The Art of Michael Whelan

Compared to his two previous books (Works of Wonder and Wonderworks) this one is far more detailed concerning the artist's life, working methods and work analysis.As for the art, it's mostly a selection of the paintings that had already been published on the two books mentioned above with some new additions.SPECIFICS:Page Count: 201Number of images: 142Small images: 63Half page images: 11Full page images: 622-page spreads: 6BW images: 45TEXT:Acknowledgements: 1 pagePreface: 1 pageProfile: 2 pagesInterview with Anne McCaffrey about his early life: 7 pagesInterview with Terry Booth about his work: 10 pagesInterview with David Cherry about materials and methods: 11 pagesThe 62 full page paintings on the right-hand pages have each a small paragraph on the opposite pageAppendix with: title, year, real size and medium used for the works displayedART:18 images: 5 stars42 images: 4 stars70 images: 3 stars12 images: 2 stars0 images: 1 starOverall: 3,5 StarsNote: sketches and other versions of the finished paintings were left out of the rating.

I have been a fan since I was a kid and this book is amazing better then I had hoped.

Really high quality images

Amazing book. Loved Michael Whelan’s work for as long as I can remember.

I purchased this book to add to my collection of F&SF art books. I am happy with it.

Excellent artbook for fantasy fans.

Marvellous!

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.

Très bon produit. Textes très intéressants. Reproductions très bonne qualité.a conseiller pour la découverte de cet illustrateur. A recommander vivement.