An early McQuarrie design for the Millenium Falcon
How come all the great conceptual artists are passing on this year?
First, the great Ralph McQuarrie last week, who literally drew my childhood imagination by pretty much designing and visualising George Lucas's Star Wars universe as well as the universe of the original Battlestar Galactica. I mean, that artwork had a massive influence on me and thrilled me no end. Still does. I have portfolios of it, posters etc. McQuarrie's work is deeply embedded in my psyche. But he also did lots of other work outside Star Wars and Galactica. Check out his website. His art is his legacy.
McQuarrie's early Luke vs Vader
McQuarrie's design for the original Battlestar Galactica - one of my personal fave pieces of his.
And now I hear that Moebius aka legendary French artist Jean Giraud has passed away too.
Damn!
Jean Giraud had a long and illustrious career in his native France but was also (rightly) lauded the world over by the likes of Marvel's Stan Lee who had him draw for him a special and award winning Silver Surfer miniseries in the late 80's.
Amongst the designs Giraud did as Moebius for films was his work on Ridley Scott's Alien, Disney's Tron, George Lucas's Willow and Luc Besson's The Fifth Element. Again, his art will be his legacy. Check out his website.
It's always depressing when the world loses great artists. Indivduals who only ever added joy and wonder to the lives of people like me.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that HR Giger is currently in good health.
R.I.P. Ralph and Jean :(
It's weird, but Moebius & McQuarrie are two of my greatest artistic influences...although indirectly. McQuarrie's style was filtered down to me by the on-screen interpretations of his concepts via director George Lucas and his model shop team in Star Wars. Moebius was a major inflence on Judge Dredd artist Carlos Ezquerra...a major hero of mine.
ReplyDeleteSad days.