Calgary artist behind illustrations of would-be Mars One habitats

Peter Rakobowchuk, The Canadian Press Published Saturday, February 15, 2014 7:28AM EST

MONTREAL -- Bryan Versteeg hasn't stopped drawing ever since he got his first crayons and left marks all over the walls as a child -- all the while dreaming of someday living in space.

He still remembers that sketch books and drawing pencils were the predominant gifts on his fifth and sixth birthdays.

So began the career of the 38-year-old Calgary space artist who's becoming known for his futuristic out-of-this-world illustrations.

"I've always been seeking out the future of engineering," Versteeg said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

Over the years, he has been inspired by magazines like Popular Science, which he collected during the 1980s and 90s. The monthly magazine has been well known for its concept drawings of flying cars and interplanetary spaceships.

"It's a great way to look into the future," he added.

Warp forward to Versteeg's recent illustrations of what a human habitat on Mars would eventually look like. His Mars One conceptual designs have appeared in thousands of articles on the Internet.

Versteeg started working on the Martian space habitat after he was approached by the founders of the Mars One Foundation, which is planning a one-way mission to the red planet.

In December, the non-profit organization selected 75 Canadians to enter the second round of the mission's selection process. The 43 Canadian women and 32 men were among 1,058 candidates selected.

See the original post:
Calgary artist behind illustrations of would-be Mars One habitats