The Art of Rachel and Terry Dodson features many highlights from this exceptional team's 25-year career and shows how their art was created, including almost forty of their favorite comic-book covers. The pair also share insights into how eight personal pieces were executed, and they break down the making of a two-page Red One sequential comic story. The Dodsons reveal the stages of their creative process-including Terry's pencils, Rachel's inks and Terry's colors for each piece. Supporting commentary offers further insight, and two dozen covers are supplemented by Terry's initial sketches. The Dodsons also offer details about the tools they use and other tips for the aspiring artist. This is a unique way to see the steps that went into pieces the pair completed over the years for major publishers, as well as creator-owned and personal projects. One highlight is a section about the artwork on the cover of this book, broken down in great detail in twenty-seven stages that show its creation from concept to finish. All of the art in this collection was scanned or photographed from the originals, and there also are photos of the Dodsons at work in their studio. An introduction offers insight into how the pair became professionals and spans their full career to date. This book is a must for fans of Terry and Rachel Dodson as well as those interested in the creative process.

The Art of Rachel and Terry Dodson features many highlights from this exceptional team’s 25-year career and shows how their art was created, including almost forty of their favorite comic-book covers. The pair also share insights into how eight personal pieces were executed, and they break down the making of a two-page Red One sequential comic story. The Dodsons reveal the stages of their creative process—including Terry’s pencils, Rachel’s inks and Terry’s colors for each piece. Supporting commentary offers further insight, and two dozen covers are supplemented by Terry’s initial sketches. The Dodsons also offer details about the tools they use and other tips for the aspiring artist. This is a unique way to see the steps that went into pieces the pair completed over the years for major publishers, as well as creator-owned and personal projects. One highlight is a section about the artwork on the cover of this book, broken down in great detail in twenty-seven­ stages that show its creation from concept to finish. All of the art in this collection was scanned or photographed from the originals, and there also are photos of the Dodsons at work in their studio. An introduction offers insight into how the pair became professionals and spans their full career to date. This book is a must for fans of Terry and Rachel Dodson as well as those interested in the creative process.

Lupente showcases five outstanding contemporary artists in an elegant and absorbing package. This volume—the first in our ongoing Flesk Artist Showcase series—features: Julia Blattman , a premier visual-development artist working in the animation industry Stephanie Law , a fine artist who pulls from dreams and reality to illuminate the boundary between those two worlds Karla Ortiz , a concept and fine artist who is renowned for her personal works and her designs for film Virginie Ropars , one of the most-revered dollmakers today and an inspiration to sculptors around the world And Erica Williams , also known as “HookieDuke,” who has gained acclaim by mastering a unique, highly intricate style of lines and designs that centers on Nature as its inspiration Examples of the most highly regarded works by the five are accompanied by biographical essays, interviews, quotes and captions that reveal insights into their creative processes. In addition, Flesk’s personal access to each artist has resulted in an insightful and engaging introduction to these talented creators, among the best working today.

Written in 1928, H.P. Lovecraft’s The Call of Cthulhu defined the ancient gods as dark creatures who came from the stars and ruled the world before mankind. When these ancient ones awaken, humanity is plagued by a nightmare of terrors etched upon an epic backdrop. The author’s concept deeply redefined the horror story with this thrilling, dense mystery that spawned a virtual genre. The artist Gary Gianni and designer Marcelo Anciano both felt that Lovecraft’s short story presented an opportunity to visually expand the Cthulhu Mythos and push the boundaries of illustrated books. Intense and fast-paced, the tale enabled them to explore graphic storytelling and illustrate the text in a unique way. It was a personal project for Gianni, who drew upon his decades of experience in illustrating numerous books and graphic novels. The Call of Cthulhu, as illustrated by Gary Gianni, is a fusion of cinematic design, the graphic novel and illustrated books. Over a hundred finished pencil drawings with color pieces enhance and bring to life the work of two visionaries—Lovecraft and Gianni—in an extraordinary feat of storytelling and art.

Pencil and Ink is a new collection of Frank Cho’s personal works that focuses primarily on his exceptional pencil and ink drawings. Filled with over 120 pieces from the last two decades, it contains works not published in Frank’s previous book, The Art of Frank Cho. This companion title features his most recent ballpoint-pen women, nudes, sketches and studies of the figure. This reveal Frank’s passion for the human form, crosshatching and the line as well as his love of storytelling. Also included are recent Sherlock Holmes and monster drawings, along with Jungle Queen commissions done over the years. With a wide range of both completed and unfinished creations, this collection gives you the opportunity to view the artist’s craft through its many stages. A few pieces include both the completed and preliminary work to show Frank’s thought process when making his visions. Featuring a new fifty-question interview, this book also answers many of the questions frequently asked by Frank’s followers and fans. A self-taught artist, he offers advice to those starting out in the industry by sharing his own experience and disclosing information about what inspires his process. Frank also answers intimate questions and shares new insight on how he transitioned to becoming a professional in the field.

Edwin Austin Abbey (1852-1911) was born just two years after the inaugural release of Harper’s Monthly Magazine. Starting with his first published drawing in December 1870 at age 18, Abbey’s life-long association with the publisher resulted in hundreds of drawings found within the pages of Harper’s Monthly Magazine and Harper’s Weekly as well as Harper & Brothers books. The resulting exposure throughout the U.S. and Europe secured an extensive level of recognition. Abbey had the rarefied appeal to everyone from the average reader to the most prestigious artists of the day. The inclusion of Abbey’s illustrations in these periodicals helped to expand the reach of the poetry, stories and essays that they accompanied to a massive audience. This book focuses on Abbey’s line art for the magazines and books published by Harper & Brothers, beginning with his earliest works as a new professional in the field. The collection contains over 350 drawings . These delineated the poetry of Robert Herrick and enhanced such books as The Deserted Village, Old Songs, She Stoops to Conquer and The Quiet Life. Drawings created for numerous short stories and poetry are displayed here as well. Also collected are Abbey’s exquisite series of drawings done over the course of twenty years for The Comedies of William Shakespeare, followed by The Shakespeare Tragedies. His painstaking devotion to research while securing the appropriate costumes, props and models for his drawings was legendary. The results are some of the most revered illustrations ever created, which continue to astound aficionados and inspire artists generations after Abbey’s last drawing was made. An extensive new essay by Alice A. Carter offers a fresh look at Edwin Austin Abbey, his life and career.

From legendary entertainment journalist and author of Caddyshack comes a rollicking new history of 1980s cinema—how eight legendary sci-fi films upended the industry and Hollywood forever. In the summer of 1982, eight science fiction films were released within six weeks of each other, changing the careers of some of Hollywood’s biggest names and altering the business and art of movies to this day. In The Future Was Now, Chris Nashawaty recounts the riotous genesis of these films, featuring an all-star cast of Hollywood luminaries and gadflies alike: Steven Spielberg, at the height of his powers, conceives E.T. as an unlikely family tale, and quietly takes over the troubled production of Poltergeist, a horror film he had been nurturing for years. Ridley Scott, fresh off the success of Alien, tries his hand at an odd Philip K. Dick story that becomes Blade Runner—a box office failure turned cult classic. Similar stories arise for films like Tron, Conan the Barbarian, and The Thing. Taken as a whole, these films show a precarious turning-point in Hollywood history, when baffled film executives finally began to understand the potential of these high-concept films: a rabid fanbase, merchandising potential, and endless possible sequels. Expertly researched, energetically told, and written with an unabashed love for the art of cinema, The Future was Now is a monumental accomplishment—a chronicle of how the revolution sparked in a galaxy far, far away finally took root and changed Hollywood forever.