Sci-Fi Artwork query

Librarian · December 23, 2013, 08:34:06 AM

Long, long ago I had a hardback book with compilations of artwork by various artists with specs and storyline attached. One painting I am trying to locate and wondered if it might be familiar to anyone. It was a futuristic propeller driven aircraft bellied on a grassy plain. Two crew members are defending themselves from an advancing large cat like predator. Forgive the description but it has been maybe thirty years since I've seen it. Any hope?

Merv_P · December 23, 2013, 09:24:26 AM

Quote from: Librarian on December 23, 2013, 08:34:06 AM
Long, long ago I had a hardback book with compilations of artwork by various artists with specs and storyline attached. One painting I am trying to locate and wondered if it might be familiar to anyone. It was a futuristic propeller driven aircraft bellied on a grassy plain. Two crew members are defending themselves from an advancing large cat like predator. Forgive the description but it has been maybe thirty years since I've seen it. Any hope?

No need to forgive the description - I recognised it straight away. Jim Burns - "Beyond the Farthest Star"

Weaver · December 23, 2013, 09:25:39 AM

Damn - beat me to it.

I beleive the compilation book it appeared in was Spacewreck: one of thr TTA handbooks by Stuart Cowley.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terran_Trade_Authority

If you fancy a bash at building it, I've got a gash 1/48th Airfix Bf-109 which came in a job lot of kits: I think the previous owner was intended to do it crashed since the prop baldes have been carefully bent back. You can have it for the price of the postage if you want.

RevSandy · December 23, 2013, 09:16:00 PM

Holy mackerel, it's weird how memory works. When I first read the description it reminded me of a White Dwarf magazine cover, and when I saw the image it confirmed it was the cover that I remembered, the thing is I haven't seen that cover for at least 23 years!

Weaver · December 23, 2013, 11:41:22 PM

Sorry, just realised I made a mistake: the TTA handbook with this pic in was Great Space Battles (the 2nd book) not Spacewreck.

Rev : I remember it being on the White Dwarf cover too.

Librarian · December 24, 2013, 01:18:49 AM

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone:bow: Fantastic stuff, just about how I remembered it. Now that's my next project with maybe a Dino replacement for Garfield.

Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to all

.

Librarian · December 24, 2013, 01:24:59 AM

...and a double thank you. I've just Googled Jim Burns and I found this which I've been searching everywhere for:

Had a huge poster of this picture on my wall for many years as a Teen. Never knew the artist's name. Many thanks

.

Weaver · December 24, 2013, 02:06:39 AM

That Gaussi Fighter with the robot in front of it was the cover to Harry Harrison's compilation art/history of sci-fi book Mechanismo (which I've got), and it has a cutaway drawing on the inside by Brian Lewis showing some of the internal detail with suitable "technobabble" labels. That ship's a LOT bigger than it looks when you see the size of the seats: it seats two side-by-side and their heads come below the level of the upper sill of the two oval "windscreens". Quite why there's so much "canopy" above them is something you'd have to ask the man yourself..... The pods on the outboard pylons are actually manned parasite fighters!

From the excellent Moonbase Central Blog here: http://projectswordtoys.blogspot.se/2012/08/ex-libris-wotanicus-mechanismo.html

Librarian · December 24, 2013, 02:52:24 AM

Definitely going to order a copy, looks superb. Just dug this out from the ancient archives. I remember it was inspired by that poster...I think the drawing dates to about that time:

Haven't drawn for well over twenty years now, I used to give everything away. My Mum surprised me a few years ago by giving me a collection of some ten to fifteen pictures she had kept. Make me laugh now.

Weaver · December 24, 2013, 02:56:45 AM

Hells bells: if I could draw like that I'd be well chuffed! Nice one!

I like the "suicide bear" hanging off the nose.....

inkworm · December 24, 2013, 04:36:59 AM

Quote from: Librarian on December 24, 2013, 02:52:24 AM
Haven't drawn for well over twenty years now,

Do us all a favour and get back into it please, great stuff.

Librarian · November 11, 2014, 05:45:19 AM

Really chuffed now after a bad beginning to the day. I contacted Jim a few weeks ago about "Beyond....". Whilst the "Gaussi Fighter/Mechanismo" is available as a Ltd print, "Beyond..." was not. Absolute top bloke, he kindly cleaned up the image, took it to his printers and voila:

Completely blown away by this fantastic print, one of my favourites for years, and Mr Burns' kindness. Does the soul good

.

Weaver · November 11, 2014, 06:32:43 AM

Oh well done! yes, I'd heard that Mr. Burns is a nice guy too.

My offer of the gash 1/48th Me.109 (price of the postage) stil stands by the way.