Through the Reality Warp Paperback Book Cover 1976

Boris Vallejo made this paperback book cover, ‘Through the Reality Warp’, with oil paint, and look at that title – reality warp! The first thing I see is the contrast between the figures and the fantastical landscape. The green color palette gives the painting a sense of unity, but it also makes the figures blend into the environment. Was Boris thinking about how we are all part of something larger? I can imagine him working on this, building up the layers of paint, adjusting the light and shadow to create depth and drama. There’s a real sense of movement here, with the monster lunging forward, and the figures reacting in a dynamic pose. A gesture like that, the way the woman is crouching, tells a whole story by itself! Vallejo’s work reminds me of other artists like Frank Frazetta, who also created these larger-than-life, hyper-muscular figures in otherworldly settings. Artists are in an ongoing conversation, influencing each other. Painting at its best invites ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for endless interpretations.