#visual futurism

[cyberianlife]

ARCH Nazaré Original Concept - Cyberpunk 2077

Filippo Ubertino, Senior Concept Artist at CD Projekt Red

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Shigueru Komatsuzaki 1950s visual futurism

SHIGERU KOMATSUZAKI (1915 — 2001) was born in Tokyo and is one of the most prolific figures in science fiction in Japan from the 50’s. His first published work, "Shirogitsune Kidan" ("Mystery of the White Fox") was created while he was in his teens before he was recruited to draw mechanical hardware for a journal called ‘Kikaika’ during the Second World War.

After the war he wrote and illustrated a number of books aimed at young adult readers like "Daini no Sekai" ("Second World") and Kaitei Ōkoku ("Undersea Kingdom”) while he also worked as an art/production designer on several Japanese films like Chikyū Bōeigun (“The Mysterians”) and Uchū Daisensō (“Battle in Outer Space”) to name a few.

While around him the comics industry in Japan was starting to take off, Komatsuzaki chose to stick with creating large illustrations for various model companies that created military kits, Gundams and most notably for Thunderbirds and other Gerry Anderson properties like Captain Scarlet, Joe 90 and UFO. Komatsuzaki is highly regarded by most Japanese science fiction and comic book writers as one of the most influential men in the genre.

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Syd Mead 1979s Sentinel

A highly visual encyclopedia of the possible with drawings by Syd Mead, a trained industrial designer and a visualizer of the American Dream

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Visions by Siemens

German-based Siemens is another company which has persistently explored radical innovation opportunities. Since 2001 they have bi-annually published the corporate magazine Pictures of the Future which for each issue presents three future scenarios set ten to 20 years ahead in time. The so-called ‘communication scenarios’ aim to create a basis for dialogue with the public by presenting a wide range of topics and offering a large number of starting points for debate about the future. Each scenario is followed by eight to ten articles explaining the technological and socio-cultural conditions it is based upon and linking the scenario to research projects currently taking place among Siemens +30.000 researchers.

Over the years the magazine has presented an extensive collection of more than 50 scenarios, each of which has the potential for several concrete innovation opportunities. Each scenario evolves around an everyday situation and skilfully integrates solutions relevant to its main business divisions: automation, power, transportation, medical, information and communication. Given that much of Siemens business is directed towards serving professionals, most of the scenarios envision the everyday lives of professionals, such as a maintenance worker, doctor, entrepreneur, energy detective, or other professions that may exist in the future.

[1187hunterwasser]

Joel Johnson's interview with Syd Mead - Designing Blade Runner's dystopian look (2008)