Spectrum 4: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art

by Cathy Fenner and Arnie Fenner

Book Overview

For nearly 15 years, Spectrum has been known as the premiere annual showcase for fantasy artwork. Early editions are now collector's items, priced out of the reach of most buyers, but fortunately,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1599290243
• ISBN13: 9781599290249
• Release Date: December 2008
• Publisher: Underwood Books
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.5" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

Thank you!

I appreciate the time you took to carefully wrap this beautiful book. I'm purchasing one volume each month for my son who is a fine arts student, so that he will have the entire set by the time he graduates from college. Thanks for helping me make this possible.

The "usual" (wonderful) gallery of beautiful images

I lost this issue at the original release date (I started to buy the Spectrum series from issue 7). What I noticed, buying the latest printings of number 1,2, 3 and now 4 is that, except the digital techniques (now more advanced than in the past), the quality of the works collected is always the same. Excellent.

Just Amazing~!!!

I vividly remember the first time I saw this book at the local comic book store. Wow~ Just amazing, it blew my brains out. There is no other book like Spectrum series books. Book features full color drawing, paintings and sculptures by fantastic artist from all over the world. You will see so many styles and techniques that you never seen before. This is a must for Artist, Illustrators, and Art Directors.

Pure magic.

Almost any one of the pieces in this collection is worth the price of the book. There are no monkey swathes of paint against white canvas here, my friends. No, here are works that will quicken your breath, accelerate your heartbeat, and ignite the synapses in your mind. And as my fellow reviewer commented, this book is a wellspring of inspiration. Just flip the pages and see for your self. Works like "Number 16" and "Prudence II" present this point more eloquently than I ever could. I have only one pique. There was no art from any of the Galerie Morpheus artists like Giger, Yerka, and De Es. Despite this, I urge all fans of SF and Fantasy art to buy this book. You won't be dissappointed.

Endless source of inspiration for artists.

Spectrum 4 is one of those books that artists turn to when ideas are at a premium. The artwork is so voluminous and diverse in character. Every possible stylization of fantasy art is represented. Some works are intense and mysterious, dark and brooding. While others follow a campy, comic book hero genre. My favorite works are more of an illustrative fairy tale approach. However, I find this book to be a wonderful resource for those times when the well is running dry.