First, it’s great that @MichaelWhelan is on Mastodon. What an amazing artist.
Second, his recent post featured a spherical alien that I instantly recognized from my childhood. https://mastodon.art/@MichaelWhelan/112428886103083708
It’s from this book, published in 1980, which had a cover image that is also burned into my brain.
Attached: 3 images JOVIAN ATTACK FISHES ON TITAN VENUSIANS 2/3
Based on my replies, the National Geographic Picture Atlas of Our Universe (1980) was clearly an Important Book for nerds of my generation!
I love this because it shows the power of funding high-quality artwork for what is essentially a book of Really Cool Stuff and Ideas for Kids.
Forget the business model. This book and these illustrations set kids’ minds on FIRE, to the point where they still remember it vividly today, 44 years later.
@siracusa If you don't already have it, I recommend checking out The Art of NASA: The Illustrations That Sold the Missions.
https://www.amazon.com/Art-NASA-Illustrations-That-Missions/dp/0760368074
John Siracusa
Jeremy Cox