Behind the Cover: Bruce Pennington

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Bruce Pennington (born May 10, 1944 in Somerset is a British painter, perhaps best known for his science fiction and fantasy novel cover art. Pennington's works have largely featured on the covers of novels of the likes of Isaac Asimov, Clark Ashton Smith and Robert A. Heinlein, adopting both science fiction and fantastical themes. Pennington's past of speculation and youthful wonderment lead to his current outlandish form and style.


Cover Art for Flashing Swords, 1974




Cover Art for Glory Road by Robert Heinlein



Pennington's works are largely characterised by bold, daring colours; rich pinks and blues sustaining his continuing motifs of speculation as well as precise brush strokes, harmonious pigment blending as well as the acute concentration in the detail of his depicted subjects, usually landscapes of other times or worlds.

Pennington, earlier disenchanted with traditional art methods, pursued his youthful fascination with that of the imagined and speculated.

Works include 'Impossible Possibilities' and 'A Canticle for Leibowitz'.

Pennington attended the Ravensbourne School of Art in Bromley during the early 1960s. He began working as a freelance illustrator in 1967. In 1976, Paper Tiger Books published an LP-sized graphic album, Eschatus, featuring Pennington's paintings inspired by the prophecies of Nostradamus. They followed this, in 1991, with a graphic album, Ultraterraneum, collecting various private and commercial works. (From Wikipedia)

http://www.brucepennington.co.uk/

Comments

[maximvanziel.livejournal.com]

I think it's one of the greatest posts you've done!
The reason you chose the third one? I'm a bit curious :D

Thanks!

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

The third one is a classical example of sci-fic cover of the '70. The cover art in that period almost use nudity to grasp the customer attention, even if, maybe, the story didn't match with the cover. But for my taste, the first two are the better. Elisa