John Berkey: The Man Who Painted the Future

[@charmawow]

When I was MUCH younger I didn’t really appreciate Berkey as an artist….however in recent years, I see his painterly technique for hard edged science fiction as almost genius-like in how he can produce such amazing work.

[@_JellyWalker]

I can only call his style dreamlike realism. What an amazing painter!

[@morenofranco9235]

Berkey is one of Sci-Fi illustration's great artists. He inspired much of my own design work. Thanks for the exhibition.

[@luvdomus]

His understanding of color and light in making imaginary scenarios look convincing plus his genuine love for technology made Berkey the top illustrator of sci-fi space themes.

[@tehawfulestface1337]

As a teenager in the 70’s I grew up reading books with John Berkey’s book cover art. I wore out the Star Wars novel with his book cover, which I used to teach myself how to draw graphic novels. John Berkey’s art has a special place in my collection of artists from my childhood. Twenty years ago I started doing book cover art myself. I credit John Berkey and George Lucas as two of my inspirations.

[@tiredman4540]

Inspiring video! I had known dozens of images of John Berkey, without realising they were by the same person, including the cover of the first book I ever read, Star Wars. What is brilliant about his style is that he still leaves room for mystery, bringing some of the sensitivities of the better side of fine art, to science fiction art.

[@Figulus]

Great video. You ought to do an episode on Syd Mead.

[@spockboy]

Syd is my favorite. I always wanted to live in a world designed by Syd Mead.

[@HernánHilarioDominguez]

Un excelente video y un artista impresionante como siempre

[@rickytoddbotelho9555]

Fantastic job. I remember these illustrations years before star wars came out. And when it did, I thought it was already a success because the designs of the movie were so much like this artists work.👍❤️💯

[@lustrojinn]

Good to have you back.

[@jessealexander8135]

This is awesome! I LOVE Berkey's work! I have one of his prelim sketches for HOW MANY ARE THERE. It's one of my treasured possessions! Thx for making this!

[@ericward6538]

Too cool.

[@N30N_0N3]

Awesome stuff, grew up reading many OG scifi novels by all these authors.

[@padawanmage71]

As a kid, i saw so many covers of sci-fi books, novels, etc. and now know Berke was the artist. As a fan of Asimov, i had no idea Berke did a self-portrait in 'The Caves of Steel'.

[@kerkefe6968]

Could you make a video of Mossacannibalis? I consider him one of the best artist of the "digital" era, he's incredibly good portraying cultures around the world and grounded fantasy illustrations based on the exageration of the traditions and aesthetic from different nations

[@rexharrison6827]

I've loved Berkey's art since first encountering it, I think it was in "Omni" magazine. Not as "nuts-and-bolts" as was a lot of sci-fi illustration, more a sense of painterly grandeur which just happened to focus on technology. Similar to Syd Mead, but not as slickly sterile. Closer to Chris Foss, not in technique but in visual drama. I wish sci-fi movies would lean more into those ideas and visuals, instead of pumping out repetitions of Alien's 'Nostromo" (as much as I also love Ron Cobb's designs, they've almost become the film industry's go-to solution for everything). We got a taste of Foss's work in "Guardians of the Galaxy", but that was merely an appetiser, having full-on Berkey and Foss space operas would breathe new energy into the genre.

[@GuitarlordJohnBurton]

Great Vid!

[@ericmassicotte378]

Amazing artist! It's a shame the only books currently available sell for a small fortune online.

[@locomotionchannel]

Another banger!

[@AllanGildea]

Nice video, thank you very much.

[@seanvolk4202]

Excellent

[@chuzzbot]

Real Paintings! REAL ARTISTS!

[@blast_processing6577]

We need an animation (and for that matter a video game!) with the aesthetics of John Berkey's art style.

[@cloudbloom]

I know that the game No Man's Sky was heavily inspired by old science fiction book covers, they really wanted to recreate that aesthetic and feeling in the game and I think they succeeded in many aspects. Definitely check out that game if you haven't already it's fairly unique

[@robertgriffin662]

I was a kid in the '80's and had a USN poster of a future ship.looked like it was on hydrofoil but it reminds of this art. Was that same guy?

[@scottfw7169]

Berkey did several paintings for the US Navy. My Dad was stationed at a recruiting area headquarters in 1970s and they were sent some material with at least one of those paintings as its image. There is a website, John Berkey Art, where those illustrations can be viewed.

[@robertgriffin662]

@@scottfw7169 thank you!

[@nickn1782]

I had that edition of Starman Jones and several Berkey posters on my walls.

[@jimlassiter749]

sector general..... should be a series....

[@gabrielmontenegro-ny3ng]

cool

[@lads.7715]

Robert McCall instead took the 2001 assignment and later did the murals at the DC Air and Space Museum.

[@sharongillesp]

Syd Mead.

[@664chrisman]

Well, you can see where the Expanse novels got their cover inspiration!

[@scottfw7169]

I would love to be able to like this video since Berkey is a favorite art style but that background hum behind the narration makes it a hard dislike, I can't stay to finish it.

[@olias32]

cool artist, but the whole video sounds written by AI given some of the phrases used it looks like the wikipedia entry on Berkey was passed through an AI to re-write it. the future of content

[@rabidspatula1013]

Great video! Can see where all the AI generated images used for space ambient music videos on YT lately have been getting their cues. Proud now to know the original master, Mr Berkey!

[@futuristica1710]

Cues? You mean stolen style.

[@blakelycreative3171]

I appreciate your time and energy in celebrating this artist's work but the narration voice is a deal breaker for me. I'm guessing it's AI?

[@dpo1713]

Please get rid of the AI sounding voice. I'd rather listen to Spanish and have the auto-translate.

[@richarddunn7017]

What is this voice? Is this AI narration?