19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Breathtaking art, beautiful format, March 23, 2001
This review is from: The Art of Michael Whelan (Hardcover)
This book is truly a work of art!
The eminently talented Michael Whelan showcases his treasures in this large-size, full-color coffee table book.
With his superb attention to detail and boundless imagination, MW has created fantastic worlds. Here, he catalogues his numerous book covers (all genres of Science Fiction, and all genres of Fantasy, and other areas), paintings, and assorted works (he paints not just for a living but for his own enjoyment, evident in the many small sketches included throughout the book).
MW himself describes each piece. He isn't an artist who simply creates a cover when commissioned; he reads the text of the book he will be making a cover for. This is what makes his book cover art so wonderful. In my mind, his cover art for "Catspaw" and "The Snow Queen" are every bit as memorable as the stories they were made for. He details everything minutely: the curling edges of a drying leaf, the dust stain in a fold of clothing, a nick on the blade of a warrior's battle-ax, a snarl in a lock of hair, the markings on a spaceship lifting off from a background launch pad, the clearing sky reflected in a dangling pane of broken glass, the frayed edges of a worn rope attached to a forgotten bell. And that's just the little stuff in the background.
What sets this book aside from other art books is the fact that this book is made for people who like to LOOK at the art. Nearly half of the pieces featured here are full-page size, with the text/description and sketches, studies, details, alternative concepts on the facing page. Too many art books tend to squeeze pictures into small squares on a page. None of that here. The colors are sharp and vivid. The edges are sharp and crisp. The paper used is heavy glossy paper. There are three chapters (interviews, introduction, technical aspects) printed on heavy parchment-like paper. The book itself is clothbound in matte midnight black, embossed in gold. The publishers spared no expense in making this book.
And here's something I haven't seen in other art books: the 85+ full page plates are indexed in a back section of the book. Shrunk down to B&W postage-stamp size, you can glance through to quickly find your favorite picture.
The work represented here covers everything from dragons, winged lions, medieval castles, futuristic alien castles, strange aliens, bustling spaceports, nature settings, warriors of every type, humans and much more. Each picture is worth a thousand words indeed.
The paper cover/dustjacket features "Passage: The Avatar" (the breathtaking blue ruins) on the front and "The Summer Queen" on the back, both are featured inside the book. This is a plus, as many times the dustjacket art is counted among the represented work.
Very highly recommended.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Art of Michael Whelan, March 30, 2005
This review is from: The Art of Michael Whelan (Hardcover)
"The Art of Michael Whelan" is a great book for art lovers. This book is a enormous and varied collection, divided into Whelan's commercial work of sci-fi and fantasy book covers and his personal paintings, most with a fantasy and nature theme. Additionally, there are interviews with the artist about his materials, methods and history in the field. Every painting is commented on, and the symbolism and story behind each picture adds to the enjoyment of each work, as well as the little preliminary sketches that show different paths the paintings could have taken. If you're a reader of fantasy and sci-fi, like me, you're sure to spot a few favorite books among this selection - Whelan has painted book covers for writers such as Anne McCaffrey, Stephen King, and Tad Williams. The best part of these works is how they can manage to look fantastic and surreal and still make you feel as if you're looking at something that actually exists. Every time I've looked through this book I notice new details. Michael Whelan's other two fantasy collections, "Works of Wonder" and "Wonderworks," are good, but nothing compared to this treasury. I recommend this great book to anyone with an interest in great art and fantasy, you won't be disappointed.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
I wish it contained more of Michael Whelan's art., August 1, 2000
This review is from: The Art of Michael Whelan (Hardcover)
Michael Whelan's style is gorgeously captured in this state-of-the art book. If you are a fan of Michael Whelan's airbrush art or his private collection, you will find something in this book for you. It includes most of the passages paintings, the more famous covers (even the loathsome fuzzies), and many of Michael Whelan's unpublished work. The latter is what makes the book worth buy - I wish the book contained more of it and less of the cover art. I recommend this book for any fantasy art collector.
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