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H.R. Giger's Dune Concept Art

Among his many masterpieces was H.R. Giger's Dune concept art for Alejandro Jodorowsky's film interpretation of the epic sci-fi tale.

By Futurism StaffPublished 8 years ago 5 min read
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"You get talent when you discover the ground of your pain." In 1964, H.R. Giger began producing his first artworks, mainly ink drawings and paintings. He would move on to airbrush, the execution that would help the artist create monochromatic worlds depicting dreamy landscapes. By tapping into a nightmarish universe, Giger captured the fascination of local purveyors, leading to his first solo exhibition in 1966. Not since Hieronymous Bosch has an artist been able to effectively tap into unnerving imagery while holding the public's fascination.

Giger developed a unique artistic style, which he later became known for, combining humans and machines into a new category of biomechanical integration. Because of the unique nature of his work, along with the fascinating detail and real ‘grit’ that typically came with his pieces, H.R. Giger became somewhat of a pop culture staple. His pieces are heavily featured in modern societal platforms, such as tattoos, record album covers, etc.

H.R. Giger's Alien art is the most recognizable of his designs. Sigourney Weaver's terrifying experiences aboard the Nostromo introduced the world to Giger. Writer Dan O'Bannon said of Giger's art, "His paintings had a profound effect on me. I had never seen anything that was quite as horrible and at the same time as beautiful as his work. And so I ended up writing a script about a Giger monster." His vision is clearly seen through the designs for the xenomorph's life-cycle, the extraterrestrial environments, as well as the xenomorph itself. Alien earned Giger the 1980 Oscar for the Best Achievement in Visual Effects.

Among his better-known works is also his concept art for Jodorowsky's Dune. While the film adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel never came to fruition, H.R. Giger's Dune concept art has given many a fan insight into the stunning Dune universe.

On May 12, 2014, Giger died in a Zürich hospital after suffering a series of injuries in a fall. His otherworldly paintings continue to capture the imaginations of everyone who peers into the parallel universe they depict. A documentary titled Dark Star—H.R. Giger's Welt unravels the life of Giger. "Where others flee, he makes his home. What others dread, he makes his habitat. What others fight to suppress, he drags back to the surface." Giger introduced the world to a reality that few other surrealist artists have managed to replicate, a world of infinite detail and intrigue.

A world of fantasy awaits in this biomechanical dream created by H.R. Giger, mixing his traditional style with an alien background that is dark, mysterious, and gritty. Whether these images spark your wildest dreams or deepest fears, Giger will surely evoke strong emotions with these stunning visual displays. H.R. Giger's Biomechanics is one of the best H.R. Giger art books, focusing on Giger's diverse alien landscapes, inhabited by the spectral offspring of his vivid dreams and darkest nightmares.

As an Academy Award winning special effects artist, Giger guides the reader through his techniques in many different movies, including the popular Alien series and Species. From special effects secrets to airbrushing techniques, H.R. Giger's Film Design captures the pure rawness that can shine through in a film with the right artistic vision. The book features over 200 photos and illustration's of Giger's film contributions, guiding readers through their creation from start to final product.

A celebratory collection of Giger’s work comes together in this portfolio-style book. From biomechanical integration to intricate views inside a fantastical dream or nightmare from a haunted master artist, the Taschen Portfolio is Giger’s work at its very best. H.R. Giger Taschen Portfolio includes 14 reproductions of Giger's works, highlighting his Fantastic Realism.

Famously known for his work in the movie Alien, Giger brings new creatures and species to life in this book, showcasing his work on the movie Species. Included are Giger’s original sketches and design concepts for the movie itself, including 3D designs for puppetry and animation. If you are a fan of the film or Giger’s work, this is a fantastic, eerie combination reflecting the artist’s genius. The book documents every aspect of the creation of Giger's Species art from conception through development and onto the final terrorizing 3D realization of Giger's macabre, otherworldly designs. Species Design includes Giger's original sketches, photos of the film's animatronic puppets and sets, and action stills in 110 photos and 50 line drawings.

This book contains new, original art pieces developed by Giger during his time in New York City. While the city itself can sometimes be viewed as gritty, tough, and dark, Giger takes the landscape to a whole new level with his imaginative and raw paintings, portraying a city filled with dark fantasy. H.R. Giger, N.Y. City contains some of Giger's rarest works.

H.R. Giger takes an autobiographical retrospective look at his own photography, sketching, and other works in this book, providing an excellent introduction into his world of art—a great book for those just learning about Giger’s work, featuring some of his most famous pieces. Aside from showcasing Giger's art, H.R. Giger ARH+ gives an informative look into Giger's life, giving a brief overview of Giger as a person as well as an artist.

H.R. Giger's Necronomicon is a powerful and imaginative book of artwork that dives into the depths of fantasy, dreams, and nightmares to take an exploratory look into Giger’s world of art depicting death. These works have been compared to the death depictions of Bosch, Brueghel, Lovecraft, Poe, and Kafka. This book is beautifully disturbing and fascinatingly raw.

Another look back at Giger’s mysterious works from 1964-1984. This book features over 150 of Giger’s most popular and most original pieces of artwork and some lesser-known works that make this book perfect for a newcomer to the world of Giger or a long-time fan. H.R. Giger's Retrospective explores all 20 years of Giger's career through 70 color illustrations, 75 black and white illustrations, and 25 black and white photographs. Reproductions of Giger's paintings are accompanied by the artist's commentary, providing insight into his inspiration.

Though H.R. Giger’s Necronomicon II serves as a sequel to H.R. Giger’s Necronomicon, it is a highly original showcase of his art that can stand alone as a representation of his work. This book and once again dives deep into the dark corners of the mind to appreciate Giger’s work on death and darkness. It has been known to evoke powerful emotions and feelings in people, and is its spiritually-graphic nature truly calls to those who appreciate the intricacies of the art world.

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