The cover of A Bigger Book

When he was working with Newton in LA, Benedikt Taschen thought of doing a similar book on Hockney.

"How great it would be to have such a book in the same scope and detail in glorious color about Hockney, the greatest painter alive?" Taschen says.

"And since David lives next door in the Hollywood Hills, I must grab this historic chance."

At a time when printed books are wrestling with digital content for readers' attentions, some experts believe that "luxurious and collectible books" will be a way for print to survive in the future.

"This just shows that buying these collector's editions is a far better investment than many financial products," Weller says.

The publisher says Hockney spent a year in selecting and sequencing the works for the book. He also helped with adjusting the colors.

His cross-media creation has been on since 2008. An exhibition of his works on gadgets at London's Royal Academy of Art in 2012 showcased his variety.