Illustration Books

As the owner of American Art Archives, I've got a special love of illustrators like Hurst. And Mitch Itkowitz is the kind of illustration appreciator who I'd pick to do a monograph on any of the greats, especially based on his first book here, The Art of Earl Oliver Hurst.

Basically, Itkowitz lets Hurst's own images do the talking. At most, there are two images a page (for horizontal and prelim examples) but the majority are solo full-page images (some full bleed)! There are no overlapping paintings, no paintings split across two pages with the book seam in between (yuck). Instead, Itkowitz shows a healthy respect not only for the artist but how an artist should be presented in print.

The reproductions are gorgeous, and they should be, as most are taken from original artwork.

There isn't much text about the man himself, save the book flaps and a well-done introduction by illustrator Howard Chaykin. But I'm not complaining.

This is simply one of the best monographs ever published. Period (and I don't say that lightly).

I checked out this title from a library when I was in my teens. It was the introduction to journaling for me. I took down the name, returned the book when it was due, and I was glad that I did: it took me this long to find a in-print copy of it...and soft cover to boot!

This book is a compilation of several of the masters of botannical illustrations -- and even has a few how-to pointers. I found the stories about the painters interesting the the color plates irresistable. If you seriously like botannical illustration, this one is an excellent addition to your collection

If you love illustrated books you must get this one. It is relatively short at 130 pages[...]This collection is so different from my others ( eg. De Hamel and Backhouse) that it will probably compliment anything collection someone might already have. The reproduction quality is as good as anything I own. The choice of illustrations puts a particular emphasis on simplicity and unusual coloration in the art of illumination.

Highest recommendation.

I have been raving about this book since I first discovered it during the late summer of this year (1999). It contains such insightful comments, reactions, comparisons and details! M. Therese Southgate brings an intelligent, inquisitive, and thoroughly fresh approach to viewing art-its subject matter as well as its artists. Whether an aspiring artist, an established artist, or one interested in art as a collector/enthusiast at any level, this book is a joy to own.

This book is probably the best book out there,(to date), that gives a nice background of Kate's life, and also it contains some of Kate's sketches and color paintings.

If you love Kate's artistic style and have always wanted a book containing most of her art works, then this book will not disappoint.

I have collected some hundreds of children's picture books. And I straightly recommend this artist for her purest passion against expressing her naive esthetics into children's artbooks. Her artbooks give us the powerful beauty of clors desined in thieir simplisity. They encourage me to be creative mind in every scene in my daily life. It's sometimes a medicine in my life.

Mitch Byrd isn't the typical SQP Glamour/pin-up artist. If there's one guy who really seems to be out to create a unique niche for himself it's Byrd. Mitch got his start in comics working first for Malibu comics before working for DC on Guy Gardner: Warrior and Starman, for Marvel on Generation X, and later for a variety of other publishers on such characters as Shi, Predator, and Lady Death. Byrd has shown he has the talent to work in any genre from horror to fantasy, to sci-fi, to crime and superhero, and, it seems, basically anything under the sun.

This book represents an overall sampling of Mitch's art from all of these genres. The Byrd woman isn't the svelte, supermodel type you're probably used to seeing in most of the great books from SQP. Mitch's women are curvy, buxom, and full of attitude, fully looking as if they'd just be as happy to punch out your lights as have a drink with you. To me his work reminds me a bit of Richard Corben, slightly in style but more in attitude.

Check page 14 with a wonderful jungle drawing of a great ape striding through some ancient ruins as a large-hipped, and very nude woman looks on with a startled expression. The work conjures up the feel of those old 30's and 40's jungle action pulp magazines. Another pure Byrd piece is the one on page 35 that features a nude woman lying seductively as a comedic, squat, Hindu man can barely contain his glee as he strokes her legs.

The Byrd woman is fearless as evidenced by the drawings on pages 29 & 59. The first showing a female warrior fighting off a hulking minotaur and the second showing a nude female about to battle a gigantic, coiled snake. Strange aliens, voracious beasts, powerful heroes, treacherous villains...gun blazing action and epic space battles; It's all to be found in this fantastic 64 page collection of Mitch's art.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

The late Luis Martinez Roca was a talent that left us much too soon. The Spanish-born artist would first make a name for himself working on various comic strips and other projects in the UK. We would later begin working on the Warren line of magazines such as Eerie, Creepy, and most notably Vampirella. Roca passed away suddenly in 1998 but left behind a wonderful legacy of beautiful women and fantasy art. Thanks to SQP, Roca's work is being preserved and reaching many new fans.

This collection is represents a marvelous sampling of his pencil work. Roca's style is the very essence of heroic swords & sorcery with larger than life heroes, evil villains, and buxom, gorgeous women. The book has several of Roca's Conan drawings and very few artists outside of Frazetta and maybe Boris were able to capture the power and savagery of Robert E. Howard's barbarian hero the Roca did. Page 10 features perhaps my favorite Conan piece in the book as he squares off against a giant spider to rescue a girl while a wizard lurks menacingly in the background. It's a great piece!

The Art of Roca isn't all about Swords & Sorcery however. As mentioned, this is really a sampling of Roca's art and thus features a diversity of drawings. There are historical drawings drawing on Roman and pirate themes, as well a number of gothic-themed drawings. My favorite is perhaps the group of zombies that are lumbering about under a fog-shrouded moon. There are also several finished pieces that feature samurai, gunslingers, and hard-boiled detectives. The book completes with several pages of nude sketches including one of Roca's favorite subjects, Vampirella. Included are several dominatrix-themed sketches with leather clad women bearing whips and ready for action.

In this book, Roca shows that he had the talent to work in any genre. There's no doubt that he would have gone on to even greater fame had it not been for his untimely passing at the relatively young age of 58. Thankfully his artistic legacy will live on.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

The ART of S. CLAY WILSON is one hundred fifty-four pages of non-stop art. As always, Wilson's art is wild, visceral, violent, sexual, sincere, and enormously playful. The work is arranged chronologically, 1961 through 2006, and it's a helluva freewheeling ride.
This book opens with six short (1-3 pages) introductory pieces written by R. Crumb, Mark Pascale (Associate Curator of Pints & Drawings, The Art Institute of Chicago), John Francis Putnam (writing in The Realist), Charles Plymell (Wilson's first publisher), Geoffrey Young (Curator, The Geoffrey Young Gallery), and Bob Levin (author - his "Outlaws, Rebels, Free-Thinkers and Pirates" includes a chapter on Wilson). Most are funny, revealing, or sentimental (!), all provide some background information for the work that follows.
The book itself is a beauty, surprisingly understated in design and layout. The clean presentation complements the relentlessly detailed art. There are nice touches throughout, including checkered endpapers and a title page self-portrait.
You'll find very few pages of comics or stories in this volume. The ART of S. CLAY WILSON is a life-spanning collection of mostly full-page drawings and illustrations. If you're looking for Wilson comics, try Last Gasp's THE COLLECTED CHECKERED DEMON.
If you're a Wilson fan, snatch this book up. It's a good one.