Customer Reviews

Rolling Thunder: The Art of Dave Dorman

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There's so many words to describe Dave Dorman, but the one that always comes to mind is simply: AMAZING. Dave is the nu-age King Midas! His "Star Wars: The Art of Dave Dorman" is by far my favorite, but his newest book is INCREDIBLE!! He puts so much time, effort and love into his work and "this fan" appreciates it very much! From Alien to Star Wars, Dave has really set the bar high for artists. You won't be disappointed! Keep up the fantastic work Dave!

I have been a fan of Dave Dorman for many years now. I had the opportunity to meet Dave at a convention and not only was struck by his immense talent but also his way with his scores of fans. Such a gentleman! I purchased my first "Dorman" at this convention and I have been doing my best to collect his art. It's very hard to find and for good reason. Collectors do not like to part with his art and those that do demand top dollar.

When I started collecting, I wanted to learn as much as Dave's art as well as what techniques he uses to produce his art. I studied art in college and could not figure out how he produces such vibrant and photo-realistic paintings. So, when I purchased Rolling Thunder: the Art of Dave Dorman at a trade show, I was so happy to see that not only does the book span Dave's career in the arts, but also discusses his techniques. I think this book is a MUST for any prospective artist or student, or even those looking to go into graphic art and design. "Technique" is difficult to learn from most artists, but Dave shows how his self-taught style, while unconventional, produces such masterpieces. But of course, the masters make it look easy.

I cannot express enough how much I enjoy this book. It is placed prominently in my collection and I can't tell you how many times I get asked by my friends and visitors "who painted that print?" and "I wonder how he painted that?" This book explains both in wondrous detail.

Dave Dorman is a master artist, and this book is a wonderful showcase of his career. Beautifully printed and bound (I bought the hardcover), you will find inside a stunning showcase of his art, professional and personal. Whether you're looking for his Star Wars artwork, Aliens, Doc Savage, LOTR, or Star Trek artwork, it's all in there and much more. But my words won't do justice to his paintings. Just buy the book and take the time to look at and appreciate all his artwork.

I've known of Dave and his work since acquiring a signed / framed Star Wars litho of his about 12 years ago (I still have it). His style is hard to describe (at least for me), but you know it when you see it. You become immersed in it. Hard to describe but Dave has an ability to capture 3D images and moods on paper, giving them life and texture you have to see to appreciate. I am not sure why he's not more famous, but he should be. (At comicon they treat him like a demigod with people waiting in line for his work)

Even with all that, I was totally unprepared for this new book. It is a true work of art. Both the individual pieces, and the way Dave melded them into one collection, is something you must see to appreciate. If you love quality sci-fi and fantasy art then this book is a must-own for your collection.

The book is a tour de force, beginning with Dave's early works, his Star Wars period, Wasted Lands,GI Joe, Battle Star Galactica, as well as a mix of other favorites, plus some sketches and enough backstory to let you discover the work all over again.

This is NOT a coffee table book that will collect dust. This is something that a collector will savor, crave and protect. I keep picking mine up and finding new things that I swear were not there before.

If you were one of the lucky few that stood in line at Comicon to get an autographed copy, you have a treasure. If you did not, it seems Amazon has some. There are two versions of Dave's book here. The difference is one is signed by Dave (which is the one I have). The covers are different but contain the same art.

According to his website, both of these are from the first edition. The printing was small, so the signed versions may be gone by the time someone reads this.

Congrats Dave. Can't wait for your next one. I hope I don't need to wait 12 years this time.

^Carl.
Carl Melville

If I were stranded on a desert island and only allowed one art book, Dave Dorman's Rolling Thunder: The Art of Dave Dorman would be it. This new personal memoir and art book is visual eye candy - a spectacular tapestry of color, line, texture, light and dark, and every licensed character you can imagine (Batman, G.I. Joe, Alien, Predator, AVP, Spiderman, Captain America, King Kong, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, World of Warcraft, Magic: The Gathering, Green Hornet, Green Lantern, Lord of the Rings, etc.) as well as his own wonderfully realized and rendered post-Industrial Steampunk Western series, The Wasted Lands. Dorman also brings to life his internal struggles, conquering self doubt, his life challenges and never-before-revealed art and details of his life. Even better, Dorman is donating 10% of the proceeds of this book to [...], the NFP that supports financially challenged military families, as Dorman is a USAF military brat. Buy this book today! It's a wonderful, must-have addition to your 21st Century Art Collection!

Breaking news! The world now has an answer to the meaning of the Giant Double Rainbow!

Over the labor day weekend I went to Yosemite with a few friends of mine to do some plein air painting. On the second day, my co-artists and I experienced the infamous "Full-On Giant Double Rainbow Across the Sky" and yet some how it didn't occur to me, uncharacteristically, to crack a wise comment. It was clear and intense and I too found myself wondering, what does it all mean? Unfortunately, the serene experience did not last as we, and all our work, were interrupted by torrential rain.

On the long drive home I couldn't stop thinking about the Double Rainbow, retracing all the events of the day, to figure out what it all meant. Then I realized that in all the commotion, between finding myself asking what it all meant and the torrential rain, there was the sound of ROLLING THUNDER! When I got home I quickly consulted my most trusted advisor, Google... but nothing striking stood out. Then I realized an answer to the Double Rainbow warranted more than a posting on Facebook or Twitter. It had to be published work! So I quickly came to Amazon and what did I find? ROLLING THUNDER by Dave Dorman. Interesting, futuristic looking, almost apocalyptic and signed by the author! Add to cart, thank you.

When the book arrived I saw how massive it was and realized that it was worthy of housing the answer to the meaning of the Double Rainbow... and sure enough, I found it! I don't want to spoil it for you so I'll leave you with this. The Double Rainbow is just a way to get you to question it's meaning. It's clear and intense and mesmerizing. Rolling Thunder, and it's author Dave Dorman are the answer. The artwork is very clear, big and intense... but it goes beyond the Double Rainbow taking you on the journey of man and artist.

Now that you know where the answer lies go and buy this book. After you read it you'll want to get it signed. Or, you can save yourself the money and just buy that one first!

If you want spoilers for the book see my review for the Limited Edition volume, which will I'll post shortly.
Rolling Thunder: The Art of Dave Dorman S/N LE

Length:: 1:10 Mins

IDW and Desperado publishing have been putting up some really great art books lately. This one for Dave Dorman is another quality book. It's a pretty thick hardcover at 328 pages, not the 256 pages listed by Amazon.

The book is packed with hundreds of beautiful paintings spanning his entire career, some dating back to 1978 when he's just starting out. Almost every piece of art is accompanied by commentary, giving us interesting background stories and sometimes insight into how he paints. The paintings are all wonderfully detailed and printed large.

The work are grouped into chapters under comics, gaming, illustration, Aliens/Predator, Lucasfilm, Wasted Lands and personal works. You'll see work he has created for DC, Marvel, GI Joe, Battlestar Galactica, Magic the Gathering, Indiana Jones, Star Wars and a lot of titles I've not seen before. There are even examples of him drawing in manga style for the series Robotech while finding work.

The strange thing is, as most of the work aren't dated, it seems like he acquired amazing drawing skills straightaway in the early days, judging by the quality of art showcased.

In the foreword, it's mentioned that this is only half of Dave Dorman's key works. Let's hope there's a second volume.

Fantastic book.

(There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

I would gladly pay half the price for a book with 100 pages showcasing the highlights of Dave's work. By the way, 8 of the 17 five star pieces are on the topics of Aliens/Predator and Star Wars, and those you can find on their respective "panel to panel" releases.


SPECIFICS:
Page Count: 328
Number of images: 341
Small images: 106
Half page images: 59
Full page images: 163
2-page spreads: 13
BW images: 28

TEXT:
Foreword: 1 page
Early Years: 7 pages
Afterword: 3 pages
Acknowledgements: 1 page
Each page has at least 1 short paragraph about the art there displayed

ART:
17 images: 5 stars
67 images: 4 stars
199 images: 3 stars
54 images: 2 stars
4 images: 1 star


Overall: 3 Stars


Note: Sketches were left out of the rating