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"The Survivors"
(From the book "Solar Wind Volume 2")By : Deborah Susan Jones : Editor & Contributing writerPart of a unique range
of paperback covers with an unusual history. Painted by the artist
on 27th July 1987 it is part of a set of covers
he created for Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series
but with a bit of a twist . . . . . Although published by Legend / Arrow books
in the UK & Commonwealth market the request to
create the cover, as with the others in the same series,
came about because the book series itself had, in the
view of the publisher, "sold as many as it is going to"
and so Peter was commissioned to "put a very different
spin on it" to try to get a longer sales life for a
style of fiction that had, basically, lost momentum in
the UK market.It was clear from the
start, as stipulated by the art director Dennis Barker,
who Peter enjoyed a long and very creative working
relationship with, that to facilitate this, the entire
layout of the cover, overall design-feel, logotype,
everything, was needed,and although not commissioned by
the art director to do so, Peter created a logotype that
gave th series a unique branding and gave the overall
look of the covers an ultra-contemporary feel and even
the illustrations themselves were painted to be as
distinct as possible from any previous covers by other
artists in the genre.The project was successful, in fact, very
successful.Needless to say, the entire revolutionising
of the visual style and branding of the series was
entirely something done on "gut feel", a hunch if you
will, by the artist, and born out of his, by then,
long-standing involvement with the Science Fiction and
Fantasy genres.These days, in today's world, we'd probably
call this "consultancy work" or some such, back then, it
was just raw enthusiasm for the genre, working with
fellow respected professionals, in the guise of art
director and editor, and just "getting on with it
because it is fun".Fun, was, and still is, a major driving
force!The illustration now appears in its own right
in
volume 2 of Peter's role Science Fiction art anthology Solar Wind 2 that we publish.Deborah Susan Jones
