Announcing the 2017 Chesley Award Nominees

The Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists (ASFA) has announced the nominees for the 2017 Chesley Awards. The Chesley, named for the great astronomical artist Chesley Bonestell, started in 1985 as a means for the science fiction and fantasy art community to recognize individual works and achievements in a given year. This year’s awards are for works and achievements in the period from January 1 to December 31, 2016.

The Chesley Awards will be given out at NorthAmeriCon 17 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 6-9. Click through for the complete list of nominees.

Best Cover Illustration: Hardcover

• Dan dos Santos – Fables: Cubs in Toyland by Bill Willingham; Vertigo, September 2016
• Todd Lockwood – Summer Dragon by Todd Lockwood; DAW, May 2016
• Tran Nguyen – Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey; Subterranean Press, October 2016
• Cliff Nielsen – Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare; McElderry Books, March 2016
• David Palumbo – Arcanum Unbounded by Brandon Sanderson; Tor, November 2016
• John Picacio – In the House of the Worm by George R.R. Martin; Baltimore Science Fiction Society, May 2016

Best Cover Illustration: Paperback or Ebook

• Tommy Arnold – A Taste of Honey by Kai Ashante Wilson; Tor.com Publishing, October 2016
• Julie Dillon – Beyond the Stars: At Galaxy’s Edge by Assorted Authors; Astral Books/Amazon Digital Services, August 2016
• Sarah Anne Langton – Central Station by Lavie Tidhar; Tachyon Publications, May 2016
• Gene Mollica – Breath of Earth by Beth Cato; Harper Voyager, August 2016
• Victo Ngai – Forest of Memory by Mary Robinette Kowal; Tor, March 2016

Best Cover Illustration: Magazine

• Galen Dara – Uncanny Issue 10, May/June 2016
• Elizabeth Leggett – LIGHTSPEED #69, February 2016
• David Palumbo – Swallowed Whole, Aliens – Life and Death #1; Dark Horse, September 2016
• Paolo Rivera – Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. 1953; Dark Horse, February 2016
• Jeremy Wilson – Chimera Brigade #1 by Serge Lehman and Fabrice Colin; Titan Comics, October 2016

Best Interior Illustration

• Rovina Cai – “Tom, Thom” by K.M. Ferebee; Tor.com, February 2016
• Kari Christensen – Gethsemoni, Court of the Dead: Chronicle of the Underworld by Tom Gilliland; Sideshow Collectibles, 2016
• Tran Nguyen – Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey; Subterranean Press, 2016
• Greg Ruth – “Freedom is Space for the Spirit” by Glen Hirshberg; Tor.com, April 2016
• Ivica Stevanovic – The Bestiary edited by Ann VanderMeer; Centipede Press, March 2016

Best Gaming Related Illustration

• Mauricio Calle – Encounter at Stygeon Prime – Star Wars: The Card Game; Fantasy Flight Games, 2016
• Cliff Childs – Long-Finned Skywhale Kaladesh card set; WotC, September 2016
• Ryan Pancoast – Inventor’s Apprentice Kaladesh card set; WotC, September 2016
• Matthew Stewart – Mastertrinketeer Kaladesh card set; WotC, September 2016
• Ryan Yee – Die Young Kaladesh card set; WotC, September 2016

Best Product Illustration

• Donato Giancola – Portal Promotional art for Illuxcon
• Clark Huggins – Advertisement for RECKLESS DECK; Imagine FX, February 2016
• John Picacio – La Corona (The Crown) Loteria; Lone Boy
• Cynthia Sheppard – 2017 Llewellyn’s Astrological Calendar
• Greg Spalenka – banner art to promote Roxana Illuminated Perfume 2016

Best Color Work: Unpublished

• John Harris – The Ark, Oil
• Vanessa Lemen – Holding On and Letting Go, Oil on canvas
• Miranda Meeks – December, Digital
• Shreya Shetty – The Dragon Charmer, Digital
• Michael Whelan – In a World of Her Own, Acrylic

Best Monochrome Work: Unpublished

• Marcela Bolivar – White Crown, Photoshop
• Jana Heidersdorf – Darkness Acrylics, Pencil and Digital
• Travis Lewis – Soul Engine, Graphite
• Ruth Sanderson – Luna, Scratchboard
• Allen Williams – The Fall of Night, Pencil

Best Three Dimensional Art

• Akihito Ikeda – Nephila, Mixed media
• Thomas Kuebler – Medusa, Mixed media
• Forest Rogers – La Belle Crustace, premier air-dry clay & washi paper
• Virginie Ropars – The Evil Eye, Mixed media
• Lee Shamel – “The Scepter of the Crystal Flame,” Mixed media

Best Art Director

• Neil Clarke – Clarkesworld Magazine
• Irene Gallo – Tor/Tor.com
• Sheila Gilbert & Betsy Wollheim – DAW Books
• Lauren Panepinto – Orbit Books
• Cynthia Sheppard – Wizards of the Coast

Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award

• Iain McCaig
• Greg Manchess
• Hayao Miyazaki
• Wendy Pini
• Drew Struzan
• Berni Wrightson