James Jean

James Jean - Pinocchio Move Poster

I think James Jean might be my favorite artist. I saw his art first, I think, on the cover of Fables, the magnificent comic series by Bill Willingham. James Jean is a Taiwanese-American artist who works across mediums and, I think it’s safe to say, is prolific. His Instagram is something to behold; the volume, speed, and quality on display are inspiring.

His style is so unique and his imagination so wild, it’s…well, it’s hard to imagine a single conduit for so much. I’m in awe of his talent and find myself impressed over and over with his latest and greatest. My favorite work of his might is one of the most simple: Maze from 2008.

Robert Gould

Elric of Melniboné by Robert Gould

One of the things I love the most about many of the books I read as a youth is the covers. I’m still a sucker for a great cover, but something about the artwork and design of books from the 1970s and 1980s sticks with me. Among my favorites, one artist stands out, and, in many ways, I think shaped and inspired my interest in both art and design. That artist is Robert Gould.

Sadly, I couldn't find a lot of info on him. I did, however, find a lot of his work, so much so that I got a little lost looking for info about him. I’m a reasonably talented internet sleuth, but this one has me stumped. And it’s odd, right? His art is so fucking good, and there is a lot of it out there. He did a lot of covers back in the 80s, and I can find all sorts of ephemera from him, but not a lot about who him. I’m alright with that; I’ll chalk it up as a mystery. Having said that, I’m not done, I now have a goal to own some of his work, and I think I might need to put considerable effort into that.