By Jeff Glucker
For some time, that image above was the background on my computer. It was eventually replaced by another image, but both are by the same artist; Syd Mead. The godfather of retro-futuristic art created some truly stunning pieces that helped define a generation of film, album covers, television, advertising, and the people that consumed those things.
There’s no doubt his style had an impact on a generation of artists to follow. Simon Stålenhag comes to mind.
If you want a deeper look at his artwork, check out The Movie Art of Syd Mead: Visual Futurist. Also, Jason Torchinsky has a lovely obituary for the man over on Jalopnik. Syd Mead passed away on December 30th, 2019. He was 86 years old.
To celebrate Mr Mead, I’d love to see some of your favorite pieces of art created by Syd. Share them in the comments.
“Highway of Tomorrow” has been in my desktop wallpaper rotation for a long time.
https://live.staticflickr.com/4360/35769451953_c7a88bc6b9_b.jpg
It’s hard to pick a favorite, I’d probably go with something from American Steel like the last picture in the article for nostalgia value, but this one is interesting in seeing the loop of influence close – it was comissioned for Honda in 2004 as a “bikes of the future” kind of thing. It makes obvious reference to the Akira motorcycle, which in turn was originally influenced by the Tron light cycles designed by Mead.
http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Syd-Mead-Honda-2004.jpg
That brings to mind another great artist, Daniel Simon:
http://danielsimon.com/wallpapers/page/2/
“Highway of Tomorrow” has been in my desktop wallpaper rotation for a long time.
https://live.staticflickr.com/4360/35769451953_c7a88bc6b9_b.jpg
The Sentinel, what could have happened if the Aston Martin Lagonda wedge limo had been further developed by Cadillac.
https://www.promotex.ca/articles/cawthon/2003/images/12-01-2003-6b.jpg
or the similar Rolls Royce proposed in 1967 (!!!)
http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/entries/3640/Syd-Mead-Future-Rolls-Royce-1967-Cover-for-Automobile-Quarterly-Magazine.jpg
I was just about to post the Sentinel. It manages to look like it’s straight out of 1972 and 2072 at the same time.
Any excuse to repost these Hot Wheels versions, the normally crazy hype world of diecast collecting hasn’t gone crazy for these yet so they can still be found on ebay for reasonable prices. I need to pick up a cinemachines blade runner spinner to add to the collection, but they were crazy money last I checked.
https://scontent-dub4-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/e35/73455993_147290329897135_273350911501267940_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-dub4-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=107&_nc_ohc=4R9MNzaNxRIAX-dqRuE&oh=1e74bd78990b1f3c8e06048784063470&oe=5E964E18
Any excuse to repost these Hot Wheels versions, the normally crazy hype world of diecast collecting hasn’t gone crazy for these yet so they can still be found on ebay for reasonable prices. I need to pick up a cinemachines blade runner spinner to add to the collection, but they were crazy money last I checked.
https://scontent-dub4-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/e35/73455993_147290329897135_273350911501267940_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-dub4-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=107&_nc_ohc=4R9MNzaNxRIAX-dqRuE&oh=1e74bd78990b1f3c8e06048784063470&oe=5E964E18
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ce2f4402eb28dbbd4aca7ad279771fcfdc8a9a04f17932a02a8652d241d2e8b3.jpg
There is this mid engine supercar from the US Steel proposals, from 1969, a whole year before Paolo Martin’s Modulo for Pininfarina.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/603b4e3d578fd1c12162698be06bf2698b07a68f9b7dd91b96cd4fc8845f6ba5.jpg The Modulo pictured with it’s styling buck on which the body panels were formed.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ce2f4402eb28dbbd4aca7ad279771fcfdc8a9a04f17932a02a8652d241d2e8b3.jpg
There is this mid engine supercar from the US Steel proposals, from 1969, a whole year before Paolo Martin’s Modulo for Pininfarina.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/603b4e3d578fd1c12162698be06bf2698b07a68f9b7dd91b96cd4fc8845f6ba5.jpg The Modulo pictured with it’s styling buck on which the body panels were formed.
Fantastic, literally. 🙂
I believe his preferred media for the final color renderings was gouache. It’s a water passed paint which had been used for a lot of architectural renderings. It has a distinctive look with bright colors and whites.
I took a class in gouache in design school and it’s really difficult. I did not have the patience for it and, even in 1991, there wasn’t much call for it in the design world any more.