All Comments

Peter Spencer 1st of January 2012
The Earth-sized moon of the giant planet swings too close occasionally, and the seas rise mountain-high...it's a hard life for the colonists when you've got such an unpredictable orbit.
Re: Summertide

Alex Fricke 26th of November 2011
Fantastic to find PE on the web. loved his illustration when i was lad,they inspired me to become an illustrator myself, albeit a struggling one with much less talent than Mr Elson! thank you for putting this up!

Simon 25th of November 2011
A marvellous tribute site. I was born in 1973, and was recently talking with friends about books we loved in our youth. Peter's name came up, and we talked about the magic of his book covers. Sadly I no longer have those books in my collection, so I was so pleased to find this site; the images take me back to that time and remind me of how real those worlds he created seemed to be! Thanks very much for this.

Editor 24th of November 2011
DR Re Vulcan's Hammer. The orignal picture used for the book cover is lost. The only scan I have is this front half, kindly sent by a fan. The only full picture I have is of the earlier, rough version.

DR 23rd of November 2011
That is about half of the painting. The other part is to the right. I love this one. Where is the rest?
Re: Vulcan's Hammer

Kevin 14th of November 2011
Los Angeles....a few years before 2019....as seen in Blade Runner.
Re: The Crucifixion Squad

Gabriel Ferreira Pazzi 10th of November 2011
It's... awesome! Really wonderful pic! ^_^
Re: LBA

Rob 6th of October 2011
This would have to be 'the' picture I remember when PE springs to mind. When I first saw this picture in the TTA book 'Spacewreck' it completely blew me away and my imagination ran riot. I was about 10 years old at the time (now quite older) and all I wanted to do when I saw this was to explore space and find relics like this. What an artist!
Re: Derelict 2

Jimm 30th of August 2011
I came across PE, like many others, via the Stuart Cowley TTA books. I would spend hours as a kid pouring over them and this was probably my favourite. The photolike realism of Elson's work put him (for me) a step above all the other artists, and this is a fabulous example. RIP PE.
Re: The Power Of Blackness

Craig 24th of August 2011
Really similar to the earth scenes in the movie wall-e. Certainly inspirational work :)
Re: To Die In Italbar

Stephen Rolph 15th of August 2011
Just to say thanks really, loved sci fi when i was a lad...read loads of novels, when i first started buying sci fi books i bought them purley for the cover art...if that captured my imagination, thats where my pocket money went. Needless to say Peter's Art wowed me and read some great books due to him! Looking through the gallery his art brings back memories and still wows today.

Alan J Pottinger 16th of July 2011
I think like so many people who have commented here I have seen Peter's artwork but never really known they were all examples of his work. The TTA books still have pride of place on my bookshelf. They might be a bit tattered now, but they are a great source of inspiration. Simply amazing images!

Mark Stafford 11th of July 2011
Peter's artwork influenced me greatly as a kid, I started to draw trying to emulate the pictures in the TTA books, and he was always my favourite. Eventually I became a Designer and I now work as a toy designer for LEGO where I get to design and build spaceships! As part of my portfolio to get the job I built a LEGO version of this ship, if you're interested it's online at: http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/20661 hopefully I'm not breaking any copyright claims, it is an homage to my favourite artist.
Re: Trader To The Stars

Lucy Walsh 21st of June 2011
I recently found a book my father bought for me when I was 7,The Conquest of Space bought from Marks & Spencer, Im now 36! I kept this book because I was faciniated with space and enthralled by the art in the book. I would often lay in my bed looking through this book in amazement. This painting was one of those I used to spend ages looking at! It has nostalgic happy memories! I too now paint astronomical paintings and subconsciously I think this painting may have been one of the reasons I do. So I'd like to thank you!!! Lucy Walsh.
Re: Welcome To Mars

Emil Dudek 22nd of May 2011
Thank you so much for the web site - I was trying to find the artist of an old Sci-Fi book I have - and this website gave me the answer and a lot more info beside. Gorgeous images, RIP.

Doug Baldwin 1st of May 2011
Thank you so much for creating this website of Peter's work. I could get lost in here. It is amazing! I too love peter's work. So much so that having read and explored the pages of the Terran Trade Authority books in high school I decided to go to collage for a Space Science degree hoping to make Peter's images of space flight a reality. We are still not quite there yet, but his images are still inspiring. I plan on introdusing my 8 year old son to peter's work very soon. Again thank you so much for this wonderful website. Warm regards. Doug

Editor 22nd of April 2011
Please remember that these images are subject to copyright, John

John 13th of April 2011
I remember as a child in the 70's being engrossed at the library or bookshop by Sci Fi artwork depicting space ships and strange worlds, there was a theme to it, the way that ships and things 'looked' that just looked 'Sci fi', this sort of work still stands out today, you can obviously tell that the Homeworld series of RTS games were strongly influenced by this style of art. It really is a shame that nobody todays seems to depict Sci Fi artwork in this style anymore, it's timeless and so much more engrossing than the organic looking stuff we so everywhere these days. Now I know who was behind so much of this artwork! I'm going to make one of these pictures my desktop background :) -John

Bob Bello 8th of April 2011
One of the best sci-fi artists ever! It's a real tragedy he left us so soon. I especially love his

Joshua A.C. Newman 26th of March 2011
This is one of my favorite pieces of space art. The bold colors, the sense of scale, the combination of aerodynamics and otherworldly principles. I made a 3D model of this in the late 90s. It showed me a lot of the subtlety of the shapes.

Paul Cooke 20th of March 2011
Thank you so much for this site. Peter Elson was a superb illustrator, and I bought many books just because of his covers. I first came to recognise the name when he started painting the Dr Who covers, but then realised I had already come to the Stainless Steel Rat books and Manifest Destiny purely because of his covers, but didn't know who PE was. He was a truly wonderful talent, and hopefully this site will help keep his memory alive though his art legacy

Stephen Sekulic 22nd of February 2011
I wanted to say thank you for so many years of inspiration . I read the TTA Books as a child and this particular image always haunted me and inspired me as an artist. I have done industrial model building for years and I always come back to your works to get my mind racing again with that little kid ( now big kid ) imagination running wild with wonder. Thanks for sharing you talent & wonders of your mind. S.
Re: Derelict 2

John Picken 8th of February 2011
Just came across this site after digging out my old 'Great Space Battles' book for my young Son. It was bought for me by my Father when new in '79 for my 8th Birthday. Never before or since has a book moved and inspired me so much. Especially the illustrations by 'PE'. I became an illustrator because of his work. From pouring over his illustrations I gained insight into how to make a SciFi picture work: Make everything look as though it would actually function in real-life and, more importantly, fill the picture with love and feeling. Even after all these years the sight of Peters artwork leaves my mouth agape at how technically perfect and how almost photo-realistic they are. I feel eight years old again and my little boy is in awe, (

sausset marc 7th of January 2011
I spent my childhood with the stewart cowley's book of spaceships, the more time goes, the more i think how influancial Peter Elson is to all the present day si-fi,films, comics and other illustrations. Of course there are others,Foss,Moore,webb...But the feel, the textures, the dust and the lights, makes his work ever so contempory.

Alain Ratinaud 4th of January 2011
I'm overwhelmed, this is fantastic, marvellous! I've just learned about the existence of this website dedicated to Peter Elson. Peter is probably at the basis for my passion on science-fiction (ok, with Chris Foss, Manchu and Moebius). I was offered the books (space battles; etc...) when I was young and I still have them here with me! I would suggest to create a forum on this website so that all fans and enthusiasts could share their memories, passion and artwork on Pete's vision. Regards Alain

Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN 27th of December 2010
I was offered the first TTA book at 15 and, since then, I've always kept it as my library's true core. I discovered later the artists who were behind and Peter was one of the most influential. It seems that, wherever I turn my eyes, I see space-op' people writing they have been influenced by his works... What a great painter, who lived in great days ! His spirit lives on in many a mind, in which he planted the seed of vast sci-fi dreams !

Travis Wright 15th of November 2010
I grew up constantly flicking through the pages of Parallel Lines (collected works of Peter Elson and Chris Moore), wondering how anyone could produce art like that... it all seemed so real. Years later, I became an artist myself - leaning toward painting Sci-Fi and Space Fantasy and I remembered that book. Unfortunately, I now live in Japan and so I couldn't just look in my old box of books to see if I still had it so I took a trip online to eBay and found the only copy there... It was such a rush of emotions when that book arrived and I saw each image again and realized every one of my favorites as a child was painted by Peter. Thank you so much for creating a site dedicated to this wonderful artist so that people like me can be inspired all over again by Peter's work.

J.B. Zimmerman 15th of November 2010
This image is from the Deathworld short story
Re: The Best Of Harry Harrison

Tom Svilans 4th of November 2010
Fantastic, inspiring work. Would be very interested in a book or collection of work!

Matt McCune 4th of October 2010
I discovered Great Space Battles in the library as a kid. I was HOOKED! This hover tank was an inspiration for many a hovertank that I drew for a couple years. The battle scene here is in so many ways real. How often have allied vehicles collided whilst avoiding enemy fire in R/L history? Why not in the future, too? Excellent use of depth and subject matter, I think.
Re: The Variable Man

Scott Schneider 26th of September 2010
For me, Mr. Elson's work was the stuff that dreams are made of. I remember discovering the Terran Trade Authority book series in my youth and spending hours looking through them. Then spending many more hours trying to recreate his work. Sadly I was never able to accomplish what came to him very naturally but eventually the inspirations from Mr. Elson as well as many others drove me to the world of visual effects for films. I often go back and look through those books remembering the many days I was lost in those images. His work will live on in my memory as I am sure it will in many others and will continue to inspire many more generations to come. Thank you for putting this website together so that we may all enjoy his work over and over again. ~S

Tuffy Ruffnut 19th of September 2010
I feel as though I could fall into this painting. Whenever I see an insect approaching a flower, this painting is called to my mind, Mr. Elson's work is definitely memorable. I love it.
Re: Nova 4

Tuffy Ruffnut 19th of September 2010
The Moons Of Jupiter, for me this painting is the most outstanding and memorable painting I have ever seen. I'm probably guilty of gushing here, but I don't care, look at the depth, try not to have a sense of falling into this spacescape as you drink it in. This is truly the only painting I ache to own. I have been trawling search engines and
Re: The Moons Of Jupiter

Petar Belic 16th of September 2010
This looks like the study of a more finished version of this concept which I have seen published in a collection somewhere, it should either replace this image or be placed next to it.
Re: Vulcan's Hammer

Petar Belic 15th of September 2010
One of the my first exposures to [PE]. And what an initiation! Such a bold use of colour, such a sense of depth, with the simple in retrospect trick of putting you as the viewer, on the ground, looking up into the sky. Amazing modeling, composition and use of colour. Thanks always, Peter.
Re: The Outposter

jeff dipple 14th of September 2010
Thank you for setting up this collection of PE's wonderful art work it is fantastic. Like so many others i came across his work in a TTA book as a youngster. Foung again recently his work in the book stands out. Not sure if this kind of art is till being produced, perhaps not. A collection of his art in a book would be a brilliant idea. The depth of imagination and quality of the work is staggering. Thanks for the memories.

Kev 10th of September 2010
Beautiful... somehow I think of Adam and Eve in the Apocalypse.
Re: After The Fall

John Lenick 10th of September 2010
I had Great Space Battles and Spacewreck as well, along with Spacecraft 2000 something to something, i can't remember, although none of PE's illustrations were in that one. Much as I loved his work, I have to admit it was also was first true expereince with crushing disapointment, as no matter how I tried I was never able to make a picture ANYWHERE as good as his, no matter how many sheets of paper I demolished. I read a bio on him on another website ahwile ago, which kind of painted a picture of him (no pun intended) as a reclusive alcoholic in horrible health...may have been true, but this site gives a far better impression.

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