White Cloud Worlds: An Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artwork from Aotearoa New Zealand

White Cloud Worlds #1

by Paul Tobin (Editor)

Enter the world of the imagination, where nothing is ordinary.

White Cloud Worlds is a never-before-seen collection of stunning science fiction and fantasy artwork from Aotearoa New Zealand, 'the Land of the Long White Cloud'. Embark upon a journey of exploration into a wealth of visually rich worlds and imaginings, conjured to life by 27 established and emerging artists. the artists are profiled with a selection of their art accompanied by text written in their own unique voice, sharing their origins, inspirations and a rare glimpse into how they work. White Cloud Worlds includes written contributions from some of the world's most celebrated leaders in the field of science fiction and fantasy art, such as Guillermo Del toro, Richard taylor, Alan Lee and John Howe. this book honours the imaginations of the artists it showcases and gives readers a unique opportunity to be a part of their worlds. Go on, be inspired. Each copy of this limited, slipcase edition of White Cloud Worlds comes with a signed limited edition print from one of the artists.

Genres: Science Fiction, Art, Fantasy

128 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2010

About the author

Paul Tobin is the Eisner-award winning, New York Times-bestselling author of Bandette, Colder, and many other comic books and graphic series.

Bandette, drawn by Colleen Coover, was awarded the Eisner Award for Best Digital Series in 2013, 2016, and 2017; and was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award for Graphic Literature in 2016. His original graphic novel I Was the Cat was nominated for an Eisner in 2015.

The Genius Factor: How to Capture an Invisible Cat , first in his five-book series of middle-grade books, came out in 2016 from Bloomsbury Kids. It was followed in 2017 by How To Outsmart A billion Robot Bees , and How To Tame A Human Tornado in March 2018.

Reviews

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Technical proficiency unfortunately isn't equal to emotional resonance. This book suffers from an overall conformity of style, a particularly male (commercial?) style that leaves you feeling unfulfilled. The uniformity is perhaps unavoidable as the artists are largely Weta conceptual artists, a role that no doubt requires the ability to deliver to someone else's vision in a visual language consistent with production expectations. They are all competent illustrators and artists. But would I seek out the work of any of the artists profiled here? Maybe Stephen Lambert for his steampunk sculptural creatures. Even then, the work is derivative. I'd like to see something I've never seen before.

[TabletopEducator · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very unique and atmospheric take on the minds of various artists, which is why I gravitated towards it immediately. However, I found myself gazing at the visuals more than reading the text. With that said, excellent coffee table page turner and collection of light readings.

[Ryan McArthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing stuff!

[Thomas Edmund · Rating 5 out of 5]

White Cloud Worlds chronicles several New Zealand based sci fi/fantasy artists, with of course samples of their brilliant work.

Many of the featured artists are affiliated with Weta Workshops (of Lord of the Rings fame) but there is a good dose of freelancing or otherwise employed. Obviously the main attraction is the artwork sampling, which ranges from eccentric to gross (just what I like.) And perhaps even more obviously this book is for fans of the genres, which is OK I just wouldn't recommend this book for more mainstream audiences...