INTERVIEW: Ron Miller, Artist

Our guest today is Ron Miller, noted artist and author. In the last fifty years he’s done pretty much everything that the rest of us only dream about - industrial artist, art director for the Einstein Planetarium, artistic consultant for Disney and A&E, designed postage stamps, worked on the art direction for movies like Dune and Total Recall, written or co-written at least a skillion books and illustrated countless more; he’s won a Hugo and been nominated for several others, he personally translated new editions of Verne from the original French, and become the Co-director of Bonnestell Space Art. But mostly he’s known for producing hundreds upon hundreds of brilliant illustrations for galleries, book and magazine covers, films, you name it.
Mr. Miller, thank you for agreeing to talk with us today!

Ron Miller:
Thanks for asking me!

Republibot 3.0:
You’ve done an unbelievable amount of different styles of art in the last forty years, but you’re primarily known by most as someone who does primarily space art scenes - alien landscapes, planets seen from space, starscapes, things like that - what was it about that subject that got you involved in that, as opposed to more mundane terrestrial stuff? Formation of Earth: Formation of Earth by Ron Miller, used by permission

Miller:
I've loved space stuff since I was a kid. I've always been interested in astronomy, space travel, etc., literally for as long as I can remember. I would hurry home from school so I wouldn't miss Space Patrol and I ate up every book about space I could find...especially anything with Bonestell art in it. I can't say that this passion has abated in any way over the years.

Republibot 3.0:
As with all good-hearted people, I adore Bonestell! So moving from a very early passion for space art, you went on to become the art director for the National Air and Space Museum for several years before you went freelance in 1977. What made you decide to go solo?

Miller:
Technically, I was the art director for the planetarium there, not the entire museum (just keeping the facts straight!)...I went freelance largely because I wanted to get into some different kinds of work, especially science fiction illustration.

Republibot 3.0:
Whups, thanks for correcting me on that. It couldn’t have been too much after you went freelance when I first began seeing your stuff on the covers of paperbacks. I was instantly kind of hooked by your style, and I bought quite a few books I had no interest in just so I could own the covers. It wasn’t until I got a copy of “Space Art” by Starlog Magazine that I finally figured out who you were, though. Doing as many book covers as you have, I’ve always wondered How much of a work do you read before you illustrate it, and how much is editorially mandated? Clockwork Orange cover by Ron Miller, used by permission

Miller:
I try to read the entire book if it's possible---and even if an art director has specific ideas of their own it helps to get the background and character that the entire book provides. If time doesn't permit, then I'll at least closely scan a MS, looking for the overall flavor as well as any set-pieces (scenes that stand out visually) that might make good ideas for covers.

Republibot 3.0:
How much input does the author get in a situation like that?

Miller:
Well, there are mixed feelings about that. I sometimes like to be able to consult an author about details but I don't think authors should be allowed to make decisions about their covers. The simple reason is that they really can't be objective about their books. Of course, that doesn't hold true when I'm doing one of my own books! (koff koff)

Republibot 3.0:
heh-heh. This seems like a kind of ignorant question, given how much SF illustration you’ve done, but do you like Science Fiction? I’d assume ‘yes’, but I was rather surprised when I interviewed Varley and Tessa Dick a while back to see how little SF they actually read.

Miller:
I love SF!

Republibot 3.0:
Any