Blade Runner Designer Syd Mead Dies at Age 86

Blade Runner Designer Syd Mead Dies at Age 86

It is with great sadness that ComingSoon.net (via The Hollywood Reporter) must report that famed concept designer Syd Mead has passed away at age 86. He is survived by husband Roger Servick.

Mead’s work in the sci-fi genre was second-to-none, generating iconic visuals for films like Blade Runner, Tron, Aliens, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, 2010, Short Circuit, Timecop, Johnny Mnemonic, Mission: Impossible III, Elysium, Tomorrowland and Blade Runner 2049. He also supplied design work for the animes Yamato 2520 and Turn A Gundam. His work was influenced by his work in industrial design, lending a reality to even the most far-flung fantsy worlds. He will most certainly be most remembered for the bleak, neon-choked city vistas of Ridley Scott’s 1982 classic Blade Runner, which is considered one of the most visually influential films of all-time.

A documentary on his life, titled Visual Futurist: The Art & Life of Syd Mead, came out in 2006.

Here are some of the tributes pouring in for the acclaimed artist…

Rest in peace Syd Mead. Your art will endure.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 30, 2019

After a lifetime of seeing past the horizon, Syd Mead has now journeyed beyond it. I hope whatever he’s seeing now amazes him as much as his visions amazed so many of us, for so long… #sydmead #Futurism #ScienceFiction #Technology #Design #VFX pic.twitter.com/kctVt36cTZ

— Patrick Read Johnson (@moonwatcher1) December 30, 2019

RIP concept artist Syd Mead (1933-2019)

Star Trek The Motion Picture
Blade Runner
Tron
2010
Aliens
Short Circuit
TimeCop
Strange Days
Johnny Mnemonic
Tron 2.0
Mission Impossible 3
Elysium
Tomorrowland
Blade Runner 2049 pic.twitter.com/RqKbukmPDn

— Jesse Hamm (@jesse_hamm) December 30, 2019

Who was responsible for that atmosphere? Syd Mead.

But it wasn’t only Blade Runner. If you have seen almost any big science fiction film in the past 30 years, you’ve probably seen his work, and if you haven’t directly, you’ve seen effects that were inspired by him. #SydMead pic.twitter.com/pPIahJMGyO

— Mike Kopack (@MKopack) December 31, 2019

Syd Mead , his work has had the greatest impact on me.. He is known for his designs in films such as Blade Runner, Aliens, The Empire Strikes Back and Tron. pic.twitter.com/hXxwvJ88QZ

— John Stifter (@JohnFStifter) December 31, 2019

Many years ago, I was sat solo next to Syd Mead and his partner at a dinner for an event where I was speaking. They were kind and engaging and insightful.

Syd’s ideas were the origin of my line that shiny futures culturally invite their own destruction. https://t.co/kWWEoD2fRA

— Alex Steffen (@AlexSteffen) December 31, 2019

Art by Syd Mead (Blade Runner Conceptual Idea) pic.twitter.com/0nni5bVp5b

— RADIONIC POWERS (@radionic_powers) December 31, 2019

RIP Syd Mead (1933-2019), legendary designer and visual futurist. Among his many contributions to film, he was the primary mechanical designer for Turn A Gundam. Tomino specifically sought his services and went through great lengths to facilitate the process. pic.twitter.com/5TGw9tFbit

— Feez (@feezy_feez) December 30, 2019

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

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