Science Fiction Art

To me the real art isn't painting or modeling or composition... the usual things artists love about their art. I mean that's all fun, too. But the real joy, and challenge, is in designing the characters, ships, creatures and worlds and making them believable. Unlike fantasy art, there are specific evolutionary rules that govern how planets, life forms and cultures are formed.

Just as certain types of paint or clay have specific properties, so do the rules that govern evolution. What evolutionary traits would make this species thrive in this environment. How would a red sun affect a planet as opposed to a yellow sun. How would a binary star affect life on a planet. The fun in sci fi art is reaching into your knowledge base on all the sciences and mixing it all together to build a world.