Science fiction has always been a genre that has pushed the boundaries when it comes to ideas. The basic idea of science fiction is to always imagine new possibilities when it comes to humanity, technology, and other aspects of the sciences. And it has even pushed forth a lot of the limits of those ideas as well. Science fiction as an art form has even inspired real scientists to explore their fields even further. It could be said that science fiction is what guides human development. For example, in the past people used to dream and imagine flying machines, and that was only a few hundred years ago. Science fiction is always turning to Science fact, as humanity progresses.
Naturally, artistic illustrations and depictions of science fiction is something that a lot of people are interested in. After all, the expansive and visionary ideas of science fiction are something that look great on paper. So it is only natural that a lot of people would hire illustrators and artists to create their own depictions of what actual science fiction ideas would look like. Take, for example, the famous Ringworld envisioned by Larry Niven. These sorts of gigantic structures in space would not be easily imagined by people if it were not with the help of sci-fi artists and illustrators. It is through the work of these artists, that science fiction becomes a bit closer to reality.
Why bother with sci-fi art?
Why bother with art and illustrations about science fiction anyway? What is the point of caring about artistic depictions about technology that does not even exist yet? Aside from the entertainment fact, science fiction art and illustrations can help people get inspired by the future. Art about science fiction can even serve as a guide for how people imagine the future as well. With the imagination and creativity that is available in art, the limits and possibilities of science are practically endless!
What does sci-fi art entail?
Artistic illustrations in science fiction combine a whole slew of different techniques and materials to create a finished product. There is the traditional aspect of science fiction art, such as using pencils, pen and ink to create the base of the illustration. And there are also digital techniques that make use of computer software to create the illustrations of certain science fiction ideas as well. And those examples are only the combined ways in which artists create illustrations for science fiction. There are even works that are fully digital artistic renderings of sci-fi ideas.
Science fiction is an expansive genre, encompassing everything from literature to video games. So, therefore, there is always a big demand for the illustration of the ideas that are set forth by sci-fi. Many artists sometimes only deal exclusively with illustrating science fiction. And there is always some new idea that needs to be professionally illustrative anyway. As the horizons of human development and technological capacity expand, so too will the horizons of the stories that people will tell in the science fiction genre.