Album covers from the days of long-playing records (the 33rpm vinyl jobs) are a lost art form, along with index cards, paper files, accounting ledgers, blotters and the like. Modern man wouldn't count files and ledgers as art forms but for me, in their own sweet way, they are. Things of the past, things one could hold, appreciate, feel. They are fondly remembered.
Which brings me to an artist celebrating his birthday today, 31 August: Roger Dean. I have to admit I was unfamiliar with the artist's name, but do recognise his work, once pointed in the right direction.
Dean's father's army career meant that he and the family spent much of his childhood abroad, in Cyprus, Greece and Hong Kong. His family settled back in England in 1957, when Dean enrolled in the Canterbury School of Art. By 1968 he had graduated from the Royal College of Art, with credentials in design and architecture as well in painting. One of his designs, the sea urchin chair, was featured in the movie A Clockwork Orange.
Roger Dean's work really began to be noticed, though, around 1971 when he embarked on paintings and design work for use on album covers for then famous rock bands. Much of the artwork he produced then has since become iconic in its genre.
A wee bit of astrology ~~~
Roger Dean was born in Ashford, Kent on 21 August 1944. His time of birth isn't available, the chart is set for 12 noon. Unless born before 7:00 AM Moon would have been in early Aquarius; otherwise in late Capricorn.
That's quite a striking chart! A lot of Virgo: Sun/Jupiter, Mercury, Venus all in the sign of the perfectionist, with Mars conjunct creative Neptune in Libra, almost certainly in harmonious trine to natal Moon, which I'm betting was in early Aquarius bearing in mind the artist's attraction to futuristic-cum-fantasy subject matter.
Dean, along with many of his generation, has a Grand Trine in his natal chart linking the creative Neptune/Uranus trine to a personal planet - in his case, natal Moon.
Which brings me to an artist celebrating his birthday today, 31 August: Roger Dean. I have to admit I was unfamiliar with the artist's name, but do recognise his work, once pointed in the right direction.
Dean's father's army career meant that he and the family spent much of his childhood abroad, in Cyprus, Greece and Hong Kong. His family settled back in England in 1957, when Dean enrolled in the Canterbury School of Art. By 1968 he had graduated from the Royal College of Art, with credentials in design and architecture as well in painting. One of his designs, the sea urchin chair, was featured in the movie A Clockwork Orange.Roger Dean's work really began to be noticed, though, around 1971 when he embarked on paintings and design work for use on album covers for then famous rock bands. Much of the artwork he produced then has since become iconic in its genre.
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A wee bit of astrology ~~~
Roger Dean was born in Ashford, Kent on 21 August 1944. His time of birth isn't available, the chart is set for 12 noon. Unless born before 7:00 AM Moon would have been in early Aquarius; otherwise in late Capricorn.
That's quite a striking chart! A lot of Virgo: Sun/Jupiter, Mercury, Venus all in the sign of the perfectionist, with Mars conjunct creative Neptune in Libra, almost certainly in harmonious trine to natal Moon, which I'm betting was in early Aquarius bearing in mind the artist's attraction to futuristic-cum-fantasy subject matter.
Dean, along with many of his generation, has a Grand Trine in his natal chart linking the creative Neptune/Uranus trine to a personal planet - in his case, natal Moon.
forgot about him.... he was everywhere in the seventies but it all looks dated now
ReplyDeleteI prefer Robert Crumb
http://charlesshaarmurray.com/journalism/comics/comics-menu/r-crumb-art-subversion-2/r-crumb-profiled-charles-shaar-murray-page-2/
:)
JD ~~ Dated? Hmmmm - in a way, I guess, because the medium of large album sleeves no longer exists, but the artwork itself doesn't seem dated to me.
ReplyDeleteR. Crumb is roughly the same age as Roger Dean, and in a different genre altogether....also a wee bit dated if we're getting into that frame of mind! ;-)
I loved the movie "American Splendor" about Harvey Pekar and R. Crumb who, according to the movie was the artist who first illustrated Pekar's ideas in comic books.
The instant I saw Roger Dean, I thought Osibisa and sure enough ...
ReplyDeleteAh memories - I had prints all over the place.
James Higham ~~ I don't remember the music (was probably soaked in Sinatra at the time) but I remember the artwork.
ReplyDelete:-)
A little dated? Yeah like a Van Gogh is dated.
ReplyDelete