Art of National Geographic

Even artwork as stunning as these illustrations need to be showcased on their own...and Alice Carter has done a fine job.As would be expected, a publication like National Geographic would require a higher level of artwork to complement its writing and this book delights us with lush, wonderful illustrations selected from Nat'l Geographics archives-- as well as insight into their creation and/or history.In today's digital age, it is awe-insptiring to see such a wonderful handcraft placed on a pedestal.Hats off to Prof. Carter!

There are not enough art books in the world like this one. Alice Carter has not only selected a great number of outstanding illustrations, from artists who are houshold names, she has also introduced a new generation of young illustrators to artists who have been unfairly forgotten by time. As a professional illustrator and a "book junkie", I am constantly searching online, in used book stores and anywhere else to find good art books for personal enjoyment and professional growth. This book is one of those rare gems, a well written book, with images that will impress. National Geographic has had a distinguished history marked by outstanding research and artwork of the highest quality. To encapsulate their illustrious history is one coffee table book is no easy task. This book does justice to that great history. This book is in the same fine tradition as Carter's other acclaimed book, The Red Rose Girls.

"The Art of National Geographic" collects a wealth of stunning illustrations by many different artists. Altogether, these illustrations take the reader on an epic journey through time and space, across the worlds of both nature and technology.There are many memorable images in this book: dinosaurs in fierce battle with each other, a sailing ship battered by a storm, a transcendent-looking Einstein haloed by celestial bodies, an army of ants on the march, majestic-looking World War II-era naval vessels, a close view of Saturn's rings, etc. Amidst all of the "big" pictures, there are also smaller and gentler sights, like Mary Eaton's delicate botanical watercolors. This is a marvelous collection of illustrations that invites you to return again and again.

This wonderful book captures the best of 20th Century illustration with its chapters featuring works by NC Wyeth, James Gurney (Dinotopia) and many other leaders in this field. As an illustrator I value the anecdotes that document the development of the artwork. The reproduction quality and the eclectic nature of the stories and the art make this one of the best examples of a coffee table book in recent years (and I collect a lot of them). This is the book that will be on my coffee table by itself for a long time.