Every year, the art world chooses the best science fiction and fantasy illustrations — providing a visual feast for the rest of us. The Chesley Awards just chose its 2014 finalists, and there’s an astonishing wealth of beautiful artworks to spend your afternoon admiring. See for yourself, below.
Top image: The Scroll of Years, artwork by Kerem Beyit.
Note: We’re skipping over a few of the categories in the selection below. To see all of the glorious images of the finalists, head over to the Chesley Awards site.
Best Hardcover Covers
Jason Chan – Lost Covenant: A Widdershins Adventure by Ari Marmell; Pyr, Dec. 2013
Kekai Kotaki – Quintessence by David Walton; Tor, March 2013
Maurizio Manzieri – Book of Iron by Elizabeth Bear; Subterranean Press, Sept. 2013
Todd Lockwood – A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan; Tor, Feb. 2013
Michael Whelan – A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson; Tor, Jan. 2013
Allen Williams – Light Reading, Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling; Tor, March 2013
Best Paperback Covers
Kerem Beyit – The Scroll of Years by Chris Willrich; Pyr, Sept. 2013
Jason Chan – Harbinger by Philippa Ballentine
Julie Dillon – Crossed Genres Magazine 2 Book One – Crossed Genres Publications, April 2013
Justin Gerard – Power Under Pressure by Andrew P. Mayer; Pyr, Jan. 2013
DeHong He – Shield of Sea and Space by Erin Hoffman; Pyr, May 2013
Best Magazine Covers
Julie Dillon – Elliptic, Clarkesworld, December 2013
Dan Dos Santos – Fables 136
Maurizio Manzieri – The Magazine of Fantasy and SF March April 2013
Cynthis Sheppard – Bull Spec Spring 2013
Best Unpublished Illustrations (Color)
Rhea Ewing – Ancestor Neanderthal
Donato Giancola – Huor and Hurin Approaching Gondolin
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law – Ships Passing in the Night (Detail)
Dave Leri – Death Squealer
Annie Stegg – Lilaia the Naiad
Best Product Illustrations
Julie Bell and Boris Vallejo – Jeannie’s Kitten, IlluXCon 6 promotional art
Mitchell Bentley – 2014 Space Art Calendar, Atomic Fly Studios and Alban Lake Publishing, December 2013
Julie Dillon – 2014 Llewellyn Astrology Calendar, June 2013
Justin Gerard – Morzog! Lord of Destruction poster
Iain McCaig – Call of the Muse, Spectrum 20 Call for Entries poster
John Picacio – El Arpa (Loteria Card Illustration from Lone Boy)
Best Gaming Illustrations
Lucas Graciano – The Last Stand of Thorin Oakenshield for The Battle of Five Armies Board Game Ares Games (Detail)
Tyler Jacobson – Ruric: Thar the Unbowed (2014 Core Set Magic card) WotC, July 2013
Todd Lockwood – Observant Alseid (“Theros” Magic card) WotC, Sept. 2013
David Palumbo – Serene Rememberance (“Gatecrash” Magic card) WotC, Feb. 2013
Steve Prescott – Prognostic Sphinx (“Theros” Magic card) WotC, Sept. 2013
Chris Rahn – Ashen Rider (“Theros” Magic card) WotC, Sept. 2013
And here are the categories not depicted above:
Robert Hunt – “Fire Above, Fire Below” by Garth Nix; Tor.com, May 2013
Brian Kesinger – Walking Your Octopus, July 2013; Baby Tattoo Books
John Jude Palencar – “A Terror” by Jeffrey Ford; Tor.com, July 2013
John Picacio – “The Button Man and the Murder Tree” by Cherie Priest; Tor.com, May 2013)
John Picacio – The Good Life; Popular Science Magazine, June 2013
Greg Ruth – “Dragonkin” by Lavie Tidhar; Tor.com, July 2013
Greg Ruth – The Running of the Bulls, The Running of the Bulls by Harry Turtledove; Tor.com, March 2013
Devon Dorrity – Cecaelia, Queen of the Ocean, clay
Thomas Kuebler – Krampus the Yule Lord, mixed
David Meng – Leatherback, resin
Michael Parkes – Goddess of the Hunt, 1/2 life-size bronze
Forest Rogers – Goblin Spider, Kato polyclay
Vincent Villafranca – Star Smith, bronze
Best Unpublished: Monochrome Work
Justin Gerard – The Fox Princess, pencil
Rebecca Guay – Tender Morsels, graphite
John Picacio – La Luna
Travis Lewis – Bone Collector, graphite
Ruth Sanderson – The Descent or Persephone, scratchboard
Best Art Director
Lou Anders – Pyr
Irene Gallo – Tor & Tor.com
Lauren Panepinto – Orbit Books
William Schafer – Subterranean Press
Jon Schindehette – Wizards of the Coast
Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award
Jim Burns
Kinukyo Craft
Diane Dillon
Drew Struzan
To see all of the fantastic artwork, and celebrate the achievements of the art director and lifetime-achievement nominees, head over to the Chesley Awards site.
