The art and beauty of Blade Runner

The gist

• T. R. Napper's essay collects fan art, stills and production details from Blade Runner, arguing Ridley Scott "tried to create beauty, frame by frame, shot by shot" while making the film.
• Futurist Syd Mead did much of the design work, and also shaped the look of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, TRON, Elysium, and Aliens, where he designed the dropship and Ripley's power loader.
• Scott briefed Mead with "this is not Logan's Run, where everything is slick and clean. It's going to be gritty, noir style."
• Deckard's pistol was built from a double trigger bolt action rifle and a pistol, with a cut barrel and stock, a curved pistol grip and LEDs stuck on the side, weighing twice a normal handgun and firing .44 magnum ammunition.
• Scott reportedly fired a design staffer for not providing enough coffee cups to choose from as a prop in one scene.
• Artist Anders Ramsell painted 3,285 watercolour prints of the film and turned them into a short film available on YouTube.

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