(Cover to Eragon by Christopher Paolini)
A favorite artist of Jeff and mine, John Jude Palencar, is also a source of frustration. Palencar isn’t a true “Friday Favorite” in that he doesn’t have a website, nor are there any current art books with his work in them.
(Cover to Eldest by Christopher Paolini)
John Jude Palencar is an illustrator whose works have graced hundreds of book covers over the years and yet examples of his artwork are hard to come by even on something as grand as the internet. The reason why is a complete mystery to me. Thus, in honor of Jeff’s birthday yesterday, I am bringing you the work of John Jude Palencar in mostly book cover form.
(Cover to The Onion Girl by Charled de Lint, click picture for larger version)
My attraction to the work of Palencar is best described by saying he is simply another of those illustrators whose work leaps out at me every time I see it on a book, which causes me to pick up said book and want to take it home. Despite this fact it is only recently that I have made a Palencar covered book my own, mostly due to the unfamiliarity with the authors and a pile of books to read.
(Cover to A Princess of Roumania by Paul Park)
The above book by Paul Park was my first Palencar. Some of the best work that Palencar has done, in my opinion, is for the covers of the various novels in Charles de Lint’s fictional North American city Newford. I had been wanting to read one of these books for a long time and the cover to de Lint’s latest, Widdershins, jumped off the Barnes and Noble shelf the other day and wrestled me to the ground insisting I purchase it. Embarrassed about being man-handled by a hardback book I quickly relented and bought it. I am currently reading and enjoying the book.
(Cover to Graven Images by Paul Fleischman)
John Jude Palencar’s work is so much better than can be seen in these pictures. By and large his women are absolutely beautiful (notice the red hair and the skin tones of the above illustration) and he has a painting style that has a unique texture to it that has to be seen close up to be appreciated. If you clicked on the Onion Girl picture you can see some of what I am talking about in the way he painted the tree. Trees are another common theme in Palencar’s work and he paints some of the most amazing trees I have ever seen. The kind of trees that you want to climb in and to live in.
(Cover to The Bone Doll’s Twin by Lynn Flewelline)
Other than the obvious exceptions, like the two Paolini covers I started the post with, Palencar’s work is mostly done in more muted, dark tones. He often uses few colors to evoke a strong emotional reaction to his art. There is a melancholy aspect to his work, especially his de Lint covers, that I really enjoy.
(Cover to Waifs and Strays by Charles de Lint)
Another example is the following cover that is very monochromatic and yet is so powerful, and peaceful.
(Cover to Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marrilier)
This cover to Four and Twenty Blackbirds is great. I really like the color palette used and the image is fascinating and slightly creepy at the same time.
(Cover to Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest)
John Jude Palencar is an amazing artist whose work has won countless awards including Gold and Silver Medals from the Society of Illustrators and the Spectrum Gold Medal award two years in a row. His art has done much to bring fantastic fiction into the hands of thousands if not millions of readers over the years. To end I post pictures of Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Legacy series, examples again of Palencar’s ability to paint beautiful women very well.
(Cover to Kushiel’s Dart)
(Cover to Kushiel’s Avatar)
and my number one favorite Palencar cover (click pic for larger view):
(Cover to Kushiel’s Chosen)
and in linking to the Carey books I have discovered that she has a new trilogy beginning with Kushiel’s Scion that also features a terrific Palencar cover (click pic for a larger view):
Wow! I’m amazed at the skin tones he can achieve.
I have enjoyed bringing you the art of John Jude Palencar as a birthday gift to Jeff despite the frustrating lack of high quality images to show you. At the very least I hope the next time you are in the bookstore you head to the fantasy section to pick up the Charles de Lint or Jacqueline Carey books to just look at the soft colors and amazing texture of Palencar’s work.
On a side note, Palencar also does some very creepy, disturbing artwork, examples here, that really is not to my liking but is very well done and shows more examples of the wonderful texture Palencar gets when he paints.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone and Happy Memorial Day.
I’m not such a fan of the Eragon covers, but I do love the Onion Girl one. I think it was the cover tha persuaded me to buy it 🙂 That and the 3 Euro price tag.
Thanks for the great First Fridays post. The Onion Girl is my favorite cover but that new J. Carey cover is a very close second. Yet again we need an Art book from this excellent painter. Your comment on trees is also how I feel about them too.
Fence… I just started reading the Onion Girl ( only 20 pages in so far ). Have you had the chance to read it yet and if so what did you think?
I like Eragon dragon well enough but I’m not fond of the red one on Eldest.
You’ll have to read Widdershins then Jeff and Fence…if you like Onion Girl that is, because part of it is the continuation of the story of the main male and female characters in OG.
That shows again why art is so subjective because although I really don’t like either cover if I had to pick one I prefer the red one over the blue one. 🙂 Oh well?
Have you read Eragon? I think he did a great job of conveying emotion in the illustration. Each time I look at the blue dragon, I am drawn to his eyes and can feel his sorrow…perhaps that is just me.
I haven’t read Eragon yet, but Keri has and she has read Eldest as well. You will have to ask her about them I know she commented to me she liked both books and is looking forward to the third. I believe the movie adaptation of the first book is also coming out this Christmas.
I haven’t read them and probably won’t since the movies are coming out…I’ll just take the easy way out! 😉
I just have a problem with a 17-year-old being on the bestseller list. Of course I haven’t read either book, so I may be wrong, but it doesn’t seem kosher to me.
I like the artwork, though.
I feel the same way Wayne, especially since it came out on the heels of the LOTR movies and there is definitely some inspiration there…but I’m sure it’s just jealousy talking! I should be happy for him!
Hey, did you see that Eragon is being made into a movie? Isn’t that the book that was written by a 17 year-old? I keep meaning to read that one.
Great pictures!
Michele sent me.
That’s the one. I believe its supposed to come out this Christmas. Haven’t read the book but will see the movie.
I loved the books and say the movie wont be any good but thats me. The cover art realy does convey alot of emotion, and those eyes!
Look for my husband’s first book, “Origins: The Art of John Jude Palencar”, to be released, we hope, December, 2006. Have you seen his calendars? Thanks for your kind words about his art. You must know I’m his biggest fan!
Lee Palencar
“Someplace to be Flying,” “The Onion Girl,” “Waifs and Strays” ~ ~ I would love to purchase prints. Perhaps you can direct me? Thank you.
Sure, you can buy art prints and posters of his work here:
http://www.arts-wallpapers.com/galleries/john-jude-palencar/index.htm
http://www.johnjudepalencar.com
hey eldest was good
If u see the movie Eragon It really good. I thought it was fantastic.
Hi….Im 17 and inspired by art though I can hardly do any myself, I love the cover to Kushiel’s Chosen I find the tattoo displayed is wonderful. I also like the Eragon dragon cover, though I read only Eragon and Eldest, I found the Eragon movie to be horrible. I really wasnt fond of the movie, and I thought that they missed some important parts, and I figured that some parts were horridly done not to mention the bringing in of the characters. I was fairly upset at finding a book in stores based on the movie which was based on the book -.- It was a let down for them to have Brom the storyteller brought out to be a liar in such a….a….vial manner as such, Eragon rips the cloth from his hand and calls him a liar of sorts which had never happened. Sorry about the small vent, but I give a thumbs up to this thread. Inspiration breeds within me to want to create and make something with my own hands. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Morley. Glad to find another appreciator of great art.
Don’t worry about the rant, I hadn’t even read Eragon and was ranting about the movie, knowing because of how bad it was that it had to be doing a disservice to the book. Its even more horrible to think that they did a movie adaptation novel. What a disgrace.
helllo!! i’m adria, i’m from brasil! i love eragon and eldest, and i did want new friends!! add my email:adriadoida@hotmail.com
okkk!!
thaks
kisses
I think that the first dragon Palancar have drawn, is teh best.. But also a dragon, like the red one is amazing work..
Did you ever try to draw a passably good dragon? I did, cause i´m a little *drawer* …
But the primary think is that the dragons going with the story of Eragon!
(I m sorry for my crazy english xD )
I certainly have tried some dragons in my time, but the effort was never up to snuff. Certainly nothing close to what Palencar can do.