My approach for this project was an airbrushed magazine commission, even factoring in a hypothetical meeting with the art director regarding space for the header and articles.

 

I stayed as much as possible within the printing limitations of OMNI magazine in the early 80's, apart from the very contemporary gradient fills in the light beams; Iridescent going in, warm tricolor burst coming out.

 

 

Regarding the magazine itself, I really enjoyed James' history of OMNI magazine, and tried to come up with appropriately sensational 1980's stabs at the future which would line up with the reality we now live in.

The main article, of course, concerns itself with Nukes, or at least a prediction of the digital action figures to come forty years later.

 

Here's the illustration that would have been handed over to the magazine publisher.

Here's my layers panel in Photoshop:

 

This was a lot of fun, thanks James!