Roger Dean Analyzed
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Topic: Roger Dean Analyzed
Posted By: scottmcd
Subject: Roger Dean Analyzed
Date Posted: December 23 2009 at 22:31
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Hi all. I do an art analysis blog and thought you all might be interested in this week's column. It takes apart some of the techniques he used to create the cover for Tales From Topographic Oceans. And there's the obligatory mention of Avatar, too. :-/ Check it out here: http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=337 - http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=337 Happy winter holiday of your choice. ;) |
Replies:
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: December 23 2009 at 22:41
Thanks for posting that Scott.  I'm a big fan of that album and am going to enjoy going through your analysis. Just a brief glimpse and I know I've never studied it closely enough. Let us know if you decide to tackle other Yes albums too. ------------- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sQD8uhpWXCw" rel="nofollow - It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...Road Rage Edition |
Posted By: scottmcd
Date Posted: December 23 2009 at 22:57
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I don't think I'll want to repeat artists soon. I started out focusing on comic stuff and historical illustration, but I decided I wanted to expand to CD/Album art too. There's plenty of other material, though. I could do a Hugh Syme Rush cover. (Or Iron Maiden for that matter.) Or H.R. Giger's cover for ELP's Brain Salad Surgery. (I believe that the original was stolen and remains missing.) And I intend to hit one of Mark Wilkinson's covers for Marillion or Fish. Any cover or artist nominations? |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: December 23 2009 at 23:04
Orme? ------------- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sQD8uhpWXCw" rel="nofollow - It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...Road Rage Edition |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: December 23 2009 at 23:05
------------- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sQD8uhpWXCw" rel="nofollow - It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...Road Rage Edition |
Posted By: scottmcd
Date Posted: December 23 2009 at 23:21
| I'm not familiar with them, but what you posted certainly looks pretty cool. I'll take a more detailed look. Thanks. :) |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: December 25 2009 at 02:27
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Interesting analysis Scott. In his book (Views) Roger Dean says that the picture was a code for patterns located elsewhere, unfortunately he doesn't expand on that futher. As the pyramid and the geoglyph were added to the picture after suggestions from Anderson and White, I assume they are not part of the code, however I think that the stars may be, (and therefore not ornamentation as you suggest), simply because they are too carefully placed in comparison to other Dean starfields which are normally just paint splatters (the kind of thing done with a short bristled brush and a palette knife).
The "if" question you raise regarding the golden section is interesting - I'm of the belief that most artists use it subconsciously, since it is a naturally pleasing ratio to anyone with binocular vision and the square format of the album cover also lends itself naturally to golden ratio divisions. Of course as Dean is an architech by training, it's not inconcievable he employed it deliberately. ------------- What? |
Posted By: The Runaway
Date Posted: December 25 2009 at 05:29
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Great analysis! Please let us know if you're analyzing any more albums, I'd love to read some more! ------------- http://www.formspring.me/Aragorn224" rel="nofollow - Trendsetter win! The search for nonexistent perfection. |
Posted By: Tony R
Date Posted: December 25 2009 at 05:43
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Nice work Scott. I watched Avatar last night and immediately thought of Roger Dean; the floating mountains, for instance, could not be an accident or coincidence. In fact the whole movie looked like a mash-up of Dean imagery and that 90s French computer game Flashback. |