Moebius

One of the best and most influential comic book artists of all time, Jean Giraud was born in Paris France in 1938, and drew under the pen name Moebius, after the German mathematician who created the Moebius strip.

The French artist was famous in America for illustrating series such as the Silver Surfer parables published by Marvel in 1988, but he’s most appreciated for surpassing American boundaries of typical super-hero comic book genre to create stories in a universe of their own. He loved Westerns, and illustrated Blueberry from 1963-2012 (minus a 15 year break for a fight over royalties).

He is also famous for his work in the science fiction series Heavy Metal starting in 1977, and his wordless fantasy stories such as Arzak/Arzach. He used the pseudonym Moebius when drawing science fiction.

“As Moebius, he would tell stories that take our minds to a different place, beginning with something foreign outside of human experience, and then smashing it with something oddly familiar. This causes us as readers to step outside our minds and see ideas and concepts that weren’t there before. This contrast of dejavu (seen before) and jemevue (never seen before) results in a strangely euphoric catharsis.” – Shapes on a Page, by Matt & Bethany Curtis

AJ Power: “He has done a few series that had no words- most notably Arzach (it’s a bit risque and too adult for a younger crowd – he is not shy about M&F nudity), but he also did a book called “40 Days in the Desert”.  I tend to mention him because he was so sought after by Hollywood for concept drawings and storyboards. Here is an image from 40 days in the desert… it’s sort of a stream-of-consciousness story.”

Jean Giraud contributed concept art and storyboards for Alien, Tron, Fifth Element, Willow, and …Space Jam (it hurt me to write that last one). He also wrote the story for Little Nemo (1989). Miyazaki, William Gibson, Ridley Scott, Federico Fellini all say Giraud was influential to their work.

Here is Giraud drawing one of his most famous characters “Blueberry” in a video filmed in 2008, 4 years before his death at 73.

Interested in learning more about Moebius? There’s a ton of information about him online, and some great youtube videos.

Interested in learning how to draw from someone who has studied his fantastical illustrations mark by mark? “His drawings taught me a great deal about light/shadow, pen technique, perspective and narrative.” AJ Power’s Illustration class starts next week.

https://seattleartistleague.com/art-classes/beginning-illustration-tuesday-evening-shortie-online-8-11/