Approaching the anniversary of his passing, we are going to take a look at the revolutionary work of artist H.R. Giger, and the style his work gave birth to- Biomechanical Art.
Born in 1940 in Switzerland, Hans Rudolf “Ruedi” Giger, known to most as simply H.R. Giger, gained early success with his art at the end of the 1960’s, via production of posters featuring his art.
His unique style was one of stark surrealism, in which he usually depicted the intimate fusing of mechanical features or parts to distinctly biological components or beings. Giger’s compositions were usually desaturated or completely monochromatic, and the scenes were often emtionally (and visually) dark. This approach resulted in evocative, often bizarre, sometimes disturbing imagery in his paintings.
The visceral style of H.R. Giger strikes a deep and distinct chord. It presents us with universally familiar elements, yet portrayed in an unearthly context. It creates a deep resonance with its audience, regardless of whether the reaction to it is positive or negative. His creations and their lasting impact have had a great deal of influence on many artists in their own work, whether they realize it or not.
Given the style of artwork produced here at Killer Paint, it is not surprising to find some Giger-esque artwork here at the shop from time to time.
Such designs have been created for customer jobs, side projects, and even television appearances. Mike even designed some Freehand Templates designed specifically for doing biomech artwork
An episode of “Payback” with the rock band Korn focused on an automotive project featuring biomech-influenced elements and artwork on the project. You may even recall the “Under Pressure” episode of “Rides”, in which both cars for the painting competition were painted with a biomechanical theme.
Using Giger inspired elements on vehicles both large and small works very well, and there are many ways that biomech artwork can be worked into the paint design. A number of color palettes can be applied effectively to these designs, or just done in monotone grays. The density of the composition can be varied as well, all the way from a few sparse elements to a super-dense layout, packed with visual components.
H.R. Giger was a mad genius of sorts, and brought something entirely new to the table with his work. People will probably likely feel the effect of H.R. Giger’s art for many years to come- the ripples of the creative splash he made in the world of art before he left it.
We hope you enjoyed this post. Let us know if there is anything you would like to see us post here in the future!
Maybe this project gave you some ideas, or you already have an idea in mind for your own car, truck, motorcycle, refrigerator, etc?
If you would like to contact Killer Paint about working on your own project, visit our website, or contact us at info@killerpaint.com
Related Links:
The Original Killer Paint Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/THE-Original-KILLER-PAINT-INC/297040465604
The Official Killer Paint Website: www.killerpaint.com
The Official H.R. Giger Website: www.hrgiger.com
Killer Paint videos on YouTube
Biomech FX “Skull Buster” templates at Coast Airbrush: http://www.coastairbrush.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Biomech_FX_Skull_Buster_Set
Biomech FX “Spinal Trap” templates at Coast Airbrush: http://www.coastairbrush.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Biomech_FX_Spinal_Tap_Set
Killer Paint’s “True Fire™ Basics” Blog Series: https://www.killerpaint.com/true-firetrade-basics
Killer Grunge FX™ Spray at Coast Airbrush: https://www.coastairbrush.com/products.asp?cat=789
Grunge FX™ Tutorial Video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96hjkbrwprA
True Fire™ Instructional DVDs:
The Secrets of Airbrushing True Fire™ – Part 1
The Secrets of Airbrushing True Fire™ – Part 2
True Fire™ Freehand Templates: Artool Freehand Airbrush Templates, True Fire Template Set
House of Kolor Official Website: www.houseofkolor.com -The preferred paint of Mike Lavallee & Killer Paint
Killer Paint Airbrush Studio 