# Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist

The Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist is given each year for artists of works related to science fiction or fantasy released in the previous calendar year. The award has been given annually under several names since 1955, with the exception of 1957. The Hugo Awards have been described as "a fine showcase for speculative fiction" and "the best known literary award for science fiction writing".
The inaugural 1953 Hugo awards recognized "Best Interior Illustrator" and "Best Cover Artist" categories, awarded to Virgil Finlay and a tie between Hannes Bok and Ed Emshwiller, respectively. The Best Professional Artist award was simply named "Best Artist" in 1955 and 1956, was not awarded in 1957, and was named "Outstanding Artist" in 1958, finally changing to its current name the following year. Beginning in 1996 Retrospective Hugo Awards, or "Retro Hugos", have been available to be awarded for years 50, 75, or 100 years prior in which no awards were given. To date, Retro Hugo awards have been awarded for 1939, 1941, 1943–1946, 1951, and 1954, and in each case an award for professional artist was given.
During the 77 nomination years, 98 artists have been nominated; 26 of these have won, including co-winners and Retro Hugos. Michael Whelan has received the most awards, with 13 wins out of 24 nominations. Frank Kelly Freas has 11 wins and 28 nominations, the most nominations of any artist. Other artists with large numbers of wins or nominations include Bob Eggleton with 8 wins out of 23 nominations, Virgil Finlay with 5 out of 14, Ed Emshwiller with 4 out of 9, John Picacio with 3 out of 15, and Don Maitz with 2 out of 17. David A. Cherry and Thomas Canty are tied for the most nominations without an award at 10 each.

## Selection

Hugo Award nominees and winners are chosen by supporting or attending members of the annual World Science Fiction Convention, or Worldcon, and the presentation evening constitutes its central event. The selection process is defined in the World Science Fiction Society Constitution as instant-runoff voting with six nominees, except in the case of a tie. The works on the ballot are the six most-nominated by members that year, with no limit on the number of works that can be nominated. The awards in 1955 and 1958 did not include any recognition of runner-up artists, but since 1959 all six candidates have been recorded. Initial nominations are made by members in January through March, while voting on the ballot of six nominations is performed roughly in April through July, subject to change depending on when that year's Worldcon is held. Prior to 2017, the final ballot was five works; it was changed that year to six, with each initial nominator limited to five nominations. Worldcons are generally held near Labor Day, and in a different city around the world each year.

## Winners and nominees

In the following tables, the years correspond to the date of the ceremony. Artists are eligible based on their work of the previous calendar year. Entries with a yellow background and an asterisk (*) next to the artist's name have won the award; those with a gray background are the nominees on the short-list.
* Winners
Winners and nominees :
| Year | Artist(s) |
| 1955 | Frank Kelly Freas* |
| 1956 | Frank Kelly Freas* |
| 1956 | Chesley Bonestell |
| 1956 | Ed Emshwiller |
| 1956 | Virgil Finlay |
| 1956 | Mel Hunter |
| 1956 | Ed Valigursky |
| 1958 | Frank Kelly Freas* |
| 1959 | Frank Kelly Freas* |
| 1959 | Ed Emshwiller |
| 1959 | Virgil Finlay |
| 1959 | H. R. Van Dongen |
| 1959 | Wally Wood |
| 1960 | Ed Emshwiller* |
| 1960 | Virgil Finlay |
| 1960 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 1960 | Mel Hunter |
| 1960 | Wally Wood |
| 1961 | Ed Emshwiller* |
| 1961 | Virgil Finlay |
| 1961 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 1961 | Mel Hunter |
| 1962 | Ed Emshwiller* |
| 1962 | Virgil Finlay |
| 1962 | Mel Hunter |
| 1962 | John Schoenherr |
| 1962 | Alex Schomburg |
| 1963 | Roy Krenkel* |
| 1963 | Ed Emshwiller |
| 1963 | Virgil Finlay |
| 1963 | Jack Gaughan |
| 1963 | John Schoenherr |
| 1964 | Ed Emshwiller* |
| 1964 | Virgil Finlay |
| 1964 | Frank Frazetta |
| 1964 | Roy Krenkel |
| 1964 | John Schoenherr |
| 1965 | John Schoenherr* |
| 1965 | Ed Emshwiller |
| 1965 | Frank Frazetta |
| 1965 | Jack Gaughan |
| 1966 | Frank Frazetta* |
| 1966 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 1966 | Jack Gaughan |
| 1966 | Gray Morrow |
| 1966 | John Schoenherr |
| 1967 | Jack Gaughan* |
| 1967 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 1967 | Gray Morrow |
| 1967 | John Schoenherr |
| 1968 | Jack Gaughan* |
| 1968 | Chesley Bonestell |
| 1968 | Frank Frazetta |
| 1968 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 1968 | Gray Morrow |
| 1968 | John Schoenherr |
| 1969 | Jack Gaughan* |
| 1969 | Vaughn Bodé |
| 1969 | Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon |
| 1969 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 1970 | Frank Kelly Freas* |
| 1970 | Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon |
| 1970 | Jack Gaughan |
| 1970 | Eddie Jones |
| 1970 | Jeff Jones |
| 1971 | Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon* |
| 1971 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 1971 | Jack Gaughan |
| 1971 | Eddie Jones |
| 1971 | Jeff Jones |
| 1972 | Frank Kelly Freas* |
| 1972 | Vincent Di Fate |
| 1972 | Jack Gaughan |
| 1972 | Jeff Jones |
| 1972 | John Schoenherr |
| 1973 | Frank Kelly Freas* |
| 1973 | Vincent Di Fate |
| 1973 | Jack Gaughan |
| 1973 | Mike Hinge |
| 1973 | John Schoenherr |
| 1974 | Frank Kelly Freas* |
| 1974 | Vincent Di Fate |
| 1974 | Frank Frazetta |
| 1974 | Jack Gaughan |
| 1974 | John Schoenherr |
| 1975 | Frank Kelly Freas* |
| 1975 | Stephen Fabian |
| 1975 | Tim Kirk |
| 1975 | John Schoenherr |
| 1975 | Rick Sternbach |
| 1976 | Frank Kelly Freas* |
| 1976 | George Barr |
| 1976 | Vincent Di Fate |
| 1976 | Stephen Fabian |
| 1976 | Rick Sternbach |
| 1977 | Rick Sternbach* |
| 1977 | George Barr |
| 1977 | Vincent Di Fate |
| 1977 | Stephen Fabian |
| 1978 | Rick Sternbach* |
| 1978 | Vincent Di Fate |
| 1978 | Stephen Fabian |
| 1978 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 1978 | Michael Whelan |
| 1979 | Vincent Di Fate* |
| 1979 | Stephen Fabian |
| 1979 | David A. Hardy |
| 1979 | Boris Vallejo |
| 1979 | Michael Whelan |
| 1980 | Michael Whelan* |
| 1980 | Vincent Di Fate |
| 1980 | Stephen Fabian |
| 1980 | Paul Lehr |
| 1980 | Boris Vallejo |
| 1981 | Michael Whelan* |
| 1981 | Vincent Di Fate |
| 1981 | Stephen Fabian |
| 1981 | Paul Lehr |
| 1981 | Don Maitz |
| 1982 | Michael Whelan* |
| 1982 | Vincent Di Fate |
| 1982 | Carl Lundgren |
| 1982 | Don Maitz |
| 1982 | Rowena Morrill |
| 1983 | Michael Whelan* |
| 1983 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 1983 | Don Maitz |
| 1983 | Rowena Morrill |
| 1983 | Barclay Shaw |
| 1983 | Darrell K. Sweet |
| 1984 | Michael Whelan* |
| 1984 | Val Lakey Lindahn |
| 1984 | Don Maitz |
| 1984 | Rowena Morrill |
| 1984 | Barclay Shaw |
| 1985 | Michael Whelan* |
| 1985 | Vincent Di Fate |
| 1985 | Tom Kidd |
| 1985 | Val Lakey Lindahn |
| 1985 | Barclay Shaw |
| 1986 | Michael Whelan* |
| 1986 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 1986 | Don Maitz |
| 1986 | Rowena Morrill |
| 1986 | Barclay Shaw |
| 1987 | Jim Burns* |
| 1987 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 1987 | Tom Kidd |
| 1987 | Don Maitz |
| 1987 | J. K. Potter |
| 1987 | Barclay Shaw |
| 1988 | Michael Whelan* |
| 1988 | David A. Cherry |
| 1988 | Bob Eggleton |
| 1988 | Tom Kidd |
| 1988 | Don Maitz |
| 1988 | J. K. Potter |
| 1989 | Michael Whelan* |
| 1989 | Thomas Canty |
| 1989 | David A. Cherry |
| 1989 | Bob Eggleton |
| 1989 | Don Maitz |
| 1989 | Todd Cameron Hamilton |
| 1990 | Don Maitz* |
| 1990 | Jim Burns |
| 1990 | Thomas Canty |
| 1990 | David A. Cherry |
| 1990 | James Gurney |
| 1990 | Tom Kidd |
| 1990 | Michael Whelan |
| 1991 | Michael Whelan* |
| 1991 | Thomas Canty |
| 1991 | David A. Cherry |
| 1991 | Bob Eggleton |
| 1991 | Don Maitz |
| 1992 | Michael Whelan* |
| 1992 | Thomas Canty |
| 1992 | David A. Cherry |
| 1992 | Bob Eggleton |
| 1992 | Don Maitz |
| 1993 | Don Maitz* |
| 1993 | Thomas Canty |
| 1993 | David A. Cherry |
| 1993 | Bob Eggleton |
| 1993 | James Gurney |
| 1994 | Bob Eggleton* |
| 1994 | Thomas Canty |
| 1994 | David A. Cherry |
| 1994 | Don Maitz |
| 1994 | Michael Whelan |
| 1995 | Jim Burns* |
| 1995 | Thomas Canty |
| 1995 | Bob Eggleton |
| 1995 | Don Maitz |
| 1995 | Michael Whelan |
| 1996 | Bob Eggleton* |
| 1996 | Jim Burns |
| 1996 | Thomas Canty |
| 1996 | Don Maitz |
| 1996 | Michael Whelan |
| 1997 | Bob Eggleton* |
| 1997 | Thomas Canty |
| 1997 | David A. Cherry |
| 1997 | Don Maitz |
| 1997 | Michael Whelan |
| 1998 | Bob Eggleton* |
| 1998 | Jim Burns |
| 1998 | Thomas Canty |
| 1998 | David A. Cherry |
| 1998 | Don Maitz |
| 1998 | Michael Whelan |
| 1999 | Bob Eggleton* |
| 1999 | Jim Burns |
| 1999 | Donato Giancola |
| 1999 | Don Maitz |
| 1999 | Nick Stathopoulos |
| 1999 | Michael Whelan |
| 2000 | Michael Whelan* |
| 2000 | Jim Burns |
| 2000 | Bob Eggleton |
| 2000 | Donato Giancola |
| 2000 | Don Maitz |
| 2001 | Bob Eggleton* |
| 2001 | Jim Burns |
| 2001 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 2001 | Donato Giancola |
| 2001 | Michael Whelan |
| 2002 | Michael Whelan* |
| 2002 | Jim Burns |
| 2002 | Bob Eggleton |
| 2002 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 2002 | Donato Giancola |
| 2003 | Bob Eggleton* |
| 2003 | Jim Burns |
| 2003 | David A. Cherry |
| 2003 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 2003 | Donato Giancola |
| 2004 | Bob Eggleton* |
| 2004 | Jim Burns |
| 2004 | Frank Frazetta |
| 2004 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 2004 | Donato Giancola |
| 2005 | Jim Burns* |
| 2005 | Bob Eggleton |
| 2005 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 2005 | Donato Giancola |
| 2005 | John Picacio |
| 2006 | Donato Giancola* |
| 2006 | Jim Burns |
| 2006 | Bob Eggleton |
| 2006 | Stephan Martinière |
| 2006 | John Picacio |
| 2006 | Michael Whelan |
| 2007 | Donato Giancola* |
| 2007 | Bob Eggleton |
| 2007 | Stephan Martinière |
| 2007 | John Jude Palencar |
| 2007 | John Picacio |
| 2008 | Stephan Martinière* |
| 2008 | Phil Foglio |
| 2008 | John Harris |
| 2008 | John Picacio |
| 2008 | Shaun Tan |
| 2009 | Donato Giancola* |
| 2009 | Daniel Dos Santos |
| 2009 | Bob Eggleton |
| 2009 | John Picacio |
| 2009 | Shaun Tan |
| 2010 | Shaun Tan* |
| 2010 | Daniel Dos Santos |
| 2010 | Bob Eggleton |
| 2010 | Stephan Martinière |
| 2010 | John Picacio |
| 2011 | Shaun Tan* |
| 2011 | Daniel Dos Santos |
| 2011 | Bob Eggleton |
| 2011 | Stephan Martinière |
| 2011 | John Picacio |
| 2012 | John Picacio* |
| 2012 | Daniel Dos Santos |
| 2012 | Bob Eggleton |
| 2012 | Michael Komarck |
| 2012 | Stephan Martinière |
| 2013 | John Picacio* |
| 2013 | Vincent Chong |
| 2013 | Julie Dillon |
| 2013 | Daniel Dos Santos |
| 2013 | Christian McGrath |
| 2014 | Julie Dillon* |
| 2014 | Galen Dara |
| 2014 | Daniel Dos Santos |
| 2014 | John Harris |
| 2014 | John Picacio |
| 2014 | Fiona Staples |
| 2015 | Julie Dillon* |
| 2015 | Kirk DouPonce |
| 2015 | Nick Greenwood |
| 2015 | Alan Pollack |
| 2015 | Carter Reid |
| 2016 | Abigail Larson* |
| 2016 | Lars Braad Andersen |
| 2016 | Larry Elmore |
| 2016 | Michal Karcz |
| 2016 | Larry Rostant |
| 2017 | Julie Dillon* |
| 2017 | Galen Dara |
| 2017 | Christian McGrath |
| 2017 | Victo Ngai |
| 2017 | John Picacio |
| 2017 | Sana Takeda |
| 2018 | Sana Takeda* |
| 2018 | Galen Dara |
| 2018 | Kathleen Jennings |
| 2018 | Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme |
| 2018 | Victo Ngai |
| 2018 | John Picacio |
| 2019 | Charles Vess* |
| 2019 | Galen Dara |
| 2019 | Jaime Jones |
| 2019 | Victo Ngai |
| 2019 | John Picacio |
| 2019 | Yuko Shimizu |
| 2020 | John Picacio* |
| 2020 | Tommy Arnold |
| 2020 | Rovina Cai |
| 2020 | Galen Dara |
| 2020 | Yuko Shimizu |
| 2020 | Alyssa Winans |
| 2021 | Rovina Cai* |
| 2021 | Tommy Arnold |
| 2021 | Galen Dara |
| 2021 | Maurizio Manzieri |
| 2021 | John Picacio |
| 2021 | Alyssa Winans |
| 2022 | Rovina Cai* |
| 2022 | Tommy Arnold |
| 2022 | Ashley Mackenzie |
| 2022 | Maurizio Manzieri |
| 2022 | Will Staehle |
| 2022 | Alyssa Winans |
| 2023 | Enzhe Zhao* |
| 2023 | Sija Hong |
| 2023 | Kuri Huang |
| 2023 | Paul Lewin |
| 2023 | Alyssa Winans |
| 2023 | Jian Zhang |
| 2024 | Rovina Cai* |
| 2024 | Micaela Alcaino |
| 2024 | Galen Dara |
| 2024 | Daniel Dos Santos |
| 2024 | Tristan Elwell |
| 2024 | Alyssa Winans |

### Retro Hugos

Beginning with the 1996 Worldcon, the World Science Fiction Society created the concept of "Retro Hugos", in which the Hugo award could be retroactively awarded for 50, 75, or 100 years prior. Retro Hugos may only be awarded for years in which a Worldcon was hosted, but no awards were originally given. Retro Hugos have been awarded eight times, for 1939, 1941, 1943–1946, 1951, and 1954.
Retro Hugo winners and nominees :
| Year | Year awarded | Artist |
| 1939 | 2014 | Virgil Finlay* |
| 1939 | 2014 | Margaret Brundage |
| 1939 | 2014 | Frank R. Paul |
| 1939 | 2014 | Alex Schomburg |
| 1939 | 2014 | H. W. "Wesso" Wessolowski |
| 1941 | 2016 | Virgil Finlay* |
| 1941 | 2016 | Hannes Bok |
| 1941 | 2016 | Margaret Brundage |
| 1941 | 2016 | Edd Cartier |
| 1941 | 2016 | Frank R. Paul |
| 1941 | 2016 | Hubert Rogers |
| 1943 | 2018 | Virgil Finlay* |
| 1943 | 2018 | Hannes Bok |
| 1943 | 2018 | Margaret Brundage |
| 1943 | 2018 | Edd Cartier |
| 1943 | 2018 | Harold W. McCauley |
| 1943 | 2018 | Hubert Rogers |
| 1944 | 2019 | Virgil Finlay* |
| 1944 | 2019 | Hannes Bok |
| 1944 | 2019 | Margaret Brundage |
| 1944 | 2019 | Antoine de Saint-Exupéry |
| 1944 | 2019 | J. Allen St. John |
| 1944 | 2019 | William Timmins |
| 1945 | 2020 | Margaret Brundage* |
| 1945 | 2020 | Earle K. Bergey |
| 1945 | 2020 | Boris Dolgov |
| 1945 | 2020 | Matt Fox |
| 1945 | 2020 | Paul Orban |
| 1945 | 2020 | William Timmins |
| 1946 | 1996 | Virgil Finlay* |
| 1946 | 1996 | Earle K. Bergey |
| 1946 | 1996 | Hannes Bok |
| 1946 | 1996 | Edd Cartier |
| 1946 | 1996 | Frank R. Paul |
| 1951 | 2001 | Frank Kelly Freas* |
| 1951 | 2001 | Hannes Bok |
| 1951 | 2001 | Chesley Bonestell |
| 1951 | 2001 | Edd Cartier |
| 1951 | 2001 | Virgil Finlay |
| 1954 | 2004 | Chesley Bonestell* |
| 1954 | 2004 | Ed Emshwiller |
| 1954 | 2004 | Virgil Finlay |
| 1954 | 2004 | Frank Kelly Freas |
| 1954 | 2004 | Richard M. Powers |

## Explanatory notes

* ↑ Although no "Best Professional Artist" Hugo was awarded at the 1957 convention, Hugos were awarded in other categories, hence there was no "Retro Hugo" for 1957 awarded in 2007.