Beyond Fantasy: Art of Darrell Sweet

by Darrell K. Sweet, Piers Anthony (Foreword), Darrell K. Sweet (Illustrator)

Take a walk through your local book store store, head to the fantasy / science fiction section, examine the book cover art and, chances are, you will find a cover painted by Darrell K. Sweet. In "Beyond The Art of Darrell K. Sweet", FPG has collected over 70 of Darrell's now classic paintings, including his famous work for JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Piers Anthony's Xanth series and much more. Also, read about Darrell's long and prolific career, and gain some tips from his art technique section. This is your first chance to witness Darrell K. Sweet's classic and powerful art compiled in one bound edition. It is a chance you cannot afford to miss! Endless worlds of fantasy, science fiction, legend and lore await.

Genres: Art, Fantasy

128 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1996

Reviews

[Jonathan Koan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darrell K. Sweet is and has always been my absolute favorite book cover artist. The way his paintings stand out and feel magical is completely unparalleled in the genre. Many would point to Michael Whelan as the best, but to me, Darrell K. Sweet's work is simply stunning.

Ironically, my favorite artwork from Sweet includes his Runelords covers, Winter's Heart, and Knife of Dreams, all of which were produced after this book was created. This book still has all of his artwork from the 1970s through 1996. At only 130 pages, this is a really quick read. It may not have many words, but I've heard the saying "A Picture speaks a thousand words", so this book speaks like 100,000 words, like a novel(just kidding).

This book is absoultely beautiful. There are obviously some paintings that I like more than others. I am drawn to his fantasy covers more than his Science Fiction and Natural covers, and I much prefer the fantasy covers that feature Medieval characters over his with exotic creatures(although I must say, his creatures are indeed fantastic). If I ever become a rich and famous person, I will make every attempt to have a Darrell K. Sweet painting hanging in my house.

I hope that the genre of fantasy and science fiction turns back to the artwork style of Sweet, becuase it truly is stunning. His artwork wasn't always book accurate, but it certainly drew the shoppers eye at the bookstore, which is exactly what it is supposed to do. This book is worth while for any art fan or book cover fan. I only wish it was longer and had been published later. Please make a 1996-2011 book of his artwork. Anyway, this book gets 9.8 out of 10! Great job Darrell K. Sweet.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well what can I say - off the back of the earlier artwork discoveries I found that the publisher had a number of other classic titles now out print - this being one of them - and I was fortunate enough to be able to secure a near perfect copy too!

What I love about this book is that to my great surprise Darrell Sweet has illustrated a great number of books I not only recognise but actually own - from the editions of the Wheel of Time to various books by Piers Anthony.

This book has a wealth of great fantasy art which is just one long trip down memory lane - to a time where I was just starting to explore fantasy and all its rich and amazing tales. These images represent to me some of the most thrilling and exciting times in my book collecting and reading.

For me this is one of those books I wish I could add even more stars to.

[Jeff Greason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where there is text, some of the story of the painter and a blurb for each painting, it's the art that compels. Darrell K. Sweet was, in my opinion, one of the greatest cover artists for fantasy and science fiction novels there has ever been, and very prolific. Technically perhaps not quite as good as Whelan, but right up there with Whelan in terms of evoking the look and feel of the novel he was illustrating. This collection covers some of his more famous works but is more a sampling than anything else, and there are many covers I would have wished to get the full page treatment which were not included. If you like his art, you'll probably like the book. If you don't know who he was but like SF/F art, get the book and enjoy.

[Jamie Jonas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The late Darrell K. Sweet's work is truly beautiful. Yes, it is true that he had one great weakness--the human figure. Often awkward and looking like a hasty "dash-off," his renderings of people seldom come up to par. But every artist has his/her roster of strengths and weaknesses, and in Sweet's case the former far outweigh the latter. His dragon renditions, especially, are superlative, as are most of his other animals, whether real-world or fantastic, and his background work is extraordinary. Taken as a whole, I would call his body of work epic and unforgettable. Insofar as this collection is concerned, it seems a little limited but is well worth owning, regardless.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darrell K. Sweet's artwork has largely directed my tastes in fantasy fiction. Many of the authors I've read--Modesitt, Jordan, Kurtz, Anthony, McKillip, even Tolkien--I was originally drawn to because of the familiar and clean style of Darrell K. Sweet on the covers of their books, which had become, to a degree, part of my shared vision of fantasy.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An awesome art book. Excellent selection of pictures by a master. Very recommended