I used to enjoy featuring the work of Science Fiction artists on my Blog. It was cool to see what people were making and shine a light on other creators. Things do tend to get hectic with writing and publishing and I have became remiss— let’s correct that!
First up, Živko Kondić, a Serbian painter, who draws inspiration from science fiction to create some truly unique pieces of art.
Interview with Živko Kondić
Sunset of a Dozen Suns by Živko Kondić
What inspires you to make sci-fi art? TV shows, books, other artists, etc.?
From when I can remember, I liked to fantasize, and I think the first introduction to SF were movies and comics. When I was growing up, media was scarce in war-torn Yugoslavia, but the nineties gave us some cult SF movies, comics and cartoons that opened the doors for me. I began reading SF books by authors like Clarke first, he was “THE” SF author, but then I discovered I prefer the stylings of Iain M. Banks, Alastair Reynolds, Vernor Vinge, Ken MacLeod, even Kim Stanley Robinson, whose Mars trilogy was one of my favorite reads back in the day. Along with art and tv-shows, it all influenced me to explore and find my own way.
Transmitter Station by Živko Kondić
Which of your pieces is your favorite? Why?
One of my favorite pieces is “The Powerplant”, an oldie from 2016. I owe that piece my entire life probably. It’s one of those works that defined what I want to do. To be honest, it also sold really well, which helped me live off art. I can see many faults now, but it’s dear to my heart and still remains my most sold and printed artwork.
The Powerplant by Živko Kondić
What’s your technique like? Do you finish pieces in a single sitting or spread them out over multiple days?
I am the multiple-sitting guy. Sometimes it takes a year to get something done! I usually start my art with small thumbnails directly in color, to just solidify what I want to present. Then I just resize, add details and do this multiple times until the image turns out the way I like. It is all personal art, so there’s no rush. Sometimes I change things drastically, mid-process. Sometimes the image doesn’t really change from the initial one. Many times I will livestream the process on Twitch
Finally, of all the future technology consistently theorized across all forms of media (teleportation, instant communication, genetic editing, spaceflight, cloning, etc.), what would you like to see the most?
I would love for our civilization to enter the post-scarcity era so much. So, nuclear fusion, solar mirrors/arrays and other ways to exploit solar energy, ending dependence on fossil fuels. I would love for each person on earth to live a peaceful, plentiful life not bound to an exploitatory system. Also curing diseases, yes, please.
Arctic Egyptians by Živko Kondić
Many thanks to Živko for sharing his work and inspiration.
If you would like to keep up with his work, make sure to follow him on Twitter, Instagram, or Pateron.