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
An image from “Arzach” by Moebius
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.
An image from “Arzak” by Moebius (France)A page from the manga “Nausicaa” by Hayao Miyazaki (Japan)
Here is Giraud drawing one of his most famous characters “Blueberry” in a video filmed in 2008, 4 years before his death at 73.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31eMG8MoXD8
Interested in learning more about Moebius? There’s a ton of information about him online, and some great youtube videos.
You’re reading a V. Note, written by Ruthie V, the director of the Seattle Artist League. The League is an art school for the busy nurse, tech geek, and mom with a long lost art degree. We offer engaging online classes in drawing and painting. Join us! Find your class:https://www.seattleartistleague.com/product-category/d-online-classes/
[image_with_animation image_url=”10543″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] There is something so danged exciting about making a big piece of art. I mean, a really really big piece of art. The work …
Source: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/this-flag-once-protested-lynching-now-its-an-artists-response-to-police-violence/ BY CORINNE SEGAL July 10, 2016 at 1:09 PM EDT “A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday,” a piece by artist Dread Scott, based on an NAACP banner, appears …
[image_with_animation image_url=”9524″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] This is the sixth and last part of a multi day series, sharing work by my beginning figure drawing classes. Many of these students …
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.
You’re reading a V. Note, written by Ruthie V, the director of the Seattle Artist League. The League is an art school for the busy nurse, tech geek, and mom with a long lost art degree. We offer engaging online classes in drawing and painting. Join us! Find your class: https://www.seattleartistleague.com/product-category/d-online-classes/
Related Posts
Giant Woodblock Prints by William Kentridge
[image_with_animation image_url=”10543″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] There is something so danged exciting about making a big piece of art. I mean, a really really big piece of art. The work …
This flag once protested lynching. Now it’s Dread Scott’s response to police violence
Source: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/this-flag-once-protested-lynching-now-its-an-artists-response-to-police-violence/ BY CORINNE SEGAL July 10, 2016 at 1:09 PM EDT “A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday,” a piece by artist Dread Scott, based on an NAACP banner, appears …
Carolyn Zick
All of us leave a legacy. It’s the result of what we say, what we do, the art we make. We leave our fingerprints on this world, and there’s a …
Beginner’s Drawings That’ll Knock Your Socks Off (Final)
[image_with_animation image_url=”9524″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] This is the sixth and last part of a multi day series, sharing work by my beginning figure drawing classes. Many of these students …