The Art of John Harris, Volume 2
'Beyond the Horizon', published in 2014, still feels very current but there's now going to be a new volume, 'Into the Blue'. We are delighted that Titan Publishing have invited John to produce a book which shows some of the work he's produced in the last eight years.
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We can show you the cover and a couple of inside spreads. Titan are allowing us to use many sketches this time, some alongside the finished paintings, but many standing in their own right and there is about them that feeling of ideas just being generated. We're working with the same designer and we're really pleased.
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Looking back through those last few years, it's clear just how John has enjoyed his work during that time despite lockdowns, wars, and whatever else has been thrown in his path.
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Past visits to Illuxcon, and keeping in contact online with clients and friends have all played their part so he's been able to continue his work for private clients as well as for publishers, and the pandemic hasn't slowed him down one bit. You'll be able to see for yourself when 'Into the Blue' is published on 11th October 2022.
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We continue to add sketches to the website, and there are a few more there now.
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Ragged Men, and new Ian Miller prints
Ian Miller has done it again. This superb new drawing is 'Ragged Men' and it will be used in the new game Sorcery Contested Realm as 'Relentless Crowd'. We've added to our list of Ian's archival signed limited-edition prints available.
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Two more limited edition prints here too, 'Cosmic' and Ian's own 'Phyrexian Dreadnought' which was a private commission.
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This was the future then
I've also just been reminded of the work we produced for Sir Clive Sinclair. There's still a great deal of affection for those early computers, the ZX81, and the ZX Spectrum, and also those very first computer games he pioneered. John Harris produced the covers for his manuals at (unbelievably) a time when computers in our homes just didn't exist. Some of the games were 16K of RAM . . .
This was John's cover for the manual of the ZX Spectrum.
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And here is how they were used. We still sell prints of these images, sometimes to people who are still involved with that whole world of Sinclair Computers.
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And now, forty years on, Anthony and Nicola Caulfield (Gracious Films) are making a film about the whole groundbreaking phenomenon. They've interviewed game developers, journalists, technicians and many other interested parties. You can view their project here – they'd be very pleased to hear from anyone else who had any involvement.
Many of the computers were made in Portugal where there is now a museum dedicated to the Sinclair story.
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And finally
Back in those days, you could twist Jim Burns' arm to illustrate a computer game cover or two in between working on 'Planet Story' or 'Alien Landscapes'. Gracious Films are considering a limited edition print of a few of these ‐ as well as other images to help to fund the film so do watch this space. Some of the things we thought might vanish into history, never quite do.
But it's inconceivable to imagine a world without home computers now, or indeed their games.
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All images copyright © the artists.
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