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Equinocturne
by Saara
Traditional Artist
18 years ago
A friend of mine who writes for a living, had his first short story published in Analog way back in 1974. Everyone in the group was jealous of course, but ironically it was premature. He didn't have anything else published for several years. He didn't rate the cover either, but that would have been extremely unusual. (Covers are to sell magazines, and unknown authors don't seel magazines.) I wanted to see what it might have looked like if the story had been illustrated as the cover, and did this entirely from scratch. Even the lettering is hand drawn, and the whole thing coloured with pencils. I tried to imitate as much as possible the style of Kelly Freas, who was THE cover artist for Analog in those days. (In fact, Freas is probably the best known SF artist on books and magazines in history.)
I actually made colour photocopies of the art and bound a couple of the actual issue containing the story with the fake covers. I have one, the author the other.
I actually made colour photocopies of the art and bound a couple of the actual issue containing the story with the fake covers. I have one, the author the other.
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I would have said John Schoenherr.
Mark
From the very late 1950s until 1980 or so.
Mark
Mark
It was long before my time, but covers of sci-fi magazines and books where much better before everything was done with computer graphics. Great picture!
The small press editon of the short version of Julian has a great cover, but odds are it won't appear on the mass edition full length novel.
Mark
In abstract, Powers was certainly one of the all time greats in SF painting. Right up there with Freas and a couple of others, but appealing to more high-brow audience that didn't like lurid covers of purple aliens threatening women in low-cut space suits. The 60's and 70's were the highpoint of SF illustration in my book. You had all the classics and some damned good modern guys. Since then there's only been two or three guys who've dominated the field for the last thirty years.
About modern illustrative styles, you wrote:
> its usually too literal. Here's a picture of a sword-maiden and a starship in broad daylight, everything brand spanking new and shiney; no subtlety, no innuendo, no style.
In other words, no Richard Powers.
Mark
I've got a proper number of Analogs in my book boxes and mistook your cover for a real one. You rock. Have a nice day.
Nowadays they don't do that anymore because the price is in the barcode, but the logo is much bigger, taking up the top quarter of the cover.
(And for you rocker-types, you'll recognise Freas' handiwork for the cover of Queen's "News of the World" album, which was itself based on one of his own magazine covers from the '50s... :) )
d.m.f.
By and large, though, I find it difficult to establish any real contact with someone like Freas at a convention. There are SO many people there all trying to get close to the Great One, and only one of him trying to remember the thousands of faces. You can't really expect a rapport. Not only that, but some writers (and pro artists) cultivate a Following. They'e surrounded by groupies who work as an effective shield to prevent strangers getting anywhere near.
When you can meet pros on friendlier ground, perhaps in the SWFA suite, or away from a con altogether, they usually turn out to be pretty ordinary people. You might even find them kind of dull. Many are introverted and communicate best with a word processor or a brush.
He was holding a SIG later on that I somehow managed to miss as well.