2017 has been a pretty great year for art books, and I’ve managed to review some 20 titles more than last year, with the final count at 82 books; you can see the full list here.

As we welcome 2018 here’s the round up of my favorite art books of 2017; I hope you’ll find something of interest in the list. ( do note that not all the books listed here were published in 2017. ) Enjoy ! –


1) Things From The Flood – Simon Stålenhag

Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag’s follow-up to his previous art book Tales From The Loop ( one of my fav art books from 2016 ) is an equally spellbinding sci-fi journey through hypnotic and surreal images masterfully illustrated by the artist. A fascinating read from cover to cover.

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2) Katsuya Terada + Kim JungGi Illustrations

Two world renowned illustration maestros ( Katsuya Terada and Kim JungGi ) pool their sublime draftsmanship powers together in this collaborative volume featuring some of their very latest works.

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3) Otomo – A Global Tribute To The Mind Behind Akira

Top comic artists and illustrators from Europe and Japan pay creative tribute to the films of Akira creator Otomo Katsuhiro in this amazing volume featuring pieces from over 80 artists, with close to 200 pieces of art work. A tour de force of Otomo inspired goodness.

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4) Rakugaki Note – Eisaku Kubonouchi Art Works

Japanese comic artist/illustrator Eisaku Kubonouchi has been in the creative spotlight this year after designing the characters for Nissin Cup Noodle’s Kiki’s Delivery Service and Sazae-san anime commercials. This may be his first proper art book, but his recognition is long overdue.

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5) The Last Odyssey – Ohrai Noriyoshi 1985-2015

The Last Odyssey is an expansive retrospective art book for the late Ohrai Noriyoshi, who sadly passed away in 2015. The artist was a prolific painter who has worked on countless movie posters, including a commission by George Lucas to paint the poster for The Empire Strikes back.

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6) The World Of Ice & Fire – Game Of Thrones

A sumptuous volume to revel in the rich mythology of George R. R. Martin‘s fantasy world, complemented by some exceptional art work and illustrations; particularly those of Targaryen Kings and dragons.

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7) Hellboy In Hell Library Edition

This much awaited hardcover volume marks the narrative end ( or is it ? ) to Mike Mignola’s iconic comic character Hellboy, with all chapters of the Hellboy In Hell arc collected for a satisfying read.

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8) 20 Posters – Otomo Katsuhiro Posters Collection

Ok this isn’t really an art book, but I was compelled to add it to the list because of its great beauty and substantial movie culture significance – a collection of stunning 20 posters from Akira creator Otomo Katsuhiro films, hand picked by the man himself. Any of these will make a wall prettier immediately.

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9) The Art Of Rogue One – A Starwars Story

Rogue One was one of my favourite films of 2016 ( and also among Starwars films ). The concept team led by Academy Award winning artist/production designer Doug Chiang created a huge volume of amazing concept art, many of which are showcased here. This book was published in late December last year and narrowly missed the deadline for my 2016’s favourite list.

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10) All About Saul Leiter

I was lucky enough to attend Saul Leiter’s retrospective exhibition during my time in Tokyo this summer, a photography giant that I had little knowledge of prior to my visit. Starting his career as a fashion photographer for magazines like Elle and Vogue, Saul Leiter had an amazing eye for composition and aesthetically pleasing images. His photographs from the exhibition are beautifully reproduced in this catalog.

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11) Paprika – Kon Satoshi Storyboard Book

The full collection of the late Kon Satoshi’s production storyboards ( over 600 pages ) for his final animated film Paprika, meticulously drawn by the artist himself. Akin to his mentor Otomo Katsuhiro, Kon Satoshi’s visual approach to his anime films are always highly cinematic, and this book is a great way to sturdy the master’s work. This is one of the top purchased items on my blog this year.

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12) Mucha Slav Exhibition 2017 Catalogue

Some 600 thousand people visited the Mucha Slav exhibition held in Tokyo this summer, the first time the entire collection has ever left its home country Prague. Mucha was an astounding artist ahead of his time, and a fitting champion of the Art Noveau movement. This catalog collects all the paintings and art work from the exhibition.

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A few other notable mentions include the background art book for Shinkai Makoto’s Your Name, Gregory Manchess’s Above The Timberline, Ikeda Manabu’s The Pen and Peter Lindbergh’s A Different Vision Of Photography; you can take a look at the full list of 2017’s art book reviews here, and I also recommend my favorite art books of
2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012.

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And lastly, I’ll love you hear about your favorite art books this year too, if you have any to share. Happy New Year !

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