MichaelWhelan , to random
@MichaelWhelan@mastodon.art avatar

THE LONG WAY HOME (1978)
Acrylic - 24" x 16"

Brandishing a shiny blaster pistol, a tawny furred alien with green eyes steps aggressively through a hatch with its cat-like tail curling behind. The interior—presumably of a ship—is lit bright yellow with readouts of varying color on the bulkhead wall. Outside, a blue and purple field of stars can be seen. Down on the deck plates in the immediate foreground, white smoke wafts off the body of a man in red spacesuit. His pistol rests across his chest, apparently not drawn in time.
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    • MichaelWhelan , to random
    @MichaelWhelan@mastodon.art avatar

    THE MAN WHO COUNTS (1977)
    Acrylic on Masonite - 30" x 20"

    At first glance, tackling the cover art for the reissue of an an old-fashioned SF novel would seem like a boring job for a new illustrator hot to conquer the field, but I looked at reissues as a challenge. I had to outdo whatever was on the original cover so that a new generation of readers would buy it. 1/3

    A dandy gentleman dressed in garish bourgeois fashion holds onto his hat as he's whisked over rough seas by a trio of winged creatures. The tilted horizon provides a dizzying perspective as a silver spaceship sinks into the waters below. The man sits in a loop of a rope knotted above him with individual leads running to his airborne rescuers. His red coat clashes with green breeches that end just below his knees. Yellow stockings cover his legs down to daintily booted feet. The tawny creatures are smooth skinned with muscles rippling between the flexed wings beating in flight. The dotted yellow eyes of the lead beast focus forward toward the audience. A low fin runs the edge of its skull. With a short muzzle and whiskers, it looks like a cross between gargoyle and cat. Its hands are remarkably human while its back feet are taloned.
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