm no one does Movie posters quite like the Poles – superb!

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