CHRIS Moore lives in another world -- but it's all in a day's work for the artist whose illustrations have been used on the book jackets of some of the world's top authors. He spoke to JENNY SCOTT

ABOVE our heads an enormous spaceship blasts off into a star-filled sky. Meanwhile, a pig wearing a Hawaiian shirt stands nonchalantly smoking a cigarette.

We are looking at the art work of illustrator Chris Moore, from Blacko, whose designs have adorned the book jackets of authors ranging from Jeffrey Archer and Anne Rice to Truman Capote and Jackie Collins.

Now Chris, 56, is organising an exhibition in Blackburn encompassing his own work, as well as that of fellow concept artists who have worked on films as diverse as Blade Runner and Jimmy Neutron.

The exhibition, entitled Fantasy Art Masters, runs at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery until August 30.

Sadly, two of Chris's friends who worked on the Lord of the Rings films weren't able to make it to Blackburn this time, being tied up with filming in New Zealand, but Chris hopes they'll become involved in future exhibitions.

However, there is plenty for fantasy and sci-fi fans to savour, with many examples of games covers, bookjackets and film art rarely seen outside private collections included in the display.

A previous exhibition on the same theme, which Chris took part in but did not organise, was held two years ago at the museum and drew record crowds. This year the artists include Jim Burns, who worked on Blade Runner, and Fred Gambino who, worked on Jimmy Neutron, as well as Ian Miller, who has worked on a number of Hollywood projects.

Chris himself is not involved in movie work, which involves designing the fantasy backdrops that audiences find so convincing, although he was once asked by Stanley Kubrick to work on AI when it was in its embryonic stages.

He explained: "I went to see him, but I wouldn't agree to the terms he wanted. He wanted me to work to a fixed price on stuff that was completely open ended. I think he wanted me to agree for the kudos of having worked on one of his films. In the end AI was put to sleep for 12 years until after Kubrick's death."

Instead, Chris has designed the jackets of hundreds of bestselling books, as well as album covers for the likes of Status Quo and Rod Stewart.

For a typical project, Chris says: "Somebody rings me up and says they want a design for a book.

"They describe the plot to me, and then I decide on a cover. Then I work out the layout. For a recent Greg Bear book about a virus in New York, I got a girl from the local hairdresser's to pose for me.

"I photographed her and incorporated that into the design. Then I cobbled it together in a painting using an airbrush and masking film."

The demands of the 21st century mean Chris has been forced to add computer technology to his repertoire of skills -- something he doesn't necessarily welcome.

"I'm still on the nursery slopes with it," he says modestly. "I haven't taken to it really. But it's been a case of having to do it. People ask for it. I had a chap come out and give me instruction on how to do it a few times. I use a 3D software programme that enables you to see the design as a sculpture. Then I apply texture to the surface and once it's finished I send it to the publisher by e-mail."

The reactions provoked by Chris's artwork have varied wildly. Jeffrey Archer was so pleased with the design he did for As the Crow Flies he asked if he could have the original picture. It now hangs on his bedroom wall.

On the other hand, the author Colin Forbes was not so pleased with Chris. After having done a series of simple, effective bookjackets for the bestselling crime writer, Chris was suddenly asked for an altogether more elaborate design.

"It was like Cecil B DeMille was involved," he recalls. "I did the thing but it made an awful cover. I made it clear that whoever decided on it needed their head examining."

Sadly, the new design turned out to have been the inspiration of Forbes himself and Chris hasn't been asked to work on another book cover for him since.

Chris says his ambitions always lay in illustration. Brought up in South Yorkshire, he attended the Royal College of Art in London and set up business in Covent Garden.

"I've always been a bit suspicious of the fine art world," he said. "People like Tracy Emin and Damian Hurst have ideas I've seen before.

"At art school there were guys coming up with things like that all the time. The fact that Damian Hurst has gone to the trouble of putting a shark in formaldehyde doesn't mean to say it's art."

Chris moved to Blacko 10 years ago and lives with his wife, two children and dog Poppy in a house with a large studio that overlooks Pendle Hill.

He's now keen to pass on his enthusiasm for his work to children at Blacko Primary School as part of the Government's Big Art Week initiative.

He said: "It's terrific. I've shown them some slides and set them a project to design their own book cover. It's been fascinating watching their reactions."

To see Chris's work for yourself, as well as that of his fellow artists, catch the Fantasy Art exhibition at Blackburn Museum, which is open from 10am-4.45pm, Tuesday to Saturday. Admission is free.