Thursday 26 August 2010

THE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY WORLD OF TIM WHITE

Paper Tiger hardback, 1989 reprint. © Tim White.
 "This is the first published collection in book form of the work of Tim White. His paintings depict the landscape of the imagination, and imagination is our vehicle of exploration into the realms of Fantasy and Science Fiction. 
Fantasy art has always provided a popular means of expression and for the contemporary artist the rapid growth of the Science Fiction and Fantasy scene is an ever-widening frame of reference and an unending fund of inspiration. 
Many of the illustrations contained in this collection were pieces of commissioned artwork for publishers' book covers. Compromises obviously have to be made to accommodate, for example, a publisher's art director, but this can be advantageous rather than merely restrictive. 
Tim White combines superlative detail with a largely figurative approach to his interpretation, and creates a totally realistic image of his landscape of the imagination. 
He has produced over one hundred illustrations for book covers, and his other work includes record sleeves, magazine illustrations and private commissions. His work has also appeared in several exhibitions of Science Fiction and Fantasy art."
Illustration used for the short story Green In The Evening in the magazine
Science Fiction Monthly and subsequently featured on the cover of
Terry Greenhough's Wandering Worlds.

Cover painting for John Blackburn's The Scent Of New-Mown Hay.
 "...The most dreadful thing about it is this. In no instance does the victim die ... This thing does not kill. It doesn't need to. It is against its interest to kill. It blends its cells with those of the victim, incorporates itself with it. In the final form you have a creature that retains a basic human structure and yet its material is purely fungoid. You have a thing that can see and move and very possibly retain some thought processes. Thoughts that if they do exist will have one aim and one alone. That of spreading itself to others..."
Painting for Robert A Heinlein's The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress.

Cover for Rogue Golem, by Ernest M. Kenyon.

Cover painting for Fritz Leiber's Gather Darkness.

Cover painting for Daniel F. Galouye's short story collection
Project Barrier.
"In the tracks of its superior, a small robot analyser collects samples of the sparse flora in the thin atmosphere of a desolate asteroid. Even the most diminutive member of the team has fallen victim to an unprecedented outbreak of megalomania and broods secretly on a machiavellian plot to improve its position in a larger robot hierarchy."

2 comments:

Egrove said...

Hy Jeff. You're on fire this month! This is my second favourite SF book. Tim's work is what I used to pore over and try to emulate in my teens when I wanted to be an artist.

You're going to hate me more than I probably deserve... but I am lucky enough to own the originals of Rogue Golem and Gather Darkness. As well as (from the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction) "Expedition to Earth" and "Revolt in 2100",... and a few others. I have a Tim White addiction which has near bankrupted me.
Ed

Unknown said...

Thanks Ed, (though I should say my scanner's the one on fire ... or will be soon!) I was thinking when I was scanning these pictures in that, of all the 'new wave' of young British artists that emerged in the 1970s, Tim was/is one of the best all-rounders.

Haha, no I don't hate you - just really jealous! The Revolt In 2100 picture has been a favourite since I got the Encyclopaedia Of SF aged 13! Someday I hope I'll have the space and cash to afford some originals, until then I'm happy with prints!