All Comments

Thomas Wrobel 3rd of September 2010
A wonderful image for a wonderful game.
Re: LBA

David Glass 3rd of September 2010
Very impressive Do you know if Peter made other drawings related to LBA game ? Also, would you mind if we use this picture in non commercial fan games ? (http://forum.magicball.net)
Re: LBA

Peter Fussey 20th of August 2010
This poster hung on my bedroom wall for several years until it started to fall apart, I still have the poster, though now it is kept safe in a plastic folder. A great picture based on Michael Trim's design for Jeff Wayne's musical version of 'The War of the Worlds'. In my opinion, this picture should have been added to Jeff's album when it was re-released on CD back in the 1990s. Great painting by a great artist.
Re: War Of The Worlds

Richard Daborn 18th of August 2010
I've been a fan of Peter's work ever since i was a child when i recieved the books Great Space Battles and Spacewrecks which featured much of his art. As an ameteur artist myself, Peter's work has been one of my inspirations over the years. I was saddened to hear of his passing, never knew until recently. I'm pleased his work will live on. Respect and regards.

Dave Willis 8th of August 2010
Thank you for putting up this website, so we can all continue to enjoy Peter's amazing art. So sorry to hear he is no longer with us. It would be great if someone published a definitive collection of his pictures in an art book.

Geoff Hogg 7th of August 2010
I had all the Terran Trade Authority books, and this one nosed out ahead of all the others. A sense of the future.
Re: To Open The Sky

hmadzo 5th of August 2010
Amazing piece, man he had figures down way better than I imagined! I recently visited the Coliseum, as an intact arena with a time travel camera enabled machines he had it perfectly! OMG, Peter you were one hell of an illustrator...
Re: The Tenth Victim

Steven Howse 16th of July 2010
I first saw Peters artwork in a stewart cowley book called 'great space battles' and was instantly hooked. No one could get a look in in my local library and I went on a hunt for more of his work. A massively talented SF artist, imitated by many but never bettered. After rummaging around in my attic a few weeks ago I found some of those old Stewart Cowley books I had 'acquired' in my youth and fell in love with his work all over again. Until I visited this site I did not know he had passed away. Peter, you will be sorely missed. The art world is a poorer place without you Steven H

Hank Rozema 12th of July 2010
How wonderfull that a tribute page has been made to celebrate one of sci-fi's best artists. From all of the designs ever his still stands out at best with reality and functionality. I was just a lad when I came across the TTA handbooks, his art just left such an impression that it still has a very large influence on my own work. I suppose that is his legacy and still today I see a lot of other work with a lot of Peter in it. A good example would be the game's

hank Rozema 12th of July 2010
,

Dave Shearn 7th of July 2010
I always wondered who the initials PE stood for in my old Terran Trade Authority books when I was a kid, and now i know and am pretty blown away. The shear number of books i have with his illustrations, even without me knowing is pretty amazing. His art had a big impact on me and probably at least partly lead to my initial career choice studying aerospace engineering.
Re: Mirkheim

P Rogan 5th of July 2010
Of all the great sci-fi artists; Foss, McKie, Hardy and others, Peter's illustrations stood out for me as a kid. When I saw one of his works, I couldn't wait for the future to start. He had an imagination that produced machines and scenery that even compared to todays digital renderings you could be forgiven for thinking he had time travelled ahead for his inspiration, they were so believable. Maybe that is just me romanticizing the past, but I cannot thank Peter enough for having supplied the spark of inspiration to me and so many. Thank you.

Martin Yates 25th of June 2010
I saw the illustration

D. Wiseman 21st of June 2010
Kim Stanley Robinson's works have never looked so good as when they were wrapped in one of Peter Elton's [PE] covers. Many thanks for giving me the chance to see them all again. The Wild Shore, Pacific Edge, The Gold Coast, IceHenge, Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars, Antartica, The Martians ...

Steve McGhee 19th of June 2010
I came across this site after a link to old sci-fi illustrations. Peter produced work that stuck in my mind from my early years and probably went some way to making me the sci-fi fan I am today. It's been fantastic to view all his other work and read your tribute to him. RIP Peter and thanks for the memories.

Christopher T. Shields 5th of June 2010
Thank you for this site. Peter Elson was my favorite sci-fi artist when I was growing up. He still is, today. His work, first discovered in the various Terran Trade Authority art books in the late 1970's when I was in my late single digit years, inspired me in my later writing and model building. Peter had a sense of machines and equipment and the detail that went into them that few artists did at that time and even fewer do today. As others have said, Peter had a remarkably recognizable style and I still find myself occasionally finding a new piece of his artwork that I had not previously known existed, recognizing his style immediately and catching myself looking at the artwork closely for the little square stylized

Eric Seigaud 4th of June 2010
Thanks for this great site.Peter Elson had a great influence for me when I was young and beginning an Illustrator carreer.Now I'm working in video game industry and it's always a pleasure to see these greats painting. Thanks to show us the work of this great artist wich influence a lot of us. Eric

Yann Souetre 4th of June 2010
Thanks a lot for this gallery ! I was regularly seeking for his illustrations on the web, and thanks to you i have discovered a lot of illustrations never seen before. I have discovered PE in the Terran Trade Authority books in the 80's when i was a little child, and since his works have inspired me a lot in my own illustrations too. Peter was a great visionary and he had a special talent for vehicules shapes and textures, even if there were sometimes some perspective issues. See you in stars Peter :)

Sean D. 1st of June 2010
I first saw this illustration in about 1980 and it was a great inspiration to my own illustrations made back in the early 80s as a 12 - 15 year old. I would love to wake up one morning look up at a bright blue sky and see something as impresive as this fly over my little neck of the woods!
Re: The Outposter

Jeremy Yeatman 27th of May 2010
I rediscovered this art about 25 years after first seeing as a schoolboy in the early 80s. Thank you for taking the time to create this site. His art is instantly recognisable.

Paul McNulty 25th of May 2010
Thank you for this wonderful site. Like many visitors here, Peter's work really had an impact on me when I was growing up, and his images are, for me, the de facto visualisations of many of the classic SF works he illustrated. He was truly a great of the genre.

Steve Begg 10th of May 2010
Petes art has always amazed me with its almost photographic quality and cool designs. Has he ever worked on any film TV projects?. His art has a natural film concept design...
Re: Spaceship Graveyard

quiksilva 3rd of May 2010
Nice to eventually catch up with the artist behind so many memories. This book cover was my introduction to Slippery Jim, and I'm grateful to Mike (in the comments below) for mentioning
Re: The Stainless Steel Rat Needs You

João Paulo Cursino 24th of April 2010
I have the book, both in the original English and in my native Portuguese. So, when I saw the name
Re: Nothing By Chance

Alan Watkins 22nd of April 2010
Its great to see such a great artist remembered. I loved his pictures when I was growing up and they still look excellent and way better than many CGI efforts out there.

Gabe 21st of April 2010
Great work setting up an official site for the late great Mr Elson. Big fan of his work for years now and it is a pleasure to see it gathered together and presented so well.

Mike Hatfield 19th of April 2010
I am so glad these amazing works are available to see again. I was linked here from Harry Harrison's site and, like Adam below, simply can't imagine Jim diGriz any other way than Peter imagined and realised himself in the beautiful cover artwork. Growing up, I was a massive fan of all Harry's sci-fi stories and must have stared for hours at the intricate details of Jim's gadgets and the alien worlds on the book covers. Peter's visionary work was, and still is, a joy to behold. Mike

Mike 18th of April 2010
I remember looking at many of the works by Peter as they appeared in the books called Great Space Battles and Spacecraft 2000-2100. I must have read those books hundreds of times. I enjoyed all of the artwork but Peter's illustrations always stood out. The detail was incredible and they always told a story as a standalone image. He really enriched my life and I was really sad to hear of his passing. Kindest regards, Mike

Marc 7th of April 2010
I am glad that this site was finally created. It is sad that it is so long after he passed. His vision was inspiring. Breathtaking. He put so much into his work. I am saddened that I will never be able to meet this artist that brought so much joy to my childhood. The TTA books were my favorite treasure as an adolescent. Each page where one of his creations appeared was particularly revered.
Re: The Outposter

David Bezzina 24th of March 2010
Great to see this tribute to a fantastic artist.. kind regards David Bezzina

n i c o 12th of March 2010
This image is familiar to me for years, as it has been featured in a SF book i still own from my childhood. I think it may be one of my favorite from Peter Elson, and it portrays perfectly the kind of starship design i would like to watch in a SF movie. It would be more interesting compared to the white or grey starships we are used to watch in movies like Star Wars.
Re: The Outposter

Adam Newell 9th of March 2010
It's Peter's Stainless Steel Rat covers which hold the most special memories for me. I love those books, and it's Peter's version of Slippery Jim which I see when I read them.

dwnicolo 8th of March 2010
Truly one of the great SF illustrators of the 70's and 80's.

Martin Gooch 7th of March 2010
I have been a huge fan of Peter's work since I was 5 (1977). I still have all the TTA books, and look at them often. Now I am a film maker and writer, I am sure Peter has influenced my work and my imagination! A remarkable talent.

Cialis 6th of March 2010
7AHHpD Excellent article, I will take note. Many thanks for the story!
Re: Red Mars

Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN 4th of March 2010
Back in the '70s and '80s, Peter's work, along with his TTA Books contribution and the band of great artists this golden age spawned, has always been one of the major inspirations for my own writings. Now in 2010 I'm leading an association that develops a Sci-Fi universe. That would never have been without Peter Elson's great art ! And I'm far from being the only one to have been uplifted this way into believing SF was a way to go ! Thanks Peter for your great imagination, your talent at making dreams come true in your paintings and for your inheritance, the seeds of art to come you planted in so many minds ^-^

Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN 4th of March 2010
Also appeared on
Re: Mirkheim

David 16th of February 2010
Had this picture on my wall as a young teenager. Always loved the look of the machines and the picture as a whole, never knew who had done it until now some 25 years later.
Re: War Of The Worlds

George Ebersole 15th of February 2010
I love this man's work. To me he is one of the great all time science fiction visionaries. I've seen his work in the 70s, and it fired my imagination. The covers of various science fiction books added a richness and texture to the story written within. Elson showed me how to see beyond what everyone else saw. To see it and desire more. He helped convert my own imagination into a spaceship that could take me places that other people couldn't even begin to dream of. I had no idea he had passed on in 1998, and my heart is very saddened at his loss, and our own.

Ken 10th of February 2010
As a kid, I couldn't figure out how this seemed to look so realistic, when only the spaceship had very much detail. On a large format reprint the effect was quite startling (e.g. Great Space Battles). Seeing it now I think that the bokeh style has a lot to do with the apparent realism.
Re: The Power Of Blackness

Ken 10th of February 2010
I prefer the version that appears in Great Space Battles, without the off-putting rainbow background, but the 'stellar cow' is such a cool concept. I wonder how much dialogue occurred between Peter and the client before the design was agreed upon, because the idea is fairly risky, and could have come off as comical. Fortunately in the hands of Elson, it works to a T.
Re: Babel 17

Simon Jones 6th of February 2010
Also used as the album cover to Part Chimp's Thriller on the Rock Action Records label
Re: Prime Number

Robert Smith 26th of January 2010
This is one of the images that inspired me to become a concept artist, I think I first saw it at about the age of ten.
Re: Babel 17

James 25th of January 2010
I loved Peter's work as a sci fi obsessed young lad and had several of the TTA books, actually I still have them! His artwork was and still is very inspiring.

Ken 18th of January 2010
While far from Elson's best work, it's really interesting to see his style developing here.
Re: Vulcan's Hammer

Simon Jones 12th of January 2010
The Black Knight of the Iron Sphere was one of a series of books in the Lord Tedric series and appeared under the name E.E. Doc Smith but was in fact written by Gordon Eklund
Re: Reach For The Stars

Simon Jones 12th of January 2010
Ed McBain is the pseudonym of Evan Hunter and the book this appeared on was initially publised in 1956 under the name Hunt Collins
Re: Tomorrow And Tomorrow

Simon Jones 12th of January 2010
written with Ray Nelson
Re: The Ganymede Takeover

Simon Jones 12th of January 2010
This is actually an anthology of stories of which The Eye of Heron is by Le Guin. It was edited by Virginia Kidd (the wife of James Blish)
Re: The Eye Of The Heron

Simon Jones 12th of January 2010
Author is Clifford D. Simak
Re: Enchanted Pilgrimage

Simon Jones 11th of January 2010
One of Peter's rare non SF illustrations of which I have a copy of the book. The other books by Kyle published by Fontana were illustrated by Tony Roberts
Re: Terror's Cradle

Simon Jones 11th of January 2010
E(dna) Mayne Hull was Van Vogt's wife
Re: The Winged Man

Simon JOnes 11th of January 2010
I believe
Re: Derelict 2

Simon Jones 11th of January 2010
Another fantasticly detailed Elson picture - i believe you can even read the name of the spaceshuttle. I really love the detail here - the weird ships from the small red thing on the left to the decalled flying saucer to the see through shape. Cowley's book
Re: Spaceship Graveyard

Simon Jones 11th of January 2010
One of my all time favourite illustrations along with
Re: Trader To The Stars

Ken 9th of January 2010
Fantastic spaceship design. How did George Lucas not hire Elson?
Re: A Sense of Wonder

Ken 9th of January 2010
Once again Elson packs in the detail in a way that no other could do. Beautiful.
Re: Welcome To Mars

Ken 9th of January 2010
Amazing photorealism from Elson.
Re: The Outposter

Simon Jones 8th of January 2010
This book erroniously credits the cover art to David Bergen, but the PE signiature gives the game away.
Re: The Wind's Twelve Quarters

Editor 5th of January 2010
Needle galaxy photographed in 1999, a year after Peter's death.
Re: Untitled 12

Editor 5th of January 2010
This picture was painted many years before the Hubble image 'The Pillars of Creation' was taken in 1995.
Re: The Best of Isaac Asimov 1954 - 1972

Ken 4th of January 2010
Surprisingly reminiscent of the Hubble image, the Pillars of Creation.
Re: The Best of Isaac Asimov 1954 - 1972

Ken 4th of January 2010
Surely inspired by NGC 4565 The Needle Galaxy?
Re: Untitled 12

David 3rd of January 2010
Oooh my God, you did it, you made a site about my top artist of my top three Sci-Fi artist list along with Manchu and Chris Foss... Peter has been my reference since I discovered some of his pics more than twenty years ago in some french-translated books, my own vessels always got that very characteristic touch I always love and recognized in his art since then. Once I began to have access to the net, I've been trying to find some more pics from him, but I discovered very few ones, and even less new ones ; then after looking at the end credits of Spectrum (a serie of books collecting sci-fi and fantasy artist's works) where some mail addresses were displayed for a while, I had the idea to contact Peter by mail a half a dozen years ago to tell him my admiration... I was so shocked to learn about his disparition then ! It will always be one of my deepest regrets not to have been able to at least send him a fan mail while he was still alive. Discovering this site thanks to a friend sharing my interest in him was an enormous surprise, above all as I thought I knew well his published works, but I realized in fact I almost knew nothing !!! thank you very, very, very much for displaying all those wonderful works in so many various subjects, I abandonned the idea to see such a thing oneday after all my searches. Peter, wherever you are, I will always cherish your art.

Jay 3rd of January 2010
During my childhood that magic symbol PE was written on most of the visions of the future which I still cherish all these years afterward. I remember those summer days spent in the public library, feverishly devouring one SF novel after the next, and if they came with that hallmark, that little PE, usually off in one corner, they were burned indelibly into my visual cortex. Peter was without a doubt the single most underrated and under-celebrated SF illustrator the UK has ever produced. He came along at just the right time and with Chris Foss among others defined the look of that golden period of the heroic future. He was also probably the most unfailingly inventive of his peers and no less skilled than any of them. He had that unique lightness of execution which displayed his ideas to their best advantage and he continued to develop as an artist, refining his role as an illustrator until his later work possessed absolutely everything an illustration should. Peter unlocked the doors of imagination for thousands of misspent youths, like my own, so it’s fitting that he should at last have a gallery dedicated entirely to his work, where hopefully it may continue to illuminate the future for many others, and for years to come.

gerry 24th of December 2009
Peter Elson is one of the best artists in the world. I look forward to more of his art. Too bad there are no art books with his work available.

mark 21st of December 2009
Peter's works - particularly in the TTA series really made an early and lasting impact on my childhood (late 70's / early 80's). The sense of awe and wonder his artwork created in me as a child, encouraged me to pick up my pencils and draw. Now in my mid-thirties, seeing these works brings back the excitement and memories of my childhood! Thank you!

Dom 16th of December 2009
P.E. certainly shaped my imagination as a kid. His style was unique and very modern! Good to see his work published online, it brings back a lot of memories.

Marc McKenzie 15th of December 2009
I first saw Peter Elson's work while I was still a child (thirty+ years ago!), via the

Yvan Assioma 13th of December 2009
What a talent! I am a French admirer of his work. His drawings occupied my childhood; bought from the end of 1980s, I have of leafed down at least hundred times four volume of the series TTA (conseil commercial terrien, for the French publishing)by Stewart Cowley. I was and I remain impressed by his inspiration; how do not to be him by seeing the features of various animals or bugs in his spaceships; a cow (babel 17) bugs and other (of vulcan hammer), the examples do not miss. I am never tired of oberser his drawings. During last ten years I found six volumes, in french publishing,

Geoff 6th of December 2009
A brilliant site I have been a fan since a child. Many thanks

Si Brad 22nd of November 2009
Peter's images left an indelible impression on my young mind back in the late 70's . A perfect mix of visual poetry and tangible designs that looked like they would really work !. Chris Foss ,Jim Burns and all those other guys wowed you with their airbrush technique but Peter Elson wowed you with places and craft that looked real .Beautifully rendered postcards from his imagination,all served up in a distinctive style that was all his own.... What a great site...Many thanks!

Peter Griffin 16th of November 2009
Great to finally see this website Pam. I never knew Peter completed so many great paintings even through the nineties. Well done!

Steve Rider 15th of November 2009
This website is a visual delight - and about time too! Great to see Peter Elson's work showcased in this way.

Drinkwater Steve 14th of November 2009
This picture depicts a Bf109 Messerchmitt - it may not be too accurate but it is definitely not a Supermarine Spitfire look-alike.
Re: Spitfire

Gerard Thomas 13th of November 2009
Peter, along with Chris Moore and Chris Foss shaped my life and inspired me to pursue a life in the creative fields. I am so very happy to finally see a site online dedicated to Peter's work, which to this day inspires me in a way that none of his (and those of the time) contemporaries do. Well done.

vincent formosa 12th of November 2009
probably one of the strongest sci-fi images I remember from my childhood
Re: The Power Of Blackness

Eric de Broche des Combes 12th of November 2009
He probably played a very important at making me who I am. As a kid I've read the TAA books so much that they literally turned to dust. I'm now an illustrator and one can still feel the influence of Peter in my actual work.

Cris Blyth 11th of November 2009
I owe a lot to Peter, indeed I think I owe my whole career to him, and I never even met him to thank him. I was around 7 or 8 when I bought 'Great Space Battles', and I started drawing spaceships. That was (I think) about 32 years ago. I now work in Visual FX and still look in awe at his artwork that I truly feel made me embark on my journey into the visual medium. Years ago I worked on a project that I found out he had made a book cover for, and was excited that we were somehow involved on the same project. Indeed I made enquiries to contact him only to find that he had recently passed, I missed him by a couple of months. Today for some reason I started searching, and found this website. I am so glad there is a resource that will keep Peters work intact. Thank you Peter, and thanks to all who put this site together. crisb.

Ben Ward 10th of November 2009
Spacebase 2000 (a compilation of Terran Trade Authority books) was where I first found Peter Elson's work. A true inspiration to my ideas of what spacecraft and even space could look like. Every time I see a good Sci Fi painting I check for the little [PE] with rounded corners. As Carol Butfoy put it in the Biography, this is the golden age of Sci Fi art, and there he was, centre stage. His passing has made me sad, but this is a wonderful tribute, and I'm looking forward to indulging in a print or two. Thanks Peter!

A. King 10th of November 2009
I have always been a fan of science fiction, since I was young I liked the art of the TTA books. I remember vividly reading some of them even though it was clearly many years ago. I didn't know he had lived and passed, this website is great tribute to him. Thanks. -A. King

charles r. simpson 10th of November 2009
pam this is GREAT i can't said enough. peter's number one fan thank you charles r. simpson ravenna, ohio, usa

Geoff Smith 9th of November 2009
I selected a TTA book at a prize at school which was frowned upon by the headmaster. When I opened that book and saw Peter's work I was hooked. He was painting the stuff that I was day dreaming about, things that looked like they worked. He had a really big impact on my imagination. Looking through the gallery I can see that there are lots of books I purchased and read becuase they has a PE cover! It is great to find out more about him, but a pity to hear he is no longer with us and productive. Even in my mid forties I still stare out of the window and imagine I'm flying along in the Star Watchmen ship. Well done to everyone who put this site together. Geoff