Nice selection. There's no doubt in my mind that Chris Foss is the greatest sci-fi illustrator ever, and in my opinion a great artist full stop; if I was in charge, whole galleries would be devoted to his work. Like the greatest figurative fantasy illustrator, Frank Frazetta, Foss can conjure images from his mind alone - and (though not a great reader of science fiction) he introduced three concepts to space paintings which had eluded all previous illustrators - that space and spaceships could be colourful, that spaceships needn't be streamlined, and that it's possible to portray unimaginable mass by using tiny details. None of his legions of imitators come close. I have all his books and poster collections, and would love to own an original, but sadly that's unlikely. My tribute to Foss is my electronic music album based on the Lensman series - search for 'Music Inspired by EE Doc Smith's Lensman Series by Chris Jenkins".
Nice selection. There's no doubt in my mind that Chris Foss is the greatest sci-fi illustrator ever, and in my opinion a great artist full stop; if I was in charge, whole galleries would be devoted to his work. Like the greatest figurative fantasy illustrator, Frank Frazetta, Foss can conjure images from his mind alone - and (though not a great reader of science fiction) he introduced three concepts to space paintings which had eluded all previous illustrators - that space and spaceships could be colourful, that spaceships needn't be streamlined, and that it's possible to portray unimaginable mass by using tiny details. None of his legions of imitators come close. I have all his books and poster collections, and would love to own an original, but sadly that's unlikely. My tribute to Foss is my electronic music album based on the Lensman series - search for 'Music Inspired by EE Doc Smith's Lensman Series by Chris Jenkins".
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