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 Post subject: The US Navy in SF

Posted: 2011-03-20 03:59am 

From the Official US Navy Art Collection at the Washington DC Navy Yard.

I got a CD with the best of -- about 798 images.

They have a collection of about 3000+ paintings, sketches etc there at the Yard, and throughout the Navy itself.

But they have virtually no real money at all to run the art program.

 Post subject: Re: The US Navy in SF

Posted: 2011-03-20 04:57am 

Question about the last picture.

Are those some kind of underwater fighter craft deployed from submarine carriers ?!

 Post subject: Re: The US Navy in SF

Posted: 2011-03-20 08:57am 

Good god. I'm a sucker for blues. Really love the way the carriers sit in the background of the first pic in contrast to the aircraft. Those are absolutely amazing - are there any others to be shared in this vein? Do you have the artist's name?

 Post subject: Re: The US Navy in SF

Posted: 2011-03-20 11:42am 

That would be John Berkey. A man who single handidly dominated sci-fi art during the 70's. Pick up any pulp sci-fi book or zine from that time and you are bound to see something by Berkey.

I have no doubt you have seen tons of his work already, most people do. most however don't realize it all comes from ONE MAN.

 Post subject: Re: The US Navy in SF

Posted: 2011-03-20 12:39pm 

Man, that third picture takes me back to the well-loved copy of Our Universe I have back at my parent's house.

 Post subject: Re: The US Navy in SF

Posted: 2011-03-20 02:26pm 

Yep, same guy.

I remeber as a kid going through the hundreds of "ANALOG" sci fi books my dad had. At the time I htought that in the 70's all the sci-fi artists drew the same way, because you see that style everywhere. Didn't find out till later it looked the same because it was all done by the same guy.

And "Our Universe" god that brings back memories. did you get the version with the cardbored telescope you could put togetehr with those slides?

 Post subject: Re: The US Navy in SF

Posted: 2011-03-20 08:08pm 

That may be, but I have to admit I have no backing in the area of pulp sci-fi. I'm a giant robot/shounen anime and JRPG kind of guy.

Thanks for the name. Color schemes don't come naturally to me because I cannot see an entire spectrum of color (pinks, reds, some greens), so Berkey's color arrangements here are quite the inspiration.

 Post subject: Re: The US Navy in SF

Posted: 2011-03-22 11:33am 

I get a Coast Guard vibe off the right-hand ship in the second image. I think it's the paint job doing it for me.

 Post subject: Re: The US Navy in SF

Posted: 2011-03-22 01:04pm 

I don't ever recall seeing that, so I guess not.

Unfortunately the binding for our copy has disintegrated, and so the pages have come apart. I occasionally find loose leaf pages from that book around the house.

 Post subject: Re: The US Navy in SF

Posted: 2011-03-25 04:30pm 

I think so too - white is the color of the Coast Guard, not the Navy