Sci-Fi-O-Rama

Super detailed draftsmanship from the absolute master of techno-Illustration; Katsuhiro Otomo, the Japanese Illustrator behind the legendary cyberpunk manga-fest “Akira”. This image is taken from the Epic Books Akira Collection “Part 10″ fairly close to the epic sagas end.

The Akira Manga ran from Dec 1982 through June 1990, and was the basis for the simply stunning 1988 animated feature film, although the story is only loosely connected. The most fasicanting thing with Otomos work is the unbelievable attention to detail, every element is impeccably fashioned and has function. take for a example the above Illustration, Otomo has not just drawn this fighter jet, it’s designed to be as realistic as possible, his take on exactly how a US Navy jet would look in 2019. For case in point note the tilting Canard Wing and airspeed pitot tube (thanks Pete/NelC) at the front of the craft…simply amazing stuff!

Read more about Katsuhiro Otomo at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsuhiro_Otomo and the Akira Manga: (Warning Spoilers!!) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsuhiro_Otomo

Lower B/W image via Flickr user: art_files

F15 Fighter Jets soaring through the clouds and some gratuitous nudity feature on the cover of “Airflow” Philip Castle’s portfolio book published 1980. A design harking back to the tradition of  beautiful & scantly clad ladies painted on the noses of  WW2 American Bombers.

For a larger gallery of Philips Work check http://www.images2k6.com/supercoll/pcastle1.htm

That 2,000-Yard Stare
1944, oil on canvas, 36″ x 28″
U.S. Army Center for Military History, Washington, D.C.

Painting by Thomas C. Lea, III (1907 – 2001) American muralist, illustrator, artist, war correspondent, novelist, and historian….

Read more about him here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_C._Lea,_III and visit this site titled “Tom Lea – Artist and Texas Legend” http://www.tomlea.net/