retro-futurism Archives

Art

Marvel at These Fabulous Retro-Futurism Illustrations

December 14, 2024 Art

We never get tired of digging through the sci-fi archives, finding fascinating tidbits from the optimistic, golden age of space fiction from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s.

We’re enthralled by the audacity of the concepts. The sheer confidence and unbridled creativity of the inventions, which never came to pass. There’s something about retro-futurism that gets us excited.

Here’s a curated collection of some of our recent favorites, dating back as far as 100 years ago.

Frank R. Paul was a prolific illustrator, having created cover art for hundreds of comic books, magazines, and more.

Sleek, sculptural spaceships by Hubert Rogers.

Fabulous French illustrations by J. Polgreen from the 1950s.

Cover art by Howard V. Brown to *Astounding Stories*, September 1934

Some wildly colorful work from Japanese illustrator Shusei Nagaoka.

Russian illustrator Andrei Sokolov was also prolific during the Soviet era.

Illustration credited to Wallis Rigby, 1952.

As early as 1924 (100 years ago), artists were pondering what Martians looked like. Check out this amazing cover of Science and Invention from August 1924, illustrated by Howard V. Brown.

Cover of Popular Mechanics, artist unknown.

Images curated through the massive collection found on Dark Roasted Blend.

Design

Fantastic Retro-Futurism From Japan

May 18, 2022 Design

We love these lofty, vintage-futuristic visions from Japan. Compiled from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, they are a fascinating gaze into what could have been/could be.

Check out more retro-futurism here and here, and on our Pinterest page.

Architecture

Retro-Futuristic Home Designs by Charles Schridde

April 26, 2019 Architecture

We love taking a time capsule back to the 1950s and 60s, seeing how designers then were visualizing ‘the future’. Often times their estimations were spot-on, while other times they seem laughably out of touch.

Illustrator Charles Schridde made his mark by visualizing the home of the future. This collection of fascinating illustrations was commissioned by Motorola, and Schridde was tasked with featuring their technology at the center of the designs.

The mid-century designs still look cool today, and some of them have gone on to inspire movie sets (Incredibles 2, anyone?) and 21st century architects. Great retro-futurism. Via Atomic Ranch:

Art

Retro Visions of Future Cars

March 28, 2017 Art

Sometimes we can predict the future accurately, and sometimes we’re way off. But the imagination and bold vision matters, and it’s great to see these artists making huge leaps of faith, in terms of what they imagined cars of the future to look like.

The 1950s were a time of confidence and big dreams. Here are some exceptionally bold visions of what people thought motoring/traveling in the future would be like. Via DarkRoastedBlend:

Architecture

Exile From Jupiter, and Other Amazing 50s Sci-Fi

March 24, 2014 Architecture

There’s so much energy and nostalgia in these vintage British Sci-fi paperbacks. Humans hadn’t even been to space, yet artists were already deep on another planet, dreaming up fantastical scenes from the future. The world of retrofuture art is huge, check out even more excellent pulp covers at Dark Roasted Blend.

Advertising

Retro Futuristic Movie Posters

March 12, 2014 Advertising

Futurism and retro-futurism are popular topics here at Moss&Fog. Artist Laurent Durieux does really beautiful and fun interpretations of classic film posters. Really nice detail in his work. For sale here!

I want to buy all these amazing retro-futuristic movie posters

Wiz

I want to buy all these amazing retro-futuristic movie posters

master

Animals

Warm and Fuzzy Steampunk

December 4, 2013 Animals

Via The Dancing Rest:

Architecture

Japanese Retrofuturism

June 30, 2013 Architecture

Dark Roasted Blend has an awesome look at lofty, vintage-futuristic visions from Japan.

Art

Future Scoot

November 15, 2011 Art

Via Wired Autopia:

Honda describes this toaster on wheels — an updating of a scooter it built in the early 1980s — as “a compact EV commuter which offers the casual and convenient mobility of a two-wheeler, but also strives to be useful even when it is not being ridden.”

I like the quirky minimalism that makes it simultaneously toy-like and modern.

Of course it’s got an iDevice-type display, and we love the minimalist vibe.

The Motor Compo shape is reminiscent of Wall-E.

The removable battery, presumably lithium-ion, is “designed to be used as a power source in everyday life.”

All of this is to say that Honda does have some exciting designs going on, even if they may never see the light of day. Similarly awesome is Honda’s EV-N concept from a few years back, that perfectly brings retro modernism into a car. I think if they had the balls to launch it, the EV-N would give the Mini Cooper a real run for its money.