Holiday Shopping Guide – 6 Gifts for Art Lovers

With Christmas coming closer it’s time to start seeking out gifts, and with that in mind I’ve created a series of Holiday Shopping Guide posts here at battlegrip.com. Hopefully you’ll find something special that you may have never heard of; at the very least I hope that you find my gift ideas entertaining.

The Marvel Art of Joe Quesada*

When it comes to comic book artwork over the last two decades I am fairly confident that Joe Quesada is in the Top Ten artists, if not in the Top Five. And this collection of his work for Marvel is a must own for every superhero fan out there. Over two hundred pages of artwork — including sketches and unseen works — make this one of the best comic artist books in my collection.

Complete World War Robot*

Ashley Wood’s massive collection of World War Robot artwork is still easy to find and it’s highly recommended for the art fans who are interested in robot war machines fighting a never-ending war against . . . well, the stories included in the book aren’t really where the book finds its strength. But the art and robot designs are incredible and the book is a lot of fun to flip through.

A Small Book of Black & White Lies*

Dave McKean’s first collection of photography is, to this day, one of my favorite art books. McKean’s work on this (and on Option: Click*) was a huge influence on me back when I was working on art and design and even today I enjoy taking the book down and flipping through its pages. The book is long out of print, but it’s worth grabbing for anyone who is a fan of McKean’s comic and illustrative works.

Art of IDW’s Transformers*

IDW has been running their various Transformers comics for almost eight years now and their work ranges from stunning to frustrating (their organization and sequencing of the stories is less than perfect). But if you want a book loaded with remarkable Transformers artwork then it is very hard to beat this one. I’m happy that this is in my collection and it’s exactly what you’re looking for if you’re shopping for a Transformers fan this Christmas.

Goad: The Many Moods of Phil Hale*

Another out of print title, I bought my copy of Goad* back when it was released in 2001 and I’m never letting it go. Hale is a master with oils, and this collection shows off some of the best images of his career. It’s an expensive title these days, yes, but it is also one that when given as a gift will never be forgotten. A gorgeous hardcover art book.

BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction*

I posted a review of this book last year (find it here) and am still recommending this to everyone who has any interest at all in mecha and the BattleTech world. Easily one of the best tabletop game books of art and short stories that has ever been published; especially for an old school BattleTech fan like me. Perfect for the robot and mecha lovers.

And there it is, six gift ideas for anyone who loves artwork. I own all six of these books (they’re a small number of the art books in my collection) and have no problems at all recommending each and everyone single one to an artist, aspiring artist, or just someone who appreciates all sorts and styles of artwork from comics to fine photography.