The Spectrum 24: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art finalists have been announced.
A jury of Christian Alzmann, Laurie Lee Brom, Mark Newman, Victo Ngai and John Picacio nominated the top five artworks in eight categories for consideration for either a silver and gold award.
Spectrum: The Best In Contemporary Fantastic Art was founded in 1993 by Cathy Fenner and Arnie Fenner. Creators from around the globe participate in the competition each year. In 2014, John Fleskes became director of the competition and editor of the Spectrum annual, and Flesk Publications the publisher of the book.
The recipients will be announced at the Spectrum 24 Awards Ceremony that will be held at the historic Folly Theater in Kansas City, MO on Saturday, April 22 as part of the art-focused convention, Spectrum Fantastic Art Live. The 2017 Spectrum Grand Master Award honoree will also be announced during the ceremony.
ADVERTISING CATEGORY
Kellan Jett
Kellan Jett
Hell (detail)
Edward Kinsella III
Edward Kinsella III
Carnival of Souls
Bill Mayer
Bill Mayer
Savages
Greg Ruth
Greg Ruth
Daredevil
Bayard Wu
Bayard Wu
Hunting
BOOK CATEGORY
Richard Anderson
Richard Anderson
Red Tide
Tommy Arnold
Tommy Arnold
On the Wheel
Brom
Brom
Lamia
Edward Kinsella III
Edward Kinsella III
Danneee
Goni Montes
Goni Montes
Tamiel
COMIC CATEGORY
Arthur Adams
Arthur Adams
Guardians of the Galaxy #19 (cover)
Nic Klein
Nic Klein
Drifter #13, pages 8 and 9
Dave McKean
Dave McKean
Black Dog: The Dreams of Paul Nash
David Palumbo
David Palumbo
Swallowed Whole
Jeremy Wilson
Jeremy Wilson
Chimera Brigade #5
CONCEPT ART CATEGORY
Te Hu
Te Hu
Secret of Seda
Tyler Jacobson
Tyler Jacobson
Hill Giant Queen
Ronan Le Fur
Ronan Le Fur
Fortress Africa
Iain McCaig
Iain McCaig
Minion 5
Sean Murray
Sean Murray
Court of the Dead: Voxxingard
DIMENSIONAL CATEGORY
Akihito
Akihito
Nephila
Amilcar Fong
Amilcar Fong
Oglavaeil The Executioner
Virginie Ropars
Virginie Ropars
Yevabog
Dug Stanat
Dug Stanat
The Corruption of Father O’Malley
Jesse Thompson
Jesse Thompson
Dress-Up Frog Legs
EDITORIAL CATEGORY
Clint Cearley
Clint Cearley
Broken Concentration
Galen Dara
Galen Dara
Seven Salt Tears
Tran Nguyen
Tran Nguyen
La Beaute Sans Vertu
Tim O’Brien
Tim O’Brien
Beyonce “Lemonade”
Armando Veve
Armando Veve
War Music
INSTITUTIONAL CATEGORY
Ed Binkley
Ed Binkley
William Finds Some Flowers and a Giant
Wesley Burt
Wesley Burt
Accursed Witch
Bill Carman
Bill Carman
Ms. Hatter and a Smile
Travis Louie
Travis Louie
Mojo Jojo Circa 1897
Stephan Martiniere
Stephan Martiniere
Tie Fighter Down
UNPUBLISHED CATEGORY
J.A.W. Cooper
J.A.W. Cooper
Stealth
Diego Fernandez
Diego Fernandez
375
Jeffrey Alan Love
Jeffrey Alan Love
Orange Skies
Karla Ortiz
Karla Ortiz
The Death I Bring
Greg Ruth
Greg Ruth
Lagoon
[Thanks to Arnold Fenner for the story.]
Wow, such great art in here. If I was to pick a single one it would be Mojo Jojo Circa 1897 – it’s not the best or most beautiful but that expression is wonderful .
Yeah, there is some seriously great (and occasionally very disturbing) work here.
I wish they’d used the Greg Ruth for the cover of Lagoon.
Are any or all of these artists/works appropriate to nominate for Best Professional Artist? My ballot in that category is thin, and I see several worthy works here, assuming they’re from 2016…
I’m pretty sure that both Stephan Martiniere and Jeffrey Alan Love are eligible – the Rocket Stack Rank Professional Artist page, although incomplete, is probably helpful.
Cassy B: Are any or all of these artists/works appropriate to nominate for Best Professional Artist? My ballot in that category is thin, and I see several worthy works here, assuming they’re from 2016
You can check them on ISFDB to see what their 2016 credits are. You have to check each item individually, though — works published by semiprozines are not eligible.
There’s a pretty good selection of portfolios for Professional Artist candidates on the 2017 Hugo Nominees Wikia.
Thanks, PhilRM and JJ.
The one that stopped me completely dead as I was scanning through them was Tran Nguyen’s La Beaute Sans Vertu
I keep going back and staring at Greg Ruth’s “Lagoon”, myself.