The Trophy paperback cover 1989

John Conrad Berkey made this paperback cover, "The Trophy," with, what looks like, expressive brushstrokes and a limited palette of blues, whites, and grays, punctuated by bursts of yellow and red energy beams, so you know it is going to be action-packed. Berkey’s process, as I imagine it, was about layering. Look at the textural contrast: the smooth, almost airbrushed quality of the space suits against the rough, industrial surfaces of the spacecraft. There's a real physicality in the way he applies paint, thick in some areas, like the reflections on the helmets, and thinned down in others, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere. Take the figure in the foreground, the way the light catches the folds and creases in the fabric. It's this attention to detail that makes the scene so compelling. Berkey’s illustrations remind me of the work of Syd Mead, another visionary artist who imagined the future, not as a sterile utopia, but as a gritty, lived-in space. Both artists embrace the idea that art isn’t about providing answers, but about asking questions, opening up possibilities, and inviting us to imagine new worlds.