I don't know if it is just the grain of the canvas, but it seems in all of the paintings/illustrations (particularly of fantasy and mythological subjects) used for painted posters and covers of books, music, movies, games, etc. in the 1970's - 90's there is a type of style that I can't really put my finger on. For example, there is this picture I encountered on the web, http://imgur.com/lAnMX safe link
that really is what I am talking about. It is a fantasy picture, and like other retro paintings like it, it has that style. The reason I am asking is because I am an "artist" of a different type, a graphics programmer. I am writing a GLSL shader and want to try to emulate that style, but I need to know what that style is and some characteristics before I can get started. Thanks.

P.S: I realize the origin of the picture is unrelated to the topic, as it is a random 80's album cover I have never really heard, but I found the picture when searching Google for "sky murals", and then it sparked my imagination.

Hmm, that's kind of a European comic style - there are several animated fantasy movies from the 70s with that sort of style, For example the animated Hobbit. You see this kind of style in psychedelic art sometimes too. Grew out of caricature and political cartoon art, I would imagine, due to the penchant for highly-detailed depictions of things that are homely, rather than the idealization one sees in a lot of cartoon art.

Are you looking for the art style as defined by the art academia?

If that's the case, that style could be considered neo-romanticism or neo-surrealism, depending on what kind of subject matter you're looking for.
Me thinks you might have better luck looking in neo-surrealism as it leans more toward fantastic elements like those found on cover art and stuff.

Hope this helps!

Thanks Dave