Many folks my age grew up with the Star Wars trilogy hitting the theaters while we were toddlers or just starting school. So of course we were all fascinated by Lucas' fictional universe. I was the kid who brought all the SW toys to show-and-tell. Fast forward three decades and I've graduated with an undergraduate degree in Astronautics; my childhood passion for space never died. My love for Star Wars did die however; it was just a passing fad for me. My true childhood space inspiration was Stewart Cowley's Terran Trade Authority (TTA) books.
Mr. Cowley created a very loose narrative to provide context for and link a number of unrelated science-fiction illustrations. The illustrations (the proper term since many were airbrush ink works) mostly followed the Chris Foss style and were originally commissioned as book covers for sci-fi novels. Cowley built up a fictitious (and sometimes contradictory) universe over the four books.
I used to check those books out routinely from the library, until some jerk stole them (I will find you). I would just sit and stare at those wonderful pictures of spaceships. I knew from that point I wanted to build machines like that.
I don't blueprint my little scratchbuild gaming spaceships; I just mash things into Sculpey and use the resulting impression as a mold. Several people have remarked that the casts that emerge from those molds look a lot like "1970s science fiction book cover art". I don't ape the art from the TTA books, but I know it's a huge subconscious influence and I'm glad it shows.
As an aside it turns out the TTA books inspired a lot of followers, so much so that in 2005 the books were re-released and used as a RPG setting (I just found this out an hour ago; thanks Wikipedia). Apparently the new books had a lot of 3D computer renderings. Lame. That's just wrong... glad I have the original books. Am I the only person on the face of the earth who despises computer art? Am I the only one who thinks the shadows are all wrong and it looks fake, even today? OK, this post is long enough, on with the point...
So I was prowling the internet and ended up finding the portfolio of one of the artists featured in the TTA books. Since the TTA books used recycled art, I guess it's more appropriate to say I found the portfolio of an artist who painted a lot of 1970's science fiction book covers. Even better it's the artist who did most of my favorite pieces! On a whim I wrote him an email and asked if I could commission a piece of art for my War In Space game (which is generic and not set in the TTA universe). He explained in a friendly email that he doesn't do sci-fi art anymore, but when I suggested licensing he sent me some legal paperwork. I need to figure this all out and read the document, but I can't believe there may be a (slim) chance my stupid little game may have a cover from my favorite artist! Wow! I really want to keep my game a free download, so I may end up funding this with no hope of recovering the cost. Oh well.... it would be worth it, for the aesthetics sake.
Has anyone else paid for art for one of their homebrew projects, knowing they'd never sell it?
I own several of the TTA books (I didn't steal yours, I promise) that I found in a dusty old used book store. Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteI love the old TTA books too, especially the story arc. Not that fond of computer. And lastly, no, never paid for art for design but can understand why you may not have been able to sleep after the email!
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