Mike Hinge was an illustrator, typographer and graphic designer, born in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1931. Early in his illustration career he worked for the largest ad agency in New Zealand before moving to Los Angeles, where he attended the Art Center of the College of Design. In 1966 he moved to Manhattan, where he worked as an art director for several ad agencies. His graphic designs were notable, and his colorful and psychedelic illustrations appeared on numerous science fiction paperback books and magazines during the 1970s, including Analog, Mediascene, Heavy Metal, Fantastic, and Amazing.
Hinge also did design work for 2001: A Space Odyssey and produced illustrations for mainstream publications like Time magazine, including covers featuring Richard Nixon and Emperor Hirohito. He was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist in 1973, plus nominated for 6 Locus awards in the ’70’s. His designs for typefaces and graphics won him several awards and were exhibited, including a show at the Brooklyn Museum. A book about his art The Mike Hinge Experience was published in 1973 and he featured in the 1982 artists anthology The New Visions. He died of a heart attack in 2003 and still remains relatively unknown outside of the sci-fi community, for more info check out Ivan Richards’ Onyx Cube blog for many examples of his original artwork.
I was able to purchase a number of his works at a science fiction convention after his passing. His friends helped clear his studio, selling the works off rather than seeing them go to the clean out people and likely the dumpster.
One, just one, we have turned into a print with his name as large as the image. An homage to him, we chose a piece that shows a Chinese dragon whose body patterns / scales are all stark black on white imagery drawn from printed circuits, or rather his interpretation of them.
That said, the whole thing is conceived and executed to appear as South Pacific tribal tattoos, a quarter century before late post punk kids began covering themselves with such things. Prescient. Simple. Powerful. Lovely. It is his love call to the land where he grew up.
Find him on our site, http://www.thegrandreview.com
you can find them on ebay sometimes Patrick
Hey where did you find this print??
nice post!