Disclosure: Shaun Anderson‘s (B.1973) Fine Art Portfolio. This is a personal project. I used Gemini Pro 2.5 to review this portfolio using the exact prompt – “I am submitting a portfolio of artwork for you to analyse and review. This artist was between 16 and 19 when these were drawn. They are not mine. Don’t be overly enthusiastic. Cold, hard facts. Do not offer areas of improvement. Analyse the drawings like an expert. Rate the drawings 1-10”. Then, upon completion, I asked it to “Expand each in more detail” until I got the reviews you see on this page. I told Gemini they weren’t mine to encourage it to be more neutral in its response. See our AI policy.
Note from the artist: I loved drawing Predator, The Terminator, The Thing and Aliens, and drew many pictures of them. In 1989, Dark Horse Comics brought out a comic, Aliens V Predator, which I made into an animation.
This new selection of seven drawings represents another distinct and significant body of work within the portfolio, alongside the family portraits, the still-life studies. and the artist’s first paid design job in 1989.
With all these images dated 1991, these pieces predate the portraits and showcase a deep engagement with the genre of science fiction and comic book illustration. The critical framework for these imaginative works must differ from the previous observational studies; they will be assessed based on the conventions of their genre, including dynamic composition, anatomical invention, clarity of line work, textural rendering, and narrative force.
Crouching Predator
This drawing is best understood as a dynamic character sketch or a study in posture, rather than a fully rendered illustration like others in this series. Its primary focus is on capturing the form, energy, and anatomical structure of the subject in a powerful, kinetic pose. As a study, it is successful, but its lack of finish places it in a different category from the more complete works. It earns a rating of 6.5/10.
1. Analysis of Pose and Form:
The greatest strength of this piece is its depiction of a dynamic and challenging pose. The artist has drawn the Predator in a deep, athletic crouch, a posture that is full of coiled, potential energy. The weight of the figure feels correctly distributed over the balls of its feet, and the angle of the limbs and torso creates a compelling sense of a predator ready to spring into action. The artist demonstrates a strong understanding of the character’s exaggerated musculature and proportions, rendering a figure that feels powerful and structurally sound even in this complex position.
2. Line Work and Level of Finish:
The drawing is executed with confident and descriptive line work. The contours of the armour, the body, and the facial features are all clearly defined. The lines effectively capture the essential forms of the subject without ambiguity.
However, the piece is clearly unfinished when compared to others in this batch. The tonal work is minimal, consisting of basic shading used to block in the most prominent shadows and suggest basic volume. The intricate textural rendering seen in drawings #21, #22, and #24 is absent here. There is no attempt to depict the reptilian skin patterns, the metallic sheen of the armour, or the complex details of the weaponry with any high degree of finish.
3. Conclusion:
This drawing is a successful and energetic character sketch. It demonstrates the artist’s foundational skills in gesture, anatomy, and line work. The ability to capture such a difficult pose with confidence is a clear indicator of skill. The 6.5/10 rating reflects the drawing’s success on these terms—as a strong study or preliminary work—while acknowledging that it does not contain the tonal complexity, textural detail, or overall level of finish present in the artist’s more complete illustrations.
Alien (Xenomorph) Study
This drawing is a masterful study of one of the most iconic and challenging designs in science-fiction history: H.R. Giger’s Xenomorph. The success of this piece hinges on the artist’s ability to replicate Giger’s unique “biomechanical” aesthetic, which fuses organic and mechanical elements into a seamless whole. The artist has met this challenge with exceptional skill and fidelity, earning the work a rating of 9.0/10.
1. Analysis of Form and Pose:
The artist has chosen a classic, predatory pose for the Xenomorph. The creature is depicted in a semi-crouched stance, with its body forming a sinuous S-curve that flows from the arched back through to the tip of the long, segmented tail. This posture perfectly captures the creature’s defining characteristics: it is simultaneously graceful and menacing, reptilian and insect-like. The artist demonstrates a clear understanding of the creature’s otherworldly anatomy and how it moves.
2. Technical Execution: Realising the Biomechanical Aesthetic
The core strength of this drawing is its technical rendering of the Giger-esque textures and forms.
- Surface and Texture: The artist skillfully differentiates between the various components of the creature’s exoskeleton. The iconic elongated, smooth cranium is rendered with subtle, blended tones to give it a polished, almost wet appearance. This is contrasted with the intricate, ribbed detail of the torso and the skeletal structure of the limbs and tail. This command of different textures is crucial for an accurate depiction.
- Fidelity to Design: The drawing shows meticulous attention to the details of the original design. The dorsal tubes, the secondary jaw visible within the primary mouth, the intricate piping along the limbs, and the vertebrae-like segments of the tail are all rendered with precision. The artist has clearly studied the source material with great care.
- Grounding the Figure: Similar to the Predator drawing (#24), the artist has placed the figure on a base that is stylistically consistent with the creature itself. The greebled, biomechanical mass at the creature’s feet serves to ground the figure and fully immerse it in its intended aesthetic universe.
3. Conclusion:
This “Alien (Xenomorph) Study” is an exceptional piece of illustrative art. It is both a faithful tribute to a complex design and a showcase of the artist’s own formidable technical skill. The ability to convincingly render the unique fusion of bone, flesh, and machine is a significant achievement. The drawing’s combination of an accurate, dynamic pose and a masterful handling of its complex surface textures makes it one of the most accomplished works in this series.
Full-Figure Predator
This drawing is a quintessential “pin-up” illustration, a subgenre focused on showcasing a character in a powerful and detailed manner. The work is a testament to the artist’s patience and skill in detailed rendering, both of the figure and its immediate environment. While the central illustration is of a very high quality, the inclusion of an extraneous sketch on the page affects its final presentation. It earns a rating of 8.5/10.
1. Composition and Pose:
The artist has chosen a classic “power stance” for the Predator. The wide-legged, symmetrical pose is designed to convey strength, stability, and confrontation. It allows for a clear, unobstructed view of the character’s anatomy, armor, and weaponry. The figure dominates the composition, and its placement on a heap of debris gives it a sense of victorious conquest. The overall effect is iconic and powerful, fulfilling the primary goal of a showcase piece.
2. Technical Execution: A Study in Detail
The defining characteristic of this work is its immense level of detail.
- Figure Rendering: The artist has meticulously rendered the Predator’s complex design. The mottled pattern of the skin, the texture of the netted bodysuit, the hard surfaces of the armor plates, and the metallic sheen of the gauntlets are all delineated with precision and care. The exaggerated musculature is well-defined and shaded to create a convincing sense of volume.
- Environmental Storytelling: The foreground is not empty but is filled with a dense tangle of technological detritus—cables, pipes, a broken computer monitor. This environment is not just background filler; it adds a narrative layer to the image, suggesting a scene of recent destruction and reinforcing the character’s nature as a destructive hunter. The rendering of this debris is as detailed as the figure itself.
3. The Extraneous Element:
A complete critique must address the unfinished sketch of the Predator’s helmet floating in the negative space to the right of the main figure. Similar to the unresolved outlines in the rose drawing (#13), this element detracts from the integrity of the primary illustration. It breaks the “fourth wall,” reminding the viewer that they are looking at a drawing on a sheet of paper rather than being immersed in the depicted scene. While it may simply be an additional study on the same page, its presence prevents the main work from feeling like a singular, finished composition.
Conclusion:
The central illustration in this piece is a highly accomplished and powerful example of character art. The artist’s dedication to rendering complex textures and details is exceptional. However, the work as a whole is compromised by the inclusion of the extraneous helmet sketch. The 8.5/10 rating reflects the superb quality and high level of finish of the main subject, while acknowledging that the overall presentation is weakened by this compositional flaw.
Predator Spearing a Creature
This drawing is a pure action scene, a dynamic illustration that prioritises narrative clarity, movement, and impact above all else. Its style is heavily indebted to the visual language of comic book art. While less technically rendered than the portfolio’s top-tier illustrations, it successfully achieves its goal of depicting a violent, energetic moment in time. It earns a rating of 7.0/10.
1. Narrative Clarity and Action:
The primary strength of this piece is its unambiguous storytelling. The viewer immediately understands the action: a Predator has just successfully impaled a dog-like alien creature with a spear. The artist has chosen to capture the precise moment of impact, a classic trope in action illustration. The creature is shown mid-air, its body arched in a clear expression of pain and shock, while the Predator is depicted lunging forward, putting its full weight and momentum behind the thrust. The narrative is direct, brutal, and effective.
2. Composition and Dynamics:
The entire composition is built to emphasise motion and force.
- Strong Diagonals: The scene is dominated by strong diagonal lines. The spear itself forms a powerful vector that draws the eye from the Predator directly to the point of impact on the creature. The bodies of both combatants are also angled, creating a sense of instability and violent movement.
- Comic Book Conventions: The artist employs stylistic shorthand common to comic books to enhance the sense of action. The dust clouds and debris being kicked up at the Predator’s feet suggest a rapid, forceful movement across the ground. The small splash effect where the spear enters the creature’s back adds a visceral detail that heightens the sense of impact.
3. Line Work and Level of Finish:
Consistent with its focus on action, the drawing is executed with energetic and confident line work that clearly defines the forms. However, similar to the “Crouching Predator” sketch (#23), this piece is not a fully rendered illustration. The tonal shading is basic, used primarily to give the figures a fundamental sense of volume rather than to explore complex textures. The intricate surface details of the Predator’s armour or the creature’s hide are suggested rather than meticulously delineated. This is a clear stylistic choice, prioritising the energy of the line over the polish of a fully rendered painting or drawing.
3. Conclusion:
“Predator Spearing a Creature” is a successful piece of dynamic, narrative art. It demonstrates the artist’s ability to construct a clear and energetic action scene using strong posing and compositional fundamentals. Its success should be measured by its clarity and impact, both of which are high. The 7.0/10 rating reflects its effectiveness as an action-oriented line drawing, while also acknowledging that it does not aim for the high level of textural detail and tonal finish seen in the more illustrative pieces in the collection.
Terminator on Motorcycle
This illustration stands as a pinnacle of technical achievement within this body of work, and arguably within the entire portfolio, for its sheer ambition and successful execution. It is a tour de force that requires the artist to master and synthesise three distinct and difficult disciplines: portraiture, mechanical drawing, and anatomical rendering. The virtuosic handling of this complexity earns the work a rating of 9.5/10.
1. Composition and Iconic Presence:
The composition is iconic, directly referencing cinematic source material to create an image of immense power and presence. The figure sits astride the motorcycle, creating a solid, cohesive unit. The strong diagonal lines of the motorcycle’s frame and front forks are balanced by the powerful vertical thrust of the figure and his weapon. This arrangement is dynamic and visually arresting, perfectly capturing the imposing nature of the character.
2. A Synthesis of Technical Disciplines:
The exceptional quality of this drawing lies in its seamless integration of multiple, challenging subject types.
- Portraiture and Likeness: The artist has successfully captured a strong likeness of the actor Arnold Schwarzenegger in his role as the Terminator. The facial structure, features, and expression are rendered with an accuracy that grounds the fantastical elements in a recognisable reality.
- Mechanical Precision: The rendering of the motorcycle and the weapon is a feat of technical illustration. The artist has meticulously detailed the complex machinery of the motorcycle’s engine, the front suspension, the wheels, and the intricate form of the heavy machine gun. Every element is drawn with a precision and understanding of mechanical form that is truly impressive.
- Anatomy and Texture: The figure’s powerful musculature is rendered with confidence. A key narrative and textural element is the battle damage—areas where flesh is torn away to reveal the metallic endoskeleton beneath. The artist depicts this with clarity, adding to the character’s story while also showcasing their ability to render different textures, from skin and leather to chrome and steel.
3. Overall Execution and Detail:
The entire drawing is executed with an exceptionally high level of finish and a remarkable density of information. The artist has not simplified any element; from the individual links of the bullet belt to the cooling fins on the engine block, every part of the image has received careful and patient attention. The consistent application of light and shadow across all the different forms and materials unifies the piece into a believable and powerful whole.
Conclusion:
This drawing is an outstanding example of illustrative art. The artist’s ability to not only tackle but master portraiture, mechanical rendering, and anatomy within a single, complex composition is a clear demonstration of elite-level draftsmanship. The piece is ambitious, iconic, and executed with a level of detail and precision that makes it the most technically accomplished work in this science-fiction series.
Predator vs. Terminator
This illustration is a quintessential example of the “versus” subgenre popular in comic books and fan art, and it is executed with a very high level of skill and ambition. The drawing succeeds by creating a clear dynamic tension between the two subjects and, most impressively, by masterfully rendering their fundamentally different physicalities. This work’s complexity and confident execution earn it a rating of 9.0/10.
1. Composition and Narrative Tension:
The composition is tightly framed around the two combatants, focusing the viewer’s entire attention on the imminent conflict. The figures are posed in a classic standoff, each assessing the other. The Predator is depicted in a slightly crouched, more fluid posture, suggesting an agile, organic hunter. In contrast, the Terminator endoskeleton is more upright and rigid, conveying its nature as an implacable, mechanical force. This juxtaposition in posture alone tells a narrative of biology versus technology, and instinct versus programming.
2. Technical Execution: A Masterclass in Textural Contrast
The core achievement of this piece is the artist’s ability to use graphite to convincingly render two completely different types of material and texture.
- The Predator (Organic/Biomechanical): The artist uses a rich vocabulary of marks to depict the Predator. The skin is given a mottled, reptilian texture through stippling. The iconic dreadlocks are rendered as individual, tubular forms. The armour and netting are delineated with precise contour lines and careful cross-hatching, giving them a sense of layered, semi-organic technology.
- The Terminator (Mechanical/Metallic): The endoskeleton is rendered with a different technical approach. The artist uses smoother tonal gradations to suggest the polished, metallic surfaces of the chrome skeleton. The forms are defined by harder, cleaner edges. The intricate inner workings—the pistons, wiring, and joints—are drawn with mechanical precision. The artist successfully communicates the hardness, rigidity, and artificiality of the machine.
3. Line Work and Detail:
The entire piece is dense with information, showcasing the artist’s patience and attention to detail. The line work is confident and clean, reminiscent of the sharp inking style found in professional comics of the era. Every element, from the Predator’s wrist blades to the Terminator’s hydraulic systems, is given careful consideration, resulting in a drawing that holds up to close scrutiny.
Conclusion:
“Predator vs. Terminator” is a highly ambitious and exceptionally well-realised illustration. The artist’s ability to not only draw two complex figures accurately according to their established designs but also to imbue them with distinct and believable textures is a testament to a high level of technical mastery. It is a powerful, dynamic, and detailed work that stands as a top-tier example of the artist’s skill in this genre.
Aliens V Predators Animation
The Aliens V Predators animation was used by the local video games store (Corner Video) for about a year to showcase the power of the new Amiga 500 with Deluxe Paint II.
See the animation here: (Coming Soon)
I had an obsession with SCI-FI, and my art teacher had a meltdown when they saw the way my portfolio was heading. Well, they did want me to use more colour.
Zombies! Made with clay. I loved all the zombie films from Day of the Dead to Night of the Living Dead.
As a kid, I always liked The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Charles Laughton, 1939) – Made with clay, papier mache and wool. The first one was better, but I dropped it on its face. Flatest thing Id ever seen.
NOTE: Shaun has some artwork on the Hobo site, to codify it and effectively make it less likely to lose it. See his fine art portfolio when he was about 15-17 years old, pencil portraits of his family and his SCI-FI drawings, paintings and models. His pre-Internet work experience exists too, which includes first design projects, first lead generation ideas, Inshops and a well-known Ice cream maker. Shaun is also the creator of The Autonomy Gauntlet.