Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell: The Ultimate Collection

Book excerpt: The art of Boris Vallejo is characterized by beautiful maidens, heroic men and fearsome monsters while the work of his wife Julie Bell is famous for a sense of color and dramatic composition which puts her paintings in a class by themselves. As two of the most acclaimed fantasy artists working today, Boris and Julie have produced art for album covers, trading cards, posters and calendars for (in Boris' case) 30 years -- and have seen 15 books published celebrating their breathtaking work. Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell: The Ultimate Collection brings together all their greatest pieces throughout their careers, while also including some unseen new work. The book is arranged chronologically and divided into three main sections: early, middle and recent art. A narrative accompanies the paintings with captions for many of the pieces. The pages are also punctuated by quotes from Boris and Julie's peers in the fantasy art field and fans of their work, who pay homage to their art and comment on how their work has inspired them to become better artists.