Science Fiction
Science fiction, stories of imagined futures, and contemporary reinterpretations of sci-fi classics offer a rich seam of inspiration for illustrators wishing to really push their imagination to the limit.
Isabel Seliger: Murmuration
This series of illustrations was commissioned for a German Magazine, DB Mobil to accompany an excerpt of “Der Zorn des Oktopus”, a sci-fi/climate-change thriller and the new book by Dirk Rossmann and Ralf Hoppe. The muted colours and high contrasts create a sense of imminent foreboding.
Yehrin Tong: Return Match
Yehrin Tong’s illustration was commissioned by the Folio Society to accompany the short story ‘Return Match’ by Philip K. Dick for an anthology of the author’s short stories. The protagonist is drawn to a pinball machine that is rigged by aliens to lure and kill humans. Here, the pinball machine is made into an image of a skull and juxtaposed with pastel colours inspired by video games, to highlight the fatally addictive nature of the game.
Van Saiyan: Imagined Futures
This illustration was commissioned by Telos magazine for an article on new feminism, science fiction and reproductive biotechnology. The artist chose to show what the family of the future might look like, using imagery reminiscent of vintage sci-fi comics.
Haoshu: Metaverse Factory
The Metaverse Factory is inspired by artificial intelligence, digital twinning, and blockchain. With the passage of time, the scene changes in this meta-universe as the panoramic image is scanned from left to right.
Paula Cruz: Read Scifi!
Reading Science Fiction is a personal illustration project that aims to reinforce, enhance and broaden the scope of science fiction works written by women through a series of portraits of female authors, reinforcing their significance in a field where men are seen as the majority.
Sabina Šinko, Francisco Rodríguez, Thomas Danthony, Mick Brownfield, Matt Murphy, Sarah Jones: Royal Mail Classic Science Fiction stamps
This set of six stamps by six illustrators, commissioned by Webb & Webb design for Royal Mail celebrates the imagination and artistic legacy of classic British science fiction. Each illustrator was given a quote from the book to inform their illustration.
Wenjing Yang: Communication Equipment Monsters Collection
Wenjing Yang’s infographic-style illustrations show Chinese mythic, supernatural beasts in the ancient Chinese book, Classic of Mountains and Seas, reinterpreted as modern communication equipment, creating a space where the modern and ancient can communicate.