Interview with Syd Mead, Blade Runner designer
BoingBoing Gadgets has a nice informal chat with concept artist and designer, Syd Mead, whose work on Blade Runner may be the most convincing and enduring sci-fi art ever translated to film.
Of course, Mead is rather humble about the whole thing: “I wasn’t in the movie business and I didn’t particularly care, I was just doing a design job.”
Also of interest:
Joel Johnson interviews Syd Mead: part 1
Joel Johnson interviews Syd Mead: part 2
BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT on Amazon
July 24th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
One thing I love about Syd Mead is he is a true designer, a creator, not just an artist. Everything about the elements he designs for an illustration has meaning, thought and reason. there is no style without purpose. I’ve talked to him a couple of times about some paintings and he is so quick to explain a design and his thought process behind it- even pieces that were created more than forty years ago.
Building upon this of course is his artistic talent and all of the logic behind the lighting, composition, and color.
Many entertainment designers have tremendous artistic talent, but none can match the combination of technical expertise and artistic skill that Syd has.