Star Wars "A New Hope" in a Facebook Thread

Art Appreciation 101: The two rules of awesome SF/fantasy art

Where would science fiction and fantasy be without their awesome visuals? Orbit Books Creative Director Lauren Panepinto gives us a crash course in appreciating speculative artwork, and reveals the two unshakable rules of science fiction and fantasy art.

Welcome to Science Fiction & Fantasy Art Appreciation 101. (a.k.a. SFF Art). The fabulous folks here at io9 think I'm qualified to give you this little overview because, as the Creative Director of Orbit Books, I've created hundreds of covers for books in the genre, and have been a fan of SFF Art in all of its forms as far back as I can remember. Plus, I've logged more hours working in comic book stores than I care to admit.

Let me start with a little disclaimer: in the hopes of keeping this an overview and not an encyclopedia, I am going to be making wild generalizations across genres, skipping around wily-nilly with chronology, and leaving out a great many artists we all love. I apologize up-front for these crimes, so feel free to crucify me in the comments. Now off we go…

Before we start covering genre and artists, let's take a moment to think about what makes SFF Art unique. I could talk about proportions, color theory, and proper lighting all day, but these are qualities that are important to all genres of art. I really want to focus on what makes a fantastic work of SFF Art, and the most important thing is its purpose. All well-made commercial works of art — whether they're movie posters, book covers, or ads — need to catch the eye and hold it long enough for the viewer's brain to engage. Most commercial art does this by relating to a target audience and making them recognize something familiar-it's about the art coming to meet the viewer. The purpose of a great work of SFF Art is almost exactly the opposite: it is to depict something alien, and then drag the viewer away from their world into the imagined world of the book, movie, or video game.

To this end I offer the Two Rules of Awesome SFF Art:

1) It must have that elusive special quality of a visual hook, or as I like to call it, the "Holy Sh*t That's F*cking Cool" Factor. People are bombarded by images all their waking lives, and you have about a nanosecond to grab them and hold them. In SFF art, this usually means taking advantage of genre cues, like a completely bad-ass heroine, insane looking spaceship, or haunting alien landscape. It's a hard quality to define, and even harder to capture, but we've all had that moment of "oooh me want!" in front of a book cover, movie poster, comic, or video game. I literally had a case of whiplash by the end of Comic-con this year.

2) Once the artwork has grabbed the viewer, it must draw them into the world of the art. SFF fans are fans, ultimately, of world-building, and it is the art's job to begin that story. The best SFF artists just somehow magically put pages worth of stories into a single visual, and it is truly the storytelling quality that distinguishes SFF Art. It is the artist's job to accurately depict the world of the creation behind the art, using their own imagination to fill in the details. In no other genre of art is the reader/moviegoer/video game player so affected by the artist's vision, because they don't have the safety net of reality to fall back on.

So now let's talk about some of the subgenres within SFF art, and some of the fantastic artists that have made such an impact on our imaginations.

EPIC FANTASY:

Swords & sorcery, dungeons and dragons… this is the meat and potatoes of the fantasy world. There are many ways to go about tackling this realm, but it usually boils down to scene or character. The great hurdle is fighting against the tendency to info-dump — you want to give an enticing glimpse into this alien world, not end up with an overstuffed mess.

For the "character" end of the spectrum (and some hot babes) I direct you to Frank Frazetta. Even when his characters aren't really doing much, you just know there's some insane backstory happening.

For the "scene" end of the spectrum I direct you to Alan Lee, whose art, along with that of John Howe, pretty much directly dictated the Lord of the Rings movies. The magic of Alan Lee is all in his framing and cropping – it's almost more about what he doesn't show.

See also: Greg & Tim Hildebrandt, John Jude Palencar, Cliff Nielsen, Steve Stone, Boris Vallejo & Julie Bell, Sam Weber

SPACE OPERA:

Space opera is to science fiction what epic is to fantasy, and there are many similarities between the two. Again, as in most of these categories, you'll have a character-driven vision or a scene-driven vision. Let's stick to depictions of space scenes and spaceships and I'll use Daniel Dociu as my artist example. As with the work of Alan Lee, much of the magic is in the composition and balance of elements, but I love Dociu's brush-heavy painterly style – which is ironic, since I know he paints digitally, not with a brush — it gives a real energy to his work that I love. A lot of the artists who do these kinds of scenes work most heavily in concept art for movies and video games, and it's a treat when I can steal them away to work on a book cover for me.

See also: Stephan Martiniere, Sparth, Ralph McQuarrie, John Schoenherr

URBAN FANTASY:

Urban Fantasy is really bookcover-based, and as a genre is really a mashup of fantasy and romance novels, and we're still sorting out the schizophrenia of clichés that this has produced. It's the subgenre that gets the most artistic bashing, but there are people doing it with an emphasis on the art, and it's interesting to me to see how people can tackle the same kind of cover from both a traditional painting direction, and photo-illustration technique.

In the photo-illustration corner is Chris McGrath, who gets a special gold star in my book for being equally good at female-led and male-led urban fantasy, without drowning in a pool of cheese.

In the painting corner is Dan Dos Santos, who I'm including specifically for his covers for the Mercy Thompson books, as he could be included in any of these genres. On paper these covers are the urban fantasy stereotype: hot chick, scantily clad, tattoos — but I love them anyway, so sue me. It's the powerful personality he gives the character that keeps it about being a strong woman, rather than just a cheesecake image.

See also: Larry Rostant, Gordon Crabb

STEAMPUNK & CYBERPUNK:

As opposed to the above genres, where a wider view of the world or character signals genre, Cyberpunk and Steampunk is all about the details. For Steampunk, gears, goggles, airships, and/or Victorian accessories must be recognizable components. Since this is a relatively new genre, artists really have a chance to redefine the boundaries. Because of the opportunity to enforce the historical aspect through typography, I'm going to include art with text. Instead of picking one artist here, I'm going to jump around, which is also a fabulous opportunity to show how, especially in these two genres, bookcovers can influence movies, fashion can influence comics, and it becomes one big messy cultural collaboraton.

(Boneshaker, art by Jon Foster, design by Jamie Stafford-Hill, Suckerpunch movie directed by Zach Snyder, Soulless cover designed by me, photo by Derek Caballero, model Donna Ricci, Steampunk Vader by Eric Poulton, Laptop by Datamancer, Time Traveller ensemble by Clockwork Couture, modeled by Donna Ricci)

Cyberpunk and Steampunk are closely linked, but where Steampunk looks to the past, Cyberpunk looks to a (usually) dystopian future overrun with technology. We all know Blade Runner and The Matrix, but do you know Moebius, and H. R. Giger? Their art was so inspirational to Ridley Scott, Luc Besson, and William Gibson. And without Geof Darrow, I can't imagine The Matrix being anywhere near as visually rich. Cyberpunk, like Steampunk, is all about the details, but now its all about crammed skylines full of mile-high spires, knots of wires and robotic cybernetics.

(H. R. Giger)

(Moebius)

(Geof Darrow, Matrix concept art)

See also: Mike Mignola, Frank Quitely

I wish I could have a dozen posts to cover SFF Art, but this is supposed to be an overview. I'm going to try to wrap it up, even though I've left out countless masters and genres like SFF/Horror, Military SF, and so many others. (and don't forget the poor neglected zombies!) I've pretty much sidestepped the entire issue of tools: oil paint, digital paint, photo-montage, photography, and even sculpture. I've also completely glossed over some important issues I deal with on the industry side. For example, this post has been an overview done by a fan aimed towards people who have some interest in SFF already. However, every day at Orbit I try to balance on the fine line between making fans happy while also reaching potential new fans. It can be tough to find the right balance, but we are all about converting the masses.

SFF Art is such an emotional topic for many people, myself included, because it's often so tied up in our childhood nostalgia. I can't picture Dune without John Schoenherr. I couldn't imagine a Middle Earth without John Howe & Alan Lee (and Peter Jackson couldn't either). There's a little girl inside me riding a Hildebrandt dragon flying over a landscape by Michael Whelan and I'm really blessed that it's my job at Orbit to get to work with such fantastic art and artists. I hope this look into the SFF Art World is a pleasant refresher for you fans out there, and a good overview for those of you not so versed in the SFF world.

Homework for SFF Art 102: Dave McKean, Mélanie Delon, Frank Miller, Gregory Manchess, Adam Hughes, Cliff Chiang, Donato Giancola, Ben Templesmith, Dave Palumbo, Charles Vess…

Gallery of Lightsabers

'Artificial life' breakthrough announced by scientists

courtesy of news.bbc.co.uk

Scientists in the US have succeeded in developing the first synthetic living cell.

The researchers constructed a bacterium's "genetic software" and transplanted it into a host cell.

The resulting microbe then looked and behaved like the species "dictated" by the synthetic DNA.

The advance, published in Science, has been hailed as a scientific landmark, but critics say there are dangers posed by synthetic organisms.

The researchers hope eventually to design bacterial cells that will produce medicines and fuels and even absorb greenhouse gases.

The team was led by Dr Craig Venter of the J Craig Venter Institute in Maryland and California.

He and his colleagues had previously made a synthetic bacterial genome, and transplanted the genome of one bacterium into another.

Now, the scientists have put both methods together, to create what they call a "synthetic cell", although only its genome is truly synthetic.

Dr Venter likened the advance to making new software for the cell.

The researchers copied an existing bacterial genome. They sequenced its genetic code and then used "synthesis machines" to chemically construct a copy.

Dr Venter told BBC News: "We've now been able to take our synthetic chromosome and transplant it into a recipient cell - a different organism.

"As soon as this new software goes into the cell, the cell reads [it] and converts into the species specified in that genetic code."

The new bacteria replicated over a billion times, producing copies that contained and were controlled by the constructed, synthetic DNA.

"This is the first time any synthetic DNA has been in complete control of a cell," said Dr Venter.

'New industrial revolution'

Dr Venter and his colleagues hope eventually to design and build new bacteria that will perform useful functions.

"I think they're going to potentially create a new industrial revolution," he said.

"If we can really get cells to do the production that we want, they could help wean us off oil and reverse some of the damage to the environment by capturing carbon dioxide."

Dr Venter and his colleagues are already collaborating with pharmaceutical and fuel companies to design and develop chromosomes for bacteria that would produce useful fuels and new vaccines.

But critics say that the potential benefits of synthetic organisms have been overstated.

Dr Helen Wallace from Genewatch UK, an organisation that monitors developments in genetic technologies, told BBC News that synthetic bacteria could be dangerous.

"If you release new organisms into the environment, you can do more harm than good," she said.

"By releasing them into areas of pollution, [with the aim of cleaning it up], you're actually releasing a new kind of pollution.

"We don't know how these organisms will behave in the environment."

Dr Wallace accused Dr Venter of playing down the potential drawbacks.

"He isn't God," she said, "he's actually being very human; trying to get money invested in his technology and avoid regulation that would restrict its use."

But Dr Venter said that he was "driving the discussions" about the regulations governing this relatively new scientific field and about the ethical implications of the work.

He said: "In 2003, when we made the first synthetic virus, it underwent an extensive ethical review that went all the way up to the level of the White House.

"And there have been extensive reviews including from the National Academy of Sciences, which has done a comprehensive report on this new field.

"We think these are important issues and we urge continued discussion that we want to take part in."

Genetic breakthrough

Dr Gos Micklem, a geneticist from the University of Cambridge, said that the advance was "undoubtedly a landmark" study.

But, he said, "there is already a wealth of simple, cheap, powerful and mature techniques for genetically engineering a range of organisms. Therefore, for the time being, this approach is unlikely to supplant existing methods for genetic engineering".

The ethical discussions surrounding the creation of synthetic or artificial life are set to continue.

Professor Julian Savulescu, from the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford, said the potential of this science was "in the far future, but real and significant".

"But the risks are also unparalleled," he continued. "We need new standards of safety evaluation for this kind of radical research and protections from military or terrorist misuse and abuse.

"These could be used in the future to make the most powerful bioweapons imaginable. The challenge is to eat the fruit without the worm."

LOST Creator Tweets Fan Made Finale Trailer

Star Wars Promo War Posters

Joss Whedon's latest project just hit Hulu

courtesy of SciFi Wire

The popular graphic novel Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday just launched on Hulu as a motion comic created by legendary comics artist Neal Adams. And what the heck's a motion comic? It's a video based on the artwork from the comic books, using all the original words and drawings, and Marvel is hoping the new form will change the way we read comics.

"At this point in the history of motion comics, Gifted is the very best motion comic book out there," Adams said in an interview on the Hulu blog. "There will be some in the future that will be as good if not better, but right now it's the best one."

Adams also had this to say about about Whedon:

"I guess there may be a better script writer out there, but is there someone more used to the form of both comic books and film? I don't think there is."

Check it out for yourself below.

Poor Greedo

SPACEBOOK

How to Tell Which Star Wars Film You're Watching

Star Wars - Longest Crash Ever

via videosift.com

'District 9' will be a Awesome! (Take a Break and Watch This)

My friend was right. 'District 9' may be our generation's 'Blade Runner'. It looks to be a great movie.

Transformers: RotF Runtime Announced

Director Michael Bay told MTV.com that his upcoming sequel film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will run 147 minutes long, or nearly two and a half hours.

AWESOME!!!!

Breaking News: Cyberdyne HAL exoskeltons on sale for $4,200

courtesy of dvice by Kevin Hall

The end is nigh...

Cyberdyne is gearing up to mass produce 400 of its "Hybrid Assistive Limb" exoskeletons annually, selling first to interests in Japan, then perhaps the rest of the world. The company intends the suit less for personal interest and more for "rehabilitation support and physical training support in medical field, ADL support for disabled people, heavy labour support at factories, and rescue support at disaster sites, as well as in the entertainment field." But, hey, if the market exists, Cyberdyne will ramp up production and — who knows? — maybe all of us will be running around in our very own exoskeletons.

The bottom line... is WTF PEOPLE!?! Seriously, do you guys ever watch fucking sci-fi movies? I feel like I'm a mutant that can see the future just because I've watched The Terminator. For chrissake, the name of the company that makes the cyborg's in the films is even called Cyberdyne. Can you be more obvious. And the worst part about it is, I'm ordering one of these things. You know how badass it would be to have a neighbor ask you to help him change a tire and you walk over clanking and hissing while you bend down and effortlessly lift his car. It couldn't be more badass unless it came with a automatic 6 inch dick extension (that rhymed... cool). I guess as long as "Cy-ber-dyne" doesn't become "Cy-borg R US" we should be alright, but that's probably what the people in the movie said just before Skynet became self-aware. So, I guess we're screwed.

Things to Know about Dragonball so You can Enjoy the Movie

Not going see the Dragonball movie? Just not interested, or don't know if you would enjoy it because you never watched the cartoons or read the manga? Scared the Dragonball nerds will laugh at some hidden joke and you will have to make yourself laugh so you don't stand out? It's ok. Admit it you pussy!

Well, luckily scifiwire can help. They created is a list of things to know before you see the movie so that you can be "up to par" with the Dragonball fans. Now you can make fun of all the confused losers ("losers" is a relative term).

10 things you need to know to enjoy the Dragonball movie

Mutant Chronicles Review

The Mutant Chronicles is an independent sci-fi action film directed by Simon Hunter and starring Thomas Jane and Ron Perlman. It will be released in theatres April 24, 2009, but is available now on various Video on Demand services such as Xbox Live.

The story takes place in the distant future in the year 2707 and deals with a global war accidentally unleashing a hidden mutant population that laid dormant for thousands of years. The premise appears to be your typical action movie fare, but they do manage to place a couple unexpected twists.

I'm not sure if I was just expecting it to be garbage, but I found that it was surprisingly good. It reminded me a little of Pitch Black. It had that indie feel to it, while at the same time it had convincing special effects and an interesting story.

A plot summary is done well here if you are interested.

I give the movie a 3/5. (Trailer below)