Syd Mead, the legendary visual concept artist behind Blade Runner and Tron, has passed away. He was 86 years old.
For six decades, Sydney Jay Mead was one of the most prominent neofuturistic concept artists in the world with numerous sci-fi classics to his name. Mead was born in 1933, and his career began as an illustrator for the Ford Motor Company in 1959. However, Mead’s Hollywood career took off in 1979 when he lent his designs to Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Two of Mead’s most famous projects, Tron and Blade Runner, followed in 1982. Mead earned his reputation as a “visual futurist” and went on to provide designs for Aliens, Short Circuit, 2010, Timecop, Johnny Mnemonic, and Mission: Impossible III.
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Additionally, Mead lent his expertise to video games including Wing Commander: Prophecy, Tron 2.0, and Aliens: Colonial Marines, among others. Mead also remained active in Hollywood within this decade by contributing to Tron Legacy and Blade Runner 2049. However, his most significant contribution for a recent film was Disney’s Tomorrowland. For that movie, Mead also provided the concept art for the futuristic city and the vehicles.
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Recommended Reading: The Movie Art of Syd Mead: Visual Futurist
Photo Credits: Warner Bros./David X Prutting/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images
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