The Second Variety

In 1953 Philip K Dick wrote the short story “The Second Variety” the story is incredibly bleak yet evocative. The Earth is covered in ash from nuclear fallout while the Nato forces wage an  automated war from the moon.  The combatants are robots (claws) in underground  factories replenishing their numbers and iterating on their own designs, to better kill the Russian forces. 

In this piece I wanted to focus on three things the. Bleak background softened by smoke and ash in to barely recognizable shapes. The claws terrifying design which emphasizes chain saw mandibles and the though of what they could do to someone and the UN soldier in a contemplative pose.