Saturdays in Books

This is part of a series of posts reviewing categories in this year's Hugo ballot. I'll be discussing the entries, the voter packet, and my ballot. I've nominated and voted most years since 2011, when I figured out that all I had to do was join Worldcon to get to do so.

I'm relying heavily on the voter packet here as well to ensure I'm judging eligible works. Professional Artist tends to be dominated by cover artists, and it's nice to see someone from the graphic novel world on the list. Actually, the same someone as last year. Four of these 6 were on last year's ballot, and Galen Dara was on the top of my ballot.

• Galen Dara - Dara's art is breathtaking, distinctive, and I'm not sure why I don't own any. Certainly deserves a place high on my ballot.

• Kathleen Jennings - I didn't love anything in Jenning's voter packet material. Style and color choices really just not my cup of tea.

• Bastien Lecouffe Deharme - Oh, right, this is the artist that did the Shroud of Eternity cover. His stuff is good, but the colors are a little dark for my tastes in several of them.

• Victo Ngai - Fine, but nothing I'm in love with in the voter packet. 

• John Picacio - I like the clean presentation of what he's included in the voter packet, and I love his Mexican Initiative for this year's Worldcon, but I'm not really in love with his art. 

• Sana Takeda - I adore the art in Monstress. It is so rich in detail. Takeda is just knocking it out of the park with that book.

So Dara and Takeda will be fighting it out for the top slot on my ballot. Followed by Deharme, Picacio, and Ngai, probably in that order. Jennings is in last place, but everyone in this category is talented.