James Elliott Bama (born 1926) is an American artist known for his realistic paintings and etchings of Western subjects. Life in Wyoming led to his comment, "Here an artist can trace the beginnings of Western history, see the first buildings, the oldest wagons, saddles and guns, and be up close to the remnants of Indian culture ... And you can stand surrounded by nature's wonders." In addition to his western art, he is responsible for some of our most memorable pop culture images. He is the creator and artist of the slightly surreal covers for the 1960s paperback reprints of old "Doc Savage" pulp novels. He was inducted into the Illustrator's Hall of Fame on June 28, 2000. At the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, when he was the first Honored Artist at the Buffalo Bill Art Show in 2003, Bama commented, "Everything I've done - the rodeo, the trappers, the mountain men - has been done around here. The fact that I'm from Cody makes this very significant to me. They're really honoring Cody and the Buffalo Bill Historical Center." He was inducted into the Monster Kid Hall Of Fame at The Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards. This is the first collection that was ever done of his work.

The Western Art of James Bama

Bama, James

Peacock Press/Bantam

The illustration art of James Bama has now been collected into this impressive 160-page full color hardbound edition. James Bama: American Realist is the first book to span his entire career. Examples explore his diverse brush from magazine illustrations, paperback book covers, and advertising. Chapters examine his work in pop culture, horror, science fiction, adventure and western genres, concluding with his most recent fine art endeavors. This volume features a detailed biography exploring his noteworthy and singular career. Insightful quotes by Bama accompany many pieces. In addition, testimonials by leading artists, writers, and historians are contained throughout. During his career, Bama’s art graced many memorable pop culture paperback book covers. Among his most notable works are the 62 cover paintings for Bantam’s Doc Savage adventure series, all of which are contained within. His uncanny ability to render a multitude of genres, and under amazingly tight deadlines, made Bama highly sought after by top publishers. Combined with his exemplary work ethic, Bama’s artwork encompassed a wide spectrum of media. This, along with his unique realist approach, helped secure his place as one of the most influential artists of his time. Having achieved remarkable success in illustration, Bama changed direction, pursuing a career in fine art. His gamble led to higher acclaim. This book delves into the man, from illustrator to artist. Written and designed by Brian M. Kane in cooperation with Mr. Bama. Introduction by Harlan Ellison®. Foreword by Len Leone. 160 pages in color. Over 260 illustrations are featured, of which more than 85 are from the original art. Over 30 personal photographs of family and modeling shoots are contained within.

James Bama: American Realist

Kane, Brian M.

Literature & Fiction

Flesk Publications

Close to 230 sketches reveal the thoughts and process of this legendary artist. Travel along this lifelong journey with James Bama, as he chronicles the lives of those that inspired his art. This is the story behind the paintings. Numerous sketches provide the background for some of his most famous fine art paintings. A large selection of preliminaries show the many ideas recorded for unfinished pieces. This book represents the first time Bama has opened his sketch archives to the public. Pencil sketches, and color composition drawings from his entire career are included. His preliminaries span works from his early teens, student years, and as a professional illustrator. However, the majority of works feature his fine art career: Native American, western, wildlife, mountain men, and landscape art inspired by the environment of his Wyoming home. Also included are works from his travels to China, Mexico, Tibet and Turkey.

James Bama: Sketchbook

Fleskes, John

A living legend's most personal and cherished images ... revealed for the first time! Created entirely for personal pleasure over the course of five decades, these 67 paintings and 24 photographs capture the lives of the people Bama encountered during his trips to Tibet, Mexico, Japan, China and elsewhere. Most of these images have never been published and have only been seen by the artist's immediate circle of family and friends. All are lush, staggeringly beautiful evocations of a moment and place, and they are accompanied by Bama's commentary. An acknowledged master of his craft, James Bama began his legendary career with atmospheric, dynamic and dramatic paperback book covers that fired the imaginations of generations of readers, even as they inspired countless youths to become illustrators themselves. His later body of work, which distilled the spirit of the rapidly disappearing American West by focusing on the rugged individuals who still inhabit those vast and empty plains, has similarly enthralled another generation of fans and artists. More recently, Bama threw open his studio doors and shared a wealth of previously unseen preliminary studies within the pages of the James Bama Sketchbook. And now Bama shares with us the largely private work of which he is most proud.

James Bama: Personal Works

Arts & Photography

Individual Artists

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Books by Bama, James

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Bama, James. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Western Art of James Bama

James Bama: American Realist

James Bama: Sketchbook

James Bama: Personal Works