Gary Meyer

Illustrator Judge – Biography

Gary Meyer

Gary Meyer (1934-2021) was involved in painting, illustration, graphic arts, and sculpture since 1960. The first recipient of the Stan Reckless Scholarship and a graduate of Art Center College of Design (BA with Honors) with additional studies at Choinard Art Institute, he served as a motion picture production illustrator for Universal Studios. He established his own studio in 1972 and served on the faculty of Art Center College of Design and 3kicks Fine Art Studio.

He consulted as a designer-illustrator on various motion pictures, including Star Wars, 2010, Day of the Locust, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and The Thing. He produced motion picture poster paintings for Das Boot, Jaws 3, The Deep, Night Crossing, and many others. His work with the studios included a thirty-year relationship with Universal Studios as a design consultant on many projects such as the Jurassic Park Ride, Seafari, and the Back to the Future Ride. Album cover paintings were executed for Chicago, the Jacksons, the Beach Boys, the Persuasions, and others.

Past clients included all major aircraft companies, all major motion picture studios, Readers Digest, Random House, Six Flags Parks, Levis, CBS Records, Electra Asylum Records, A&M Records, New West Magazine, Warner Books, and others.

Mr. Meyer won a number of awards the world over. He held the honorary title of Master of the College at Art Center—one of only two individuals ever to receive this title. He was elected by the graduating students to receive the Great Teacher Award seventeen times.

Gary Meyer became a judge for the Illustrators of the Future Contest in 2012 and remained one the rest of his life.

“Helping aspiring artists through this Contest is the caring sense I have about everybody involved here. It is a contest but it isn’t harshly competitive.” —Gary Meyer

Find out more at: garymeyerillustration.net