Spectrum 11: The Eleventh Annual Collection of the Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Hardcover)

~ Cathy Fenner (Editor), Arnie Fenner (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Now in its 11th year, and just getting bigger and better, this eagerly anticipated volume in the art and art-buying world represents the who's who in fantasy today. Spectrum is the first and only illustration annual to focus solely on fantastic art, with over 300 artists featured. Divided into seven categories, including one devoted to comics and graphic novels, Spectrum is a feast of disparate vision and artistic imagining, showcasing, among others: John Howe, fantasy illustrator and designer for Lord of the Rings; Peter deSeve, conceptual artist on Finding Nemo; Anita Kunz's work from Rolling Stone; the exquisite acrylics of Michael Whelan; the poignant work of John Jude Palancer; Doug Chiang, design director for Star Wars and creator of Robota; and Jon Foster, also of Star Wars fame. Lively, idiosyncratic, and sometimes shocking, this work continues to push against the meniscus of reality, exploring new realms of inventiveness and creativity, be it from movies, video games, ads, or art galleries.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Underwood Books (November 17, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1887424814
• ISBN-13: 978-1887424813
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #710,608 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Knock-out Collection, December 2, 2005

By	Kronos "Andrew" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spectrum 11: The Best In Contemporary Fantastic Art (Paperback)

Spectrum 11 is a stunning gathering of exceptional talent. I'm not sure of the motives or reasons for describing it as "tepid", but that is definitely an inappropriate characterization. If anything Spectrum 11 is quite progressive--there are new approaches, new interpretations, new spins on familar themes, that make this book and the art inside both refreshing and exciting. Whether it's the political implications of Eric Joyner's cover, the biting humor of Todd Schorr's "An Alien In the Land of Make-Believe", the disturbing visions of Edward Binkley or the amazing dramas portrayed in the paintings by Jon Foster--there's plenty to not only enjoy but also to think about. If you love fantasy (of "phantasy") and science fiction art, you'll love this book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Feast for the eyes., August 18, 2005

By	Hesper23 "Grad student" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

A handful of experienced judges annually judge thousands of submissions. The best of the crop, of the fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and just plain weird, genres is published in a coffe-sized table artbook, Spectrum . Volume 11 is perhaps the best yet. They've increased the size fo the book both in the number of pages and physical dimensions. Also, the featured artworks seem to be more diverse and international this year.

One of the pleasures of flipping through Spectrum is seeing what you recognize, "oh, there's the cover that John Jude Palencar did for Lynn Flewelling's novels, and Jaqueline Carey too."

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST have for any art fan, January 30, 2005

By	C. Cole (Allen, Texas United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Spectrum 11: The Best In Contemporary Fantastic Art (Paperback)

I recently purchased Spectrum 9, 10, and 11. These books are absolutely wonderful, and I would recommend them to any artist or fan of fantasy/sci fi art. They are extremely well put together, of high quality (reproduction wise), have a large number and variety of artists, and contain some of the most beautiful works of art I have seen. Some of the subject matter can be disturbing or somewhat sexual in nature (certainly nothing explicit, but not exactly innocent either), so I wouldn't recomend them for the very young (12 or under?) if you are a parent. These books are worth every penny and highly recommended.