 He was part of the special effects team that won an Academy Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects for their design work on the film "Alien".His design for the Alien was inspired by his painting "Necronom IV" and earned him an Oscar in 1980.His books of paintings, particularly "Necronomicon" and "Necronomicon II" (1985) and the frequent appearance of his art in "Omni" magazine contributed to his rise to international prominence.