Guardians of the Galaxy #6 Incentive Cover 2016

Greg Hildebrandt made this Guardians of the Galaxy cover using what looks like traditional painting techniques. There's a real emphasis on color, which makes the process of looking, like, super engaging. I like to think about the painting process as a conversation, and here, the colors are really talkative. Look at the way Hildebrandt uses these hot pinks and oranges in the lower part of the image. It really pushes forward, and it's balanced by the cool blues and purples that recede into the background. It's like a visual push and pull. It's all very dynamic. I'm reminded of someone like Alex Ross, another comic book artist who's also got this photorealistic style, but with a real painterly touch. Ultimately, though, it's the kind of image that reminds you how art is an ongoing conversation, a back-and-forth between what you see, what you feel, and what the artist intended, or maybe didn't intend at all.