As one half of Geek Native is an artist (me, I’m talking about me), it should come as no surprise that we spend a decent amount of time championing great artists here – and when it comes to a franchise as beloved and celebrated as Alien, of course we’re going to be one of the first to acknowledge great new work.
Today, that work comes from award-winning filmmaker and artist John R. Mullaney, whose illustrations for ALIEN The Roleplaying Game Evolved Edition truly made our jaws drop.
It is, of course, a timley art bump, as the Kickstarter for the new ALIEN The Roleplaying Game Evolved Edition looms ever closer – 25th March, to be precise (and you can sign up here to be notified).
Mullaney is one of the artists who worked on the first edition of the game, having made several beautiful artworks of iconic ships and vehicles. The Evolved Edition will feature two new paintings of two designs from the recent hit film ALIEN Romulus: the USCSS Corbelan IV and the F44AA Pulse Rifle.
Here’s what Mullaney had to say:
Of all the franchises I’ve been commissioned to produce artwork for, Alien is my most beloved. I first experienced the original trilogy at a formative age in the early nineties and the Alien universe has been deep in my DNA ever since. I’ve always especially loved the hardware in these movies; real-world, tangible and human. The more convincingly the human world is portrayed, the more alien the Xeno becomes by contrast.
So I was thrilled when Tomas Härenstam got back in touch asking me to illustrate new hardware from Alien: Romulus for the title’s updated edition. There’s so much to love about Fede Alvarez’s film, not least the stunning production design, most notably the Corbelan IV which I was asked to illustrate.
I use Photoshop to enhance my final art but I otherwise work traditionally, channelling the film-makers I admire by achieving as much of the art as possible “in-camera,” i.e. on paper, with minimal digital post-production. I draw my artworks at a generous scale – to allow for as much detail as possible – on 300gm smooth watercolour paper, then ink and paint them using multiple layers of watercolour washes with occasional gouache. It’s an approach that means even in 2D elevation form, the artworks have a depth of colour, texture and form.
I’m always fascinate to learn about other artists’ processes, and as someone who’s only just discovered the power of gouache, I’m delighted to hear it’s been used in some of these gorgeous works!
Mullaney also talked about one of his favourite designs from this project:
The weapon’s a great design – familiar but fresh. It was a lot of fun to illustrate; I replicated all the scratches and dirt to achieve the used-future aesthetic that Alien and Star Wars both pioneered. Unlike the illustrations of vehicles I’ve produced for Free League, I decided to establish a subtly different visual grammar for weapons by enhancing the rifle’s elevation view with some perspective depth – I think it makes for an even more satisfying presentation of the design.
And he’s definitely right! It’s got such an authentic, retro feel to it and the presentation is just *chef’s kiss*.
Below, we’ve also included some page spreads from ALIEN The Roleplaying Game Evolved Edition showcasing more of John’s work and the new graphic design by Johan Nohr (MÖRK BORG). Check it out!
ALIEN The Roleplaying Game Evolved Edition features new core rules, a starter set, cinematic scenario set, and miniatures line. We’ll update you when the Kickstarter launches, or you can also sign up here to be notified.
What do you think of these stunning illustrations from John R. Mullaney – does it make you even more excited for ALIEN The Roleplaying Game Evolved Edition? Start the conversation below.
