The art of creator of Alex Ries is synonymous with speculative biological beauty and the subtly sublime, taking readers and viewers into a journey of the senses in every encounter. Ries has transported us to alien planets unimaginable and depths unknown, all with immersive art that surprises us with each glance. That’s why were so excited to hear about Ries’ new project, Other Worlds: The Art of Alex Ries, now funding through Kickstarter. To be published by Iron Circus Comics, the Other Worlds 300+ page hardcover has been described by Ries as a culmination of decades of his work, filled with artwork from his professional and personal collections, including his seminal work in Subnautica: Below Zero, as well as never-before-seen pieces yet to be published.
I spoke with Alex Ries recently about the idea behind and composition of Other Worlds: The Art of Alex Ries, the contents of the book, the process to creating his art, and what he hopes that readers take away from his work.
FreakSugar: What can you tell us about Other Worlds: The Art of Alex Ries? What does the collection include?
Alex Ries: This is my first ever personal book, so I was able to include art from the full breadth of my career; from concept art, illustration and even real world natural history. I filled it with my creature designs from Subnautica: Below Zero, a huge career highlight (and remains one, as we are working hard on Subnautica 2). There is a huge chapter dedicated to the Birrin Saga, my big personal project about civilization and life on another world. I was even able to recover and remaster some of my earliest traditional art, some dating back decades.
Many of the bigger pieces, like ‘Contact’ (chosen as the cover image, and which accidentally become a meme) have written and visual breakdowns of how I produced them, and the production pipeline of several of my favorite Subnautica critters, many of which ended up VERY different from how they began!
We were even given permission by Unknown Worlds to add an entire chapter of concept art I have never released, anywhere.
FS: You have such a phenomenal body of work. How did you decide what you wanted to include in this collection?
AR: Basically my choice was to include as much as I possibly could. I enjoy BIG art books that go in-depth, brimming with the artist’s work. That meant hitting all the big projects like Subnautica and the Birrin Saga, but going far beyond that. I have worked a lot of my career as an illustrator and I wanted to cover pretty extensively, so there are chapters filled with science fiction and natural history art. There is even a physical sculpture of a birrin I wanted to include, and took some fancy studio photos of it!
FS: Your work is so gorgeous and ethereal, but I’ve read a very apt description that the subjects of your art could actually exist. What informs how you approach your art in that way?
AR: I want what I create to be beautiful (or occasionally horrifying), but over time I have also developed a more detail-oriented approach, thinking about just how the strange machine or creature I am drawing might actually work or evolve. Some jobs require the purely fantastical and there is nothing wrong with that at all, but when working for myself I find myself doing research to make sure things would (at least in principle, if not always in practice) work in our universe.
I have a bookshelf of aerospace and biology texts I refer to for these ideas as well as the usual online sources, and I approach my art using extensive references, drawing as much from real-world creatures and technology as possible.
FS: Following up on that, what is your process? There’s the speculative biology element to your art. Do you research organisms and biomes that exist in our world and go from there?
AR: My process varies but usually starts with some initial research by going through my reference collection for ideas, placing them in a single large image I can place alongside my working canvas. I then start sketching, usually simple black and white line art, finding forms that work. Once I have that nailed down I do a more refined round of reference gathering to fit the chosen direction, and add those images to the references (I usually use ‘Contact Sheets’ in Photoshop to streamline things). I rely on my general knowledge of biology and tech during that process, and refer to my textbooks and online sources as needed for really out-there ideas, and to make sure the ideas I AM using actually make sense.
FS: What do you hope readers take from your art? What kind of experience do you hope they have?
AR: Art has always been a way for me to communicate with people, and if what I make accomplishes communicating even some part of my intent behind it, then I have succeeded. I want them to experience some of my wonder at the natural world and science, and the possibilities of what we might find on other worlds if we choose to explore them. With the Birrin Saga I would like people to take certain warnings, as well, about how we treat the natural world, and experience some of my anguish at what I see being done to it, and the hope of a better way.
As for their experience, I want them to have the same one I get when opening a really well put together art book: a little overwhelmed by how much there is! I want people to be able to go back to it again and again and find something new each time, and I made sure to include lots of lore, writing and sketches.
Basically I wanted to create the kind of art book that I wanted myself; that offers a lasting experience and has the breadth of art and insight that makes it worth revisiting for many years.
The Kickstarter for Other Worlds: The Art of Alex Ries has already more than tripled its initial goal, with 23 days left in the campaign as of press time. Ries’ work is impossible not to get lost in, and Other Worlds looks to prove to be no different.
From the official press release for the Kickstarter:
From the alien oceans of Subnautica: Below Zero, to the denizens of the hollow-earth in Godzilla X Kong: The New Kingdom, and the grandeur of alien beings and civilizations in films like Warriors of the Future and the worldbuilding of The Birrin Saga, the artwork of acclaimed concept artist Alex Ries inspires and astonishes with designs of aliens and worlds that look like they could actually exist, because they come from a place of informed speculative biology. And now Spike Trotman’s Iron Circus Comics — the premiere publisher of award-winning, critically-acclaimed graphic novels in the American Midwest, which has raised nearly 5 million dollars via crowdfunding — is returning to Kickstarter to publish OTHER WORLDS: THE ART OF ALEX RIES, the first ever collection of personal and professional artworks by the prolific Alex Ries, featuring iconic art from Subnautica: Below Zero as well as many never-before published pieces. OTHER WORLDS: THE ART OF ALEX RIES is a 300+ page hardcover that will include forewords by Jamie Beswarick and Greg Broadmore and extensive commentary from the artist himself. OTHER WORLDS: THE ART OF ALEX RIES will be available via Kickstarter.
Ever since his youth spent in the vast, rural expanse of South Eastern Australia, Ries has explored his sense of connection to the natural world and fascination with science. Explorations of the diversity of life on Earth, the possibilities of life beyond it, and the pressing themes of conflict and reconciliation between civilization and the natural world have come to define his work as an artist. Ries’ sublime work on Subnautica: Below Zero allowed him to use his knowledge of real-world marine life to create biologically plausible extraterrestrial creatures, while The Birrin Saga, his major personal work, explores the alien planet of Chriirah and tells the story of this world and its inhabitants.
“This book is the culmination of decades of work, passing through traditional illustration, concept art and even sculpture,” said Alex Ries. “I have filled it with works that have marked important creative moments not just in my professional but personal life. This is a culmination of my life as a creative person thus far that I will be able to actually hold, and the kind of book I always loved as a child: creatures, machines, and life from other worlds.”
“With a unique imagination, a timeless sense of wonder, and a detailed grounding in reality that gives it all life, Ries’s creatures and worlds light a lasting spark within the viewer,” said Iron Circus Founder C. Spike Trotman.
Here’s what folks are saying about Alex Ries’ artwork:
“I want to live in these cool visions of the far future by Alex Ries.”—GIZMODO
“An artist who strives to imagine aliens with genuinely unique appearances.”—Curious Archive
“Alex Ries is a master of bringing the fantastical to life. After following his work for years, seeing so much of it in one glorious tome is a revelation.” — Simon Roy (Griz Grobus, Prophet)
“We love plunging into the depths of Alex Ries’ artistic mind.”—INVERSE
“The depth Alex Ries goes into with his art is on the level of a scientific chart. The creatures and ship designs are that much more believable because of the amazing level of detail.”—Mike Corriero, outsourcing art director on Warriors of Future
“Alex has an incredible ability to weave his understanding of design, world building, biology and story-telling into every piece of his work. I always find myself engaged and excited by his artwork and in particular, find the Birrin world extremely fascinating. Very excited to follow along with where Alex will take us next.”—Andrew Baker, concept artist for Avatar: The Way of Water and Pacific Rim: Uprising
“Alex Ries is one of the very few artists that can transport my imagination to another world without hesitation.”— Mathias Verhasselt Art Director/Industrial Designer Blizzard/SpaceX
“Alex Ries belongs in the pantheon of exobiology visionary artists like Barlowe. I am sure everyone worth their salt already has his work in their reference folders.” — Stanley Von Medvey: Director / Animator, Pantheon, Sonic 2 and 3
To support the campaign on Kickstarter, visit this link: https://www.kickstarter.com/
projects/ironspike/1324820832? ref=4h1lzb.