[TWOIAF Spoiler] Best Artwork

[Ice Turtle]

I just wonder, who is the girl in the picture with Balerion's bones? I would actually say Arya but she seems to be wearing a skirt.

[naseridrl]

I just wonder, who is the girl in the picture with Balerion's bones? I would actually say Arya but she seems to be wearing a skirt.

I though at first it may have been Arya but the skirt made me think maybe not, then I thought Rhaenys but she seems a bit too old and pale for someone with Martell colouring. No idea, it would be cool if it was Arya given how few living people from the series are actually featured in the book due to it being a history.

[ARYa_Nym]

I just wonder, who is the girl in the picture with Balerion's bones? I would actually say Arya but she seems to be wearing a skirt.

I read on another site that Ran confirmed it was Arya but of course I don't know where if he did.

[l2 0 5 5]

Selmy vs Maelys is awesome.

I also like the Dunk and Baratheon picture of them about to square off.

The maps of each region are intriguing to look upon, too.

[Tyrion Hand of the King]

I liked the one of the Freehold in the fourteen flames

I agree. This one really stood out to me. I also love the new (I think?) picture of Highgarden. There's also one I really liked of Aegon the Conqueror in battle.

[l2 0 5 5]

I agree. This one really stood out to me. I also love the new (I think?) picture of Highgarden. There's also one I really liked of Aegon the Conqueror in battle.

I believe the one of Highgarden is the same picture from the WoIaF app.

I also liked the picture of Aegon. I think you're talking about the one where he's in the act of swinging Blackfyre? Pretty badass.

[Red Tiger]

Lyonel Baratheon vs. Dunk, or Robert vs. Rhaegar. Both are absolutely fantastic.

Though I have no complaints with any of the artwork. It's all pretty damn good.

This, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It looked great and for a minute there I thought I was misreading things (Duncan fighting the guy who helped save his life? NEVAH!!)

I also liked the artwork of Viserys II and the one with Rhaenys staring down The Yellow Toad of Dorne.

[sabrecmc]

I'm just a bit into the book, but the artwork is lovely. The picture of Aegon riding Balerion at the beginning...I mean the sheer scale of Balerion...wow. I know that has been released before, but it is still just beautiful to look at. The dedication with Robert and Joffrey's names scratched out. Heh.

[Arya Summer Child]

First thing I saw that I loved was right at the beginning where you can make out Robert and joffrey's names rubbed out. That tickled me before I'd even got started.

I also loved it!

I am officially in love with Prince of Dragonstone, Rhaegar Targaryen !!

I think all art work is beautiful. I can not wait to show all of it to my friend who is only watching HBO.

I only did not like Hyrkoon's teeth (page 300), they are too perfect :D

I did miss though more portraits of Stark's family :(

[Jasta11]

To be fair if there had been a picture of Stannis he would have demanded they include warts and all.

Who's the ''he'' in there, GRRM?

[Tyrion Hand of the King]

I believe the one of Highgarden is the same picture from the WoIaF app.

I also liked the picture of Aegon. I think you're talking about the one where he's in the act of swinging Blackfyre? Pretty badass.

Oh okay I haven't looked completely through the WoIaF app so it was new to me. Yes that's the Aegon picture I was referring to.

[Liver & onions]

The Laughing Storm Vs Dunk, Aegon I being crowned, Robert Vs Rhaegar and The King who Knelt.

[Elessar]

Back inside cover of "The Battle" on horseback.

[BarristonTheBAMF]

Might be a random one, but the painting of the "Great Tourney of 98 AL" across from the start of the Jaehaerys I entry is immaculately done. The Red Keep and Sept in the background, with all the dragons flying overhead... epic

[Baltasar]

I liked the last one of Ghost.

Having Jon in it was also kewl I guess.

Other than Ser Ghost the Badass, the nightmare cities take the cake. Maybe it is just the Halloween spirit, but they are so effen rad.

[Liz Stark-Targaryen]

All of the places were amazing and (taken together) my favorite portraits. My favorite castles were Riverrun and Highgarden. I also loved Dragonstone and the city of Valyria. I'm so intrigued by the way they used magic and dragons for construction.

It was surprising to see Jaehaerys I and Alysanne as a young couple -- mostly when I think about them, I think of their elder days. And young Rhaenyra was breathtakingly beautiful! She looked nothing like I thought she would from her Wiki portrait. All of the characters from the era of the Dance have sprung to life in my mind and imagination now, especially the Rogue Prince, Daemon.

Viserys II's bride, Larra Rogare, was gorgeous but mysterious. She and Egg's queen are the two new female characters I'm most curious about. I also noted that Targs had children with Blackwood women three times, but except for Aegon IV's Melissa (Bloodraven's mother), we don't have portraits.

Wish we could have had more of a section on the Great Bastards, and not so much on the mistresses. Would have loved to see a image of Bloodraven and Daemon without his armor.

Agreed -- wonder if there's something more to be revealed about them, especially since BR's still hanging on in the story?

I just wonder, who is the girl in the picture with Balerion's bones? I would actually say Arya but she seems to be wearing a skirt.

I'm convinced the little girl in that portrait is Arya. She's the right age, stature, everything. I don't think Arya wore breeches all the time while in KL... that likely began when she had to escape and go on the run.

[Mrs.Grumpy]

Not the best but I quite like YiTish man and Lengii woman. She looks a Na'vi :laugh:

Valyrian dragonlords. They are really pretty.

Larra Rogare is pretty and Viserys was a real cutie (its a shame he got that grumpy look when he got old).

Rhaenyra looks like Jennifer Lawrence. I think she looks very lean in that portreit but I must admit that it's one of the best pieces in the book.

Woman of The Thousand Isles. She looks so alien!

Alysanne is a blonde Natalie Portman.

[Veltigar]

I think it's easier to name the worst artwork. Almost everything was good and a lot of them (like Lyonel vs. Dunk, Daemon BF leading the charge, Aegon IV mistresses, Aegon V and his sons, Barristan vs. Maelys, Dalton Greyjoy's reavers, Bobby B vs. Rhaegar, Jon and Ghost, Jaeherys great council at Harrenhal, etc.) were brilliant, but there were two pieces of artwork I really hated.

1) Page 100: Maron Martell and Daeron the Good paying homage to the statue of Baelor... All fine and dandy but I seriously doubt that the Septon-King would look that warriorlike and be depicted with a huge sword in his hand.

2) Page 32: By a mile the ugliest portrait in the book. Aegon I looks like something out of Twilight.

[King Aegon The Conqueror]

I think it's easier to name the worst artwork. Almost everything was good and a lot of them (like Lyonel vs. Dunk, Daemon BF leading the charge, Aegon IV mistresses, Aegon V and his sons, Barristan vs. Maelys, Dalton Greyjoy's reavers, Bobby B vs. Rhaegar, Jon and Ghost, Jaeherys great council at Harrenhal, etc.) were brilliant, but there were two pieces of artwork I really hated.

1) Page 100: Maron Martell and Daeron the Good paying homage to the statue of Baelor... All fine and dandy but I seriously doubt that the Septon-King would look that warriorlike and be depicted with a huge sword in his hand.

2) Page 32: By a mile the ugliest portrait in the book. Aegon I looks like something out of Twilight.

I King Aegon the Conqueror himself approve of your post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I love the book to bits but the thing which pissed me off the most was every picture of my favourite character in the ASOIAF series being Aegon the conqueror was beyond terrible except for the one of Aegon in Battle by magali.

I simply do not understand why they didn't use Amok's artwork of Aegon and his sisters: http://awoiaf.westeros.org/images/f/f1/Aegon_And_His_Sisters_by_Amok..png

This is by far the single greatest piece of ASOIAF artwork I have come across. It literally nails down Aegon and his sisters perfectly and how I perceived them.

TWOIAF further makes it better by having that magnificent picture of me in battle as the first image of myself before utterly crushing my inner soul with EVERY following artwork of Aegon.

I feel like raging so much but it won't get me anywhere. Beyond pissed off.

[Milady of York]

The artworks were the nicest surprise from the book! I hadn’t expected it to be this impressive and to have so many heavy-weight names from the artistic community, some of which were known to me before, from other jobs they’ve done. Whoever was in charge of outsourcing the art, hiring the artists, deciding on the scenes and the concepts deserves praise and a bottle of good Dornish to drink to their own health. This has taken a lot of work, that much is obvious, and seeing the results, that sweating over each piece was so worth it.

I’m just near half the book now, and still some more pieces to see yet, but couldn’t resist naming the personal favourites from the first half, in purely chronological order:

• Aegon on Balerion, Aegon in Battle, and Aegon Crowned by the High Septon
  

The three Aegon paintings are gorgeous, all three. Who’d have thought Aegon was such a looker and very masculine on top on it.

• The slaughter of the Children of the Forest by the Andal warrior
  

I like the depiction of the Children in all the artworks, including the black and white ones, as it depicts the Children as a different race, beautiful as they were described, and this is the best for me. It’s sad, you can see before your eyes how hopeless their bravery and weapons are against the might of iron and horse.

• The Dragonlords of Valyria
  

It has some resemblance to the best depictions of Elves I’ve seen in Tolkien art and other fantasy art, with the overall appearance and the otherworldly beauty, yet it’s still remarkable in its rendition if not in its originality.

• The fires of the Fourteen Flames coursing through Valyria
  

This is quite an impressive landscape! I don’t recall ever seeing a city placed over a sea of flame and lava coursing through it, like a Venice of Fire. No wonder inhabitants needed those spells to control the flames, and an ingrained high tolerance to heat.

• The Rhoynar facing the might of the Freehold
  

I like how the composition makes it appear as if we are seeing the approaching dragons through the eyes of the soldiers. Those men must’ve had courage aplenty to face all those dragons and yet fight…

• The meeting of Rhaenys and the Yellow Toad of Dorne
  

The contrast between countenance and expressions in both women, the old and faded yet cunning, and the young and beautiful stands out.

• Baelor braves the vipers to save Aemon the Dragonknight
  

Such a skillful display of emotion, despair and madness all packed into a simple composition.

• Daemon Targaryen with his Gold Cloaks, Daemon offers his crown to Viserys
  

One of my favourite artists went gaga over these pieces yesterday, and I was wondering what could be so great as he usually doesn’t go into fanboy mode that often… And now that I see these pieces, I understand, especially his comments about the second. Finally one painting of His Royal Hotness that I like! The perspective, the lighting, the colours, the clothing, the anatomy, the way the man carries himself, his expression, the tiny details, the dragon, everything is so well done. I saw some flaws in perspective and composition in the depiction of Daemon for the special edition of Rogues which made it an inferior piece in my opinion, so it’s great that they picked good old Chase, as he has a large following due to his talent.

• The deaths of Prince Lucerys and his dragon
  

This perspective is difficult to do, a real headache for illustrators, so applauses for the artist that drew and painted the dragonfight. The illumination by the storm and lightning is also impressive, and by what artistic superpowers he managed to convey the viciousness of the fight from that angle beats me.

That’s what I've seen thus far; I am looking forward to other beauties to see in the second half.