Alison Eldred

A Monster Calls, illustrated by Jim Kay

2011-02-11T09:43:00.003Z

Jim Kay came down to Walker to meet Patrick Ness on Wednesday. Jim's been working on the illustrations for Patrick's new book, A Monster Calls, so it was good that they could meet. Walker were excellent hosts, as always, and Ben Norland has designed the book in a typically unusual and stylish way. Here's more, on Patrick's blog.

The Emerald Atlas by Jim Kay

2011-02-08T16:36:00.003Z

Two different prospective covers by Jim Kay for the new book by John Stevens which has had so much attention. Commissioned by Liz Laczynska for Random House Children's Books. More of Jim's work here.

John Harris SF 80's Classics

2011-01-31T12:49:00.003Z

During the 1980's John Harris was discovered by the US and London book publishers and as a result he produced some classic images for them. During these years he developed his style as a painter of science fiction imagery, and since then the work has become collectable. There is now a further collection of this work available from the website, under Originals for Sale, Science Fiction book cover art.

Fred Gambino's Mandelbrot

2011-01-19T19:15:00.003Z

Fred's been experimenting with some new software inspired by the Mandelbrot. Take a look at his "space coral".

More of Fred's work here.

Ministry of Pandemonium

2011-01-14T17:53:00.005Z

Frances Lincoln have designed a mini website for Ministry of Pandemonium, their book by Chris Westwood with a cover illustration by Jim Kay.

A Happy New Year

2011-01-03T11:28:00.004Z

Wishing artists and clients a successful 2011. May it bring you good health and prosperity, even a large bunch of garlic, as above. Many thanks for a busy and fulfilling 2010.

Cosmos 5 work by Fred Gambino

2011-01-01T10:58:00.006Z

By going to the Alienology IIF website you can see for no charge a limited amount of the work Fred produced for the Cosmos 5 space station, published by Templar. However I do recommend that you sign up to see the whole site as this is a hugely enjoyable experience not just for children but for us too.

Who but Fred could have designed an enormous space station complete with biosphere, from scratch, and made it spin? The illustration above is just the hangar.

James P Hogan cover art

2010-12-13T18:52:00.003Z

John Harris produced covers for the The Giants Trilogy back in the 1980's and I now have the three original paintings for sale, along with the cover proofs for the Granada editions. The paintings are large acrylics, 48 x 73 cms, and they'll be added to the website soon - with more details. Prices are likely to range from £850 to £1250, or US$1350-2000.

More John Harris originals.

Dragonborn by Toby Forward

2010-12-11T16:41:00.004Z

Jim Kay has illustrated Dragonborn, the first book in Toby Forward's Flaxfield Quartet for Walker Books. To be published on 3rd January. More of Jim's work here.

Firebreather

2010-11-25T10:11:00.009Z

Yesterday's release of the film from Cartoon Network, Firebreather, has brought in a flood of reviews. Most people seem to like it, and the idea that a film of this kind can be made on a low budget is going to cause a stir. We can now show you the work that Fred Gambino has done, and there's much more on his website. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Three recent covers by Gordon Crabb

2010-11-24T11:50:00.004Z

More Gordon Crabb illustration here.

Jack McDevitt cover originals for sale

2010-11-11T16:34:00.004Z

John Harris has just been commissioned by Berkley to illustrate the cover for Jack McDevitt's next book, Firebird. This seemed like a good time to bring together the earlier work John has produced for Jack, and offer them for sale.

The painting for Seeker (above left) is available on the website, and we are now offering it with a 10% discount, so £2250 or US$3825.

Polaris (above right) is also offered at a 10% reduced price of £2100 or US$3150. 27 x 20 inches.

Both are hugely impressive oil paintings, and the above image does not do justice to the originals which can only be properly appreciated in reality.

Echo cover originals for sale

2010-11-11T15:49:00.004Z

The cover painting for Echo (left) is now available, at £1950 or US$ 2950. It's in oils on canvas and measures 21 x 30 inches. The pastel sketches for Echo 1 and Echo 2 (and also a very small one for The Devil's Eye, top right) are already available on the website.

New work by Fred Gambino

2010-11-11T15:29:00.004Z

Having spent much of the last few months working on science fiction, Fred Gambino wanted to produce something slightly different. He's produced these dragon images using a more painted look. More illustration here.

Echo, by Jack McDevitt

2010-10-26T10:16:00.005+01:00

I received a simple email from Jack McDevitt last week. It just read:

"John has done four covers for my novels. They are superb. Please pass along my appreciation to him."

Good luck with the publication of Echo this month, Jack.

The sketch by John Harris can be seen here.

Fred Gambino on Firebreather

2010-10-25T12:21:00.010+01:00

Fred is credited as co art director on the new cgi film by Cartoon Network, Firebreather. He was responsible for the design of vehicles and environments and production art to determine lighting and textures. We can't show images of his designs yet but here is the trailer in which there is a fleeting glimpse of his flyer cockpit design.

Caleb Goellner in Comics Alliance.
An excellent trailer here.
Another trailer here.
More film work on Fred's own website.

Homuncularium and Tertiary Node - Jim Burns

2010-10-20T11:44:00.004+01:00

Jim Burns has produced two paintings for a new series of personal work which he's called 'Lost Narratives'. He's used two of his daughters as models - at the top is Gwendolen who's manipulating a small homunculus: "the apprentice feverishly administered the potent mix of refined alien toxins . . . all around her, corridors full of shelves, were the failed experiments of others".

The second image, Tertiary Node, is Megan: "Sheer located the first of the invasive nodal eruptions near the rear of the ship . . . the semi-sentient invader, oblivious to her alarmed presence, appeared to have been seeded at least three days previously, ship-time".

Fred Gambino - more portfolio - and Alienology

2010-09-29T15:34:00.007+01:00

Many images have been added to Fred Gambino's online portfolio including some from the newly-published book, Alienology, The Complete Guide to Extraterrestrials. Templar are supporting the publication with digital back-up as featured in the recent Bookseller article.

Fred has coolly designed a complete space station which can be viewed on a phone or computer. Expect more follow-up to this in the press. And to see more, visit Fred's own website here.

2010-09-25T15:38:00.006+01:00

Jim Burns has produced many covers for John Meaney's books so he was delighted to be asked by Sue Michniewicz of Gollancz to work on the cover for his new novel, Absorption, last year. He's now followed it up with Transmission.

More of Jim's illustration work here.

Didier Graffet

2010-09-14T10:05:00.003+01:00

This stunning new piece by Didier Graffet is called The End of War. Click on the image for a larger view. More of Didier's work here.

Michael Scott covers by Fred Gambino

2010-09-01T14:55:00.005+01:00

Fred Gambino worked with freelance designer, James Fraser, to produce new covers for a set of Nicholas Flamel novels by Michael Scott. They made a good team. The books are published by Random House Children's Books. More of Fred's illustration here. And more about James Fraser here.

Storyworld Exhibition opening

2010-08-20T12:56:00.006+01:00

The launch of the Storyworld exhibition held at the Illustration Cupboard yesterday was a great success. Many of the artists involved with this enormous project were present, along with the publishers from Templar who commissioned the work, and of course art collectors who are regular clients at the gallery.

The above two illustrations were the Paul Hess images chosen for the show, and the rest are available from me. There is a collection of Paul's work for sale here.

Paul will be taking part in a Storytelling event at The Baltic in Gateshead on 9th October.

I was also delighted to be involved with the illustrations by three of the Arena artists, Matilda Harrison, Philip Hood and Tomislav Tomic. Many of those originals are now available directly from Arena. It really is the most almighty of projects, and one which has been a delight.

Alien landscapes by Fred Gambino

2010-08-06T18:50:00.007+01:00

Fred was asked by Templar Publishing to design some alien landscapes for the latest book in their "ology" series about Aliens.

Here you'll find volcanic landscapes, ice planets and swirling gas. Cities, jungles and deserts. Fred can conjure them all. Click on the image for a larger version. More of Fred's illustration here.

Gordon Crabb Literary Fiction

2010-07-14T12:28:00.005+01:00

Gordon Crabb's new stock section is designed to appeal to designers looking for images for literary fiction covers. It's only fair that writers should visualise their characters? And how easy is it to please them when you're choosing a cover image?

By suggesting that they look at Gordon's stock section you can allow them to choose for themselves. And if the writer is dead then you can choose!

We've also added sections for Men and Children. More of those to come soon.

Jim Kay's illustrations for Storyworld

2010-07-08T22:48:00.005+01:00

Jim Kay was commissioned by Mike Jolley at Templar Publishing to produce a set of seven cards for the Hallowe'en Pack for the Storyworld card game. Four are shown here, and more of Jim's illustration work can be seen here, and also on Jim's own site.

Two of the Storyworld images will be on show as giclee prints at the Illustration Cupboard gallery in London from August. Contact me if you're interested in prints of any of the other card images.

Jim's original drawings and etchings for other commissions are also available.

Road Buzz, produced by Saft and Boneless

2010-06-30T18:48:00.005+01:00

There are some artists whose work does fit into the world of illustration but not because they slavishly follow the rules - more that their art is infectious. Neal Layton has a magic which pleases both publishers and children and you may have seen his books on The Story of Everything, his fiction about the Mammoth Academy, his non-fiction illustrations for Poo or his work for the Emily Brown books written by Cressida Cowell. His sense of humour and oddball characters are quite special.

Neal is married to the artist, Sadie Tierney. Already well known as a printmaker, she has now worked with Neal to produce the most exciting, inspiring and professional 80-minute film on the art of downhill skateboarding, luge and all sorts of abandon. It's called Road Buzz, it has some excellent music - and I recommend it highly.

"Without any braking system apart from shoes nailed and stuck with car tyre rubber they erupt from the valleys and mountain roads of the world. Sculptors whose material is gravity." "A tour of European mountains, interviewing some of the characters along the way to examine issues of trust, fear, obsession and motivation."

Visit the Saft and Boneless website for more information. Copies of the DVD can be bought from three sources. For only £10 you can see right into this incredibly brave and tightly-knit community.
Octanesport
Longboard Lounge
Longboard Source

New Jim Kay cover

2010-06-05T15:33:00.004+01:00

Jim Kay was asked by Frances Lincoln to produce a cover for The Ministry of Pandemonium by Chris Westwood - and he produced this striking two-colour solution. More of Jim Kay's illustration here. And here.

John Harris sketches

2010-05-30T20:05:00.003+01:00

There is now a selection of new John Harris sketches, mostly pastels, in the Originals for Sale part of the site. Here are just four examples but there are many more.

The Last Cloud on Earth

2010-05-02T10:57:00.007+01:00

John Harris has been invited by the US Society of Illustrators to contribute to their exhibition on an environmental theme - Earth: Fragile Planet.

He has produced a painting particularly for this show entitled The Last Cloud on Earth. The idea of the show, "protecting our fragile world" is very close to his heart and he was delighted to take part. He has also written some words to describe his view.

The Last Cloud

What will happen, when
we've sucked out all that's good
and left our Mother dry?
What will happen, when
our Mother's fiercest brood
has shaved her body raw,
to find new ways to fly?
And what will happen when,
With all her life blood gone,
We look for more of worth
to steal but finding none,
we only see
the last white cloud on Earth?

You can see more of John's work in this vein on the part of the site describing "The Secret History of the Earth".

More John Harris sketches coming soon

2010-04-02T20:57:00.003+01:00

I have another batch of John Harris's sketches to add to his Originals for Sale section of the site. So come back soon.

Jim Kay originals for sale

2010-03-16T12:53:00.003Z

Jim Kay sells his collographs and etchings through galleries in Edinburgh but has now also made some available here. He is fascinated by the extra dimension that the collographs can show, one of which was shortlisted for the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy.

His studio is full of pencil drawings and watercolours for emerging illustration projects and his interest in the natural world is evident in many of them. While his illustration work is becoming more and more dependent on a digital element, this earlier work shows the vitality of the early stages and the thinking process.

New covers by Gordon Crabb

2010-03-16T12:48:00.003Z

Gordon Crabb has been working on covers for two books by Carol Berg to be published by Penguin US. The Spirit Lens was the first, and now the image on the right is the proposed cover for another title, The Soul Mirror.

Ian Miller and Eragon

2010-03-16T11:24:00.004Z

Ian Miller tells me that he's about to put more original drawings for Eragon into his online store. He worked with Fred Gambino on Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia, and now these beautiful line drawings are going to be made available to buy as originals.

Jim Burns at the conventions

2010-03-09T13:59:00.003Z

Jim Burns is planning to visit the World Horror Convention in Brighton in late March and also the British SF convention at Eastercon from 2nd to 5th April. He'll have new work to show, and there's also work for sale from the website here.

John Harris science fiction originals can be found here.

Acorna covers by Fred Gambino

2010-03-09T13:53:00.002Z

I've just spotted the inside front cover of Acorna's Children: Third Watch by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. The publishers have chosen to show the last nine covers of Fred's - and although they span many years I think they look consistent in style and altogether quite impressive.

November Flag

2010-02-05T17:59:00.003Z

John Harris is now working on a new collection of large oil paintings inspired by the Exe Valley. This one is November Flag.

You can find more of John's larger work here. Some is still for sale.

Eragon and Amazon

2010-01-29T17:16:00.003Z

Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia, the book illustrated by Fred Gambino and Ian Miller, amongst others, has a related video on Amazon, with someone's hands turning the pages and exploring the novelty flaps.

I gather that the book has been a huge success but one of the illustrations which Fred produced was actually left out. In my view it was one of the best ones and it showed Ellesmera in the winter. As above. Anyone interested in buying a print of this one should let me know.

Jim Burns talk at the BSFA

2010-01-23T17:03:00.002Z

Jim Burns will be giving a talk and slide show of his work at the Antelope Tavern in London at 7.00 on 27th January 2010. More about this here.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

2010-01-18T16:21:00.003Z

Here are Jim Kay's illustrations of the Mad Hatter's Tea party - and the inside of the rabbit hole. For more, go to Jim's portfolio pages.

2009 - new ideas, new work and a new artist

2009-12-31T15:27:00.010Z

This has been a year rich in new work, busy with new demands and satisfying as a result.

Alan Lynch's visit to London for the annual artists' gathering certainly bore fruit. In talking to Gordon Crabb, their mutual interest in film has led to a new direction for Gordon's US book covers where the publishers often use film references as inspiration.

Adding more of John Harris's SF originals to the website has led to many sales to new buyers, and John's exhibition of landscape held in his new studio in Devon has introduced him to new clients both for private commissions and for sales of his pastel drawings inspired by the dramatic colours and moods of the Exe Valley outside his door. Some of these are included in his illustration portfolio.

Fred Gambino has mostly been involved with film and also illustrated a book about the world of Eragon for Templar with his old friend Ian Miller. This apparently joined the top ten in the NY Times immediately after publication.

Jim Burns has completed another major private commission, more work for Gillian Wearing and also produced new paintings for sale on the Worlds of Wonder website. These are all departures from the old world of illustrated science fiction book covers but we were all taken aback by the sudden death of the much-loved SF writer and friend, Robert Holdstock, and his funeral was a hugely moving event which ironically brought us firmly back in touch with the clan of writers and artists from the world of SF and fantasy. Jim's tribute on behalf of the artists was well-received.

I'm delighted to now also work for Jim Kay, a very original and skillful artist who's currently working on the Storyworld project for Templar. We're currently considering offers for his own story, which will either be a graphic novel or a "hybrid" and hope to see that making progress in 2010. "Pilot", the dog in the story, is shown above.

The edition of Peter Pan illustrated by Paul Hess is now in its third reprint just four months after publication, and Paul has now virtually completed the illustrations for The Wizard of Oz in the same series.

My work for Arena has been well rewarded with many prizes for Neal Layton for his non-fiction series for Walker Books, and huge success globally for "The Story of Things" pop-up book which takes us swiftly from the cave man to the present day in eleven spreads. Also the Emily Brown series, the fourth of which will be produced this year, and his series of young fiction, Mammoth Academy.

Simon Bartram has also charmed us all with his series of books about Bob, the Man on the Moon, who faithfully visits the moon each day to show the tourists around. (Must tell Richard Branson.) Bob's recent adventures are in the form of 80-page books for early readers and life's getting fairly busy for him - and for Simon.

Helping to present Mervyn Peake's work for the exhibition at Maison d'Ailleurs in Switzerland this year was a huge privilege. The organisation by the Swiss team was faultless and the exhibition quite spectacular. Mostly illustration produced in the 1940's, it has attracted a large audience and I am so pleased that these beautiful originals can now be seen by a 21st century public who may have previously only known Mervyn Peake for his Gormenghast books.

So, what about 2010? As busy a year as 2009, I hope. Certainly so for the first half of January as I return to Arena to help out while the two directors visit John Howe in New Zealand. John is currently working there as concept artist on the new film of The Hobbit.

Didier Graffet

2009-12-31T13:54:00.003Z

I met the French illustrator, Didier Graffet, at Yverdon-les-Bains as he had an exhibition there last year. I was pleased to be able to introduce him to Alan Lynch in New York, and this resulted in his being commissioned by Ballantine to illustrate their cover for The Children of Hurin. I thought his Christmas greeting was particularly striking. See more of his work here.

Jim Kay's Witch

2009-12-15T12:35:00.003Z

Jim Kay's witch is flying over a crescent which could be from his own city of Edinburgh. A composition suggested by his client, he's used the arch in a clever way, and repeated it with his view of a quagmire. More of Jim's illustration here.

Annie Groves cover by Gordon Crabb

2009-12-15T12:29:00.003Z

This is the latest Annie Groves cover Gordon has produced for Lee Motley at Harper Collins. Those evocative scenes on railway stations are such good cover material and Gordon has produced something here which successfully captures the mood of the homecoming at the end of the war. The book is When the Lights Go On. More of his illustration here. From wartime to vampires.

Jim Kay website

2009-12-09T13:39:00.003Z

We've added more images to Jim Kay's pages on the site, both colour illustrations and line drawings.

Twelve more Wilbur Smith paintings for sale

2009-12-09T13:30:00.006Z

We have now tracked down most of the originals which were produced by John Harris for the Wilbur Smith covers commissioned by Secker and Warburg/Mandarin in the 1990's. These can be found on the pages of landscapes in "Originals for Sale" and I think they could become collectors' items. Here are some examples but check the link to see more.

Two new paintings by Jim Burns

2009-11-16T17:46:00.004Z

Jim has recently been working on two new paintings inspired by sketches from his book Imago.

Wilbur Smith paintings for sale

2009-10-31T15:38:00.004Z

In the 1980's John Harris was commissioned by Secker and Warburg to produce covers for all the Wilbur Smith novels. This was the perfect opportunity for him to show his ability to paint evocative landscapes, and with many set in Africa this was going to involve some wonderful strong colour. The covers were felt to be one of the most successful sets produced, and now John is offering the originals for sale. Some are already on the website, and more will follow.

There are some examples above and if there are any other titles in particular which you'd be interested in seeing do let me know. He is asking for £400 per painting. They're painted in acrylics on board, and they measure 12 x 17 in. (30 x 43 cms)

Mervyn Peake Exhibition

2009-10-29T14:15:00.004Z

Anyone interested in the work of Mervyn Peake should visit the new exhibition of his illustration in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland. There is a marvellous collection of work from Treasure Island, Alice, Grimm's Household Tales and from books written by Peake, including Gormenghast.

Here is one of Mr Pye, sitting on his cannon on Sark. Many people came to the opening of the exhibition, including someone who travelled from Sark. It seems that the appeal of Peake's work, both writing and illustration, is eternal. I was pleased to be involved with some of the preparations and felt almost moved to see such a huge collection, so beautifully presented.

For more information on the show, and to see how easy it is to travel to Yverdon from the UK, go to the Mervyn Peake blog.

Arena's online shop

2009-09-30T15:39:00.007+01:00

Arena have now put some original artwork and prints into an online shop. You'll find paintings and prints by John Howe (concept artist on the Lord of the Rings films) on there, Susan Hellard's delightfully French line drawings for the successful Madame Pamplemousse series for Bloomsbury are included, and Adam Stower is offering some political cartoons - as well as some line drawings from the Spymice series.

The illustration shown is of Bob, the Man on the Moon from the series of successful picture books and short novels by Simon Bartram. You'll find references to the books in the Arena shop as well. Bob goes to the moon every day in his rocket to tidy up and to show the tourists round. He doesn't notice that his dog looks a bit peculiar - and he doesn't think that aliens exist but in fact a few sneak back to Earth with him each day in his rocket, unnoticed. So watch out for them both in the Arena shop - and when you're next out and about.

Gordon Crabb goes 21st Century

2009-08-25T10:58:00.004+01:00

Gordon Crabb's covers for British sagas have been in every bookshop for many years now but recently he's been less involved with Victorians and the 1940's, and more in demand for vampires and urban fantasy. More illustration here. And more stock photography here.

Jim Burns cover for John Meaney

2009-08-12T17:58:00.005+01:00

Orion are publishing Absorption, the first of a new trilogy by John Meaney. Jim produced covers for John's previous books, To Hold Infinity, Context, Paradox and Resolution when he was with Tansworld and he was pleased to be asked to illustrate this new cover for Orion. More of his illustrations here.

Paul Hess illustrations for StoryWorld

2009-08-12T17:53:00.007+01:00

Paul Hess has produced ten illustrations for StoryWorld, the innovative new card game originated by John and Caitlin Matthews and published by Templar Publishing. To see the cards more clearly click on the image above. More of Paul's illustrations here.

John Harris sketches for sale

2009-08-06T13:44:00.005+01:00

In the 1980s John was commissioned to produce a set of paintings for a German beer producer called Herrenhauser. At the time, his reputation for fantastic images was just beginning to take off and the German advertising agency were quick to recognise this. They asked him to produce a set of twelve paintings of different extreme landscapes, the only request was that in each one there would be a group of one or two people who were carrying a yellow box -at the time their beer was packaged in a yellow box. This was relaxed and confident briefing at its best; John enjoyed every moment and produced twelve beautiful paintings.

The brewers bought all the originals but I now have some of the initial sketches to sell. They’re not large but they show the vitality and eagerness with which John set about this ideal commission.

A Land of Marvels cover

2009-07-29T13:36:00.004+01:00

Random House UK have reently used one of Gordon Crabb's stock images for the front cover of the book by Barry Unsworth. The designer is Fiona Greenway.

Viator cover by Jim Burns

2009-07-10T16:21:00.005+01:00

Jim Burns was delighted to produce a new cover illustration for the new book by Lucius Shepherd, a writer he has long admired.

Fred Gambino covers

2009-07-10T16:18:00.002+01:00

Two proposed book cover illustrations by Fred Gambino for books by Celine Kiernan.

John Harris landscape paintings

2009-06-19T12:49:00.003+01:00

John is currently working on paintings inspired by seasonal changes and unexpected colour in the landscape of rural Devon. There will be an exhibition of this work later this year but he's also happy to work on private commissions.

Gordon Crabb illustration for The Hittite

2009-06-19T12:41:00.003+01:00

No complaints but Gordon Crabb is usually asked to illustrate his book covers with images of women. This recent cover for Tor Books, however, gave him the chance to use a good-looking young man. The book is called The Hittite and will be published in hardback later this year.

Spectrum 16

2009-05-05T14:00:00.008+01:00

We're pleased that images by Jim Burns, Gordon Crabb and John Harris have been selected for Spectrum 16. Jim's is the illustration for the cover of the book by Ricardo Pinto, The Third God, and Gordon's is one of his most recent fine art prints, Stacey Lee as Elizabeth Bathory. We're not yet sure which image of John's was chosen.

Fred Gambino and Eragon

2009-05-05T13:51:00.003+01:00

Fred has recently been working on some Eragon images and this is his interpreation of Ellesmera in winter. He's also updated his website and from the new work in the film section it's clear that his film work has influenced his illustration work.

John Harris Landscapes Exhibition

2009-04-17T12:32:00.005+01:00

John Harris is currently indulging his passion for trees by working on a series of landscape pastel drawings and oil paintings to be exhibited in his new studio in July.

He is also working on commissions which mostly involve the Devon landscape around his new home. These are the two most recent.

For more information on the exhibition contact me at alisoneldred@gmail.com.

Operahouse album cover by Fred Gambino

2009-04-04T10:35:00.002+01:00

Fred's recently produced this cover for Escape from the Sun by Operahouse, released by Marrakesh records. They wanted a 70's retro look but this is a modern twist. The band are touring the States at the moment. We wish them luck on the tour.

Gordon Crabb stock in sections

2009-03-20T14:58:00.005Z

There are now hundreds of Gordon Crabb stock photographs available so we've divided them into sections. Many of the new images are urban fantasy and those have been put into a 21st century section along with other modern girls. Sagas are divided into 19th and 20th centuries and there's a section for the timeless. We'll continue to add to this library so come back now and then to see new material.

John Harris science fiction and fantasy

2009-02-09T20:21:00.006Z

John Harris has recently produced some more pastel drawings and we've added those to his illustration portfolio as examples of a different approach. He usually works up his initial idea as a pastel drawing before approaching an oil painting. It seems that one publisher rather liked this stage and has used the pastel instead of the painting.

Varmints Awards

2009-02-09T20:05:00.002Z

The Varmints book has won another award. The Green Earth Book Award is presented by Salisbury University in Maryland - and Varmints has been chosen for the picture book category.
"The Newton Marasco Foundation, in partnership with Salisbury University in Maryland, created the Green Earth Book Award to promote books that inspire a child to grow a deeper appreciation, respect and responsibility for his or her natural environment. This is an annual award for books that best raise awareness of the beauty of our natural world and the responsibility that we have to protect it."

The book has also been longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal.

The film continues to attract awards at animation festivals and was nominated for a Bafta. Marc Craste, Sue Goffe and members of the Studio AKA team attended the celebrations at the Royal Opera House last night but the award was won by Aardman for A Matter of Loaf and Death. Congratulations to them.

John Harris originals for sale

2009-02-04T10:34:00.005Z

We are currently working on a new collection of John Harris original art which will be offered for sale on this site in the next weeks. Many are book cover art commissioned for science fiction covers but watch this space for those and more.

Fine Art Prints by Gordon Crabb

2008-11-27T18:18:00.004Z

Gordon Crabb has produced a new set of fine art prints. Many of these can be seen in London at Merchant Archive, the lifestyle and fashion gallery in Queen's Park.

Two more awards for the Varmints film

2008-11-27T18:05:00.005Z

The film version of Varmints has won the Grand Prix for Best Film as well as the Audience Award for Best Film at the Bradford Animation Festival. The film is directed by Marc Craste and is based on the book written by Helen Ward and illustrated by Marc.

The film is attracting a lot of interest at animation festivals worldwide. For more information go to www.studioaka.com where you'll also be able to see more of Marc's work.

Jim Burns' work for Gillian Wearing

2008-11-27T17:55:00.004Z

Jim Burns worked on a painting known as "Kim" for Gillian Wearing and was pleased to see that it was sold by Maureen Paley at the Frieze Art Fair. This has been an ongoing series of collaborative work with Gillian, and the earlier paintings were exhibited at the "Regen Projects" Gallery in Los Angeles during the summer.

Sue Burns, The Holburne Portrait Prize

2008-11-27T17:45:00.004Z

Sue Burns' painting of her son, Joe, has won the most votes from visitors to this exhibition. The Holburne Portrait Prize is an annual competition and it attracts some of the best portrait painters in the South West.

Danielle Steel cover, and Gordon Crabb stock

2008-10-16T19:20:00.005+01:00

The new novel by Danielle Steel, A Good Woman, has a Gordon Crabb image on the cover. Gordon has now produced a range of stock shots, many of which are suitable for women's book covers, and these can be found in a special stock section. He is happy to add other elements to tailor them to particular needs. He can cut images out, add backgrounds, soften the colour, etc. Give me a call if you'd like a CD of low res images. 020 8444 9553.

Arthur C Clarke's final book

2008-10-05T17:27:00.006+01:00

John Harris was commissioned by Chris Smith of Harper Collins to produce five paintings for publication in the special edition of Arthur C Clarke's last book, The Last Theorem, which was co-written with Frederik Pohl. This edition of the book will be limited to 500 copies and sold through the Harper Collins website.

Patricia Briggs covers by Fred Gambino

2008-10-05T17:22:00.005+01:00

Peter Cotton commissioned Fred Gambino to produce three Patricia Briggs covers for Little Brown. Here is more of Fred's illustration.

Two portraits by John Harris

2008-10-05T17:18:00.004+01:00

Just occasionally John Harris will produce a portrait or two.

Gillian Wearing exhibition in LA

2008-07-17T10:55:00.003+01:00

Here is an interesting review in Art Forum on the exhibition of Gillian's work. She collaborated with Jim Burns for this show. Also some photographs of the work in place.

Eve covers for Tor Books

2008-07-17T10:47:00.009+01:00

Gordon Crabb is working on a series of urban fantasy covers which feature a half-Chinese heroine called Evangeline Hollis.

Jim Burns' work for Gillian Wearing

2008-07-04T10:40:00.006+01:00

For the past few months Jim Burns has been involved in a large project for the Turner Prize winning British artist, Gillian Wearing. Gillian's concept "focuses on the issue of identity and representation in portraiture" and she commissioned Jim to paint seven different models whom she'd chosen, interviewed and photographed. The paintings are large airbrush versions of Gillian's photography.

Jim has enjoyed the challenge of producing paintings to Gillian's
exacting standards and we wish her well with the show. It opens at the Regen Projects Gallery in Los Angeles on 14th July 2008. The image shown is their ad in Frieze magazine.

Sue Burns at the National Portrait Gallery

2008-06-11T16:45:00.006+01:00

Tonight Sue Burns will attend the private view of the BP Portrait Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery where her painting of Jim will be on show. The black eye which Jim had at the time of the painting was the result of walking into a scaffolding pole.

Midnight Library

2008-05-24T18:33:00.008+01:00

Fred Gambino's covers for Scholastic's successful series, The Midnight Library, have come to an end. In all, Fred has produced ten covers - here are just some of them.

Yacht painting

2008-05-24T18:26:00.004+01:00

Endeavour in the Solent is John Harris's most recent yacht painting. It was commissioned by someone who'd seen one of his series of paintings on board one of the Royal Caribbean cruise liners.

Escape from Planet Earth

2008-05-24T18:17:00.003+01:00

Fred Gambino returns to Vancouver this weekend to continue with his job as Art Director for this film being produced by Rainmaker Studios. We can't show you any imagery as yet but keep checking for more news.

Moondance in Spectrum

2008-05-13T22:24:00.006+01:00

Gordon Crabb's fine art print image, Moondance, has been chosen by the judges of Spectrum 15. At the time of entering the competition the image was unpublished but Gordon has now started producing high-quality prints of the image and it's proving to be successful at Merchant Archive, the new London venue for stylists and the public to choose from an idiosyncratic range of art, vintage clothing and furniture.

Prints of John Harris Science Fiction Classics

2008-05-08T11:23:00.006+01:00

John has now spent thirty years illustrating work by some of the best science fiction writers. We'd like to celebrate that by offering a selection of reasonably-priced prints which include images which act as a reminder of that writing. Isaac Asimov, James Blish, Frederik Pohl, Orson Scott Card, Samuel R Delany, Ben Bova, Allen Steele, and many more. We'll continue to add to the collection and in the mean time feel free to remind me if you think we've left someone out.

Erotic Fantasy Art book

2008-05-08T11:12:00.004+01:00

Jim Burns' work is included in a new book to be published by Ilex Press. The book was put together by Aly Fell and Duddlebug and it represents a great collection of the artists working in this field. Three of Jim's pieces were used inside, but this striking cover image is by Henning Ludvigsen.

Some of Jim's images are available as giclee prints.

Sue Burns, BP Portrait exhibition

2008-04-08T13:37:00.004+01:00

I can't show you yet but Sue Burns large oil painting of her husband, Jim, has been accepted by the National Portrait Gallery for inclusion in the BP Portrait Exhibition 2008. It's a marvellous painting, called Sunny Jim, and measures 5 ft high.

In the mean time, here are two very different portrait by Sue which show just how versatile she is. Check here to see more, and there should be new additions coming up soon.

The Fire Paintings

2008-03-26T18:45:00.007Z

We have recently launched a range of twelve high-quality giclee prints of John Harris paintings. The idea came from his current project to produce a film treatment for his idea of "The City of Fire" but we also included some of his earlier science fiction images as these are already well-known. You can always let me know if you'd like a print of any of his other images on the site.

John Harris Hugo nomination

2008-03-26T18:25:00.005Z

This is the first time John Harris has been nominated for the Hugo and he's delighted to be included this year. He's in
good company. There's a great list of nominees.

Check out his website to see some recent work.

Tor blog and John Harris

2008-03-26T18:18:00.006Z

We're pleased that John Harris will soon be featured on Tor's new blog. Click here for the recent John Scalzi cover which John has done for them. You can find out more about the Tor blog on here too.

The above illustration, After the Coup, was commissioned for a John Scalzi story, specifically for the blog.

Neil Gaiman for World Book Day

2007-11-19T20:53:00.001Z

Fred Gambino has illustrated the cover of Neil Gaiman's book, Odd and the Frost Giants, which is the World Book Day edition to be published by Bloomsbury Children's Books. More of Fred's recent illustration here.

And two more Artists in Spectrum!

2007-11-19T20:34:00.000Z

Jim Burns's work was The Dryad of the Oaks (top) a fine oil painting which is for sale through Worlds of Wonder, and Fred Gambino had a piece in the film section. This was Zoc's Lab, a scene of great atmosphere from The Ant Bully which flashed past so quickly in the film that it was difficult to see. I'm pleased that it has another viewing in book form.

Two Artists in Spectrum 14

2007-11-19T20:04:00.001Z

All four of the artists who entered images for Spectrum this year have had work accepted. The new book is now published and it looks more spectacular than ever. As the title suggests, this is the "Best in Fantastic Art" which is a justifiable claim.

John Harris's entry was the cover for Horizons by Mary Rosenblum, published by Tor Books (top).

Gordon Crabb's was the cover for The Lord of Lies by David Zindell, also published by Tor Books (bottom).

Varmints by Helen Ward and Marc Craste

2007-11-19T19:50:00.000Z

Anyone interested in innovative film-making should buy a copy of a new book published by Templar Publishing. Varmints was written by Helen Ward especially for Marc Craste to illustrate and it's a story of a possible near future when the Earth is swamped by a mindless civilisation with huge slab-like buildings reminiscent of Metropolis. There are few words but you'll be pleased to know that our hero, along with his mini-garden, is finally able to climb up into one of the beautiful pods which sails gracefully towards a cleaner and brighter future.

You'll probably have seen Marc's animation work on the award-winning series of Lloyds TSB ads produced by Studio AKA. Marc is also know for his short film, JoJo in the Stars, and the studio is currently working on a film of Varmints which will be released in 2008.

Gordon Crabb at Merchant Archive

2007-11-17T16:51:00.000Z

Gordon Crabb is showing a range of his fine art prints at a new venue in London. Merchant Archive offers a collection of beautiful vintage clothing ranging from the Victorian era to the 1960's, as well as a fascinating range of art and artefacts. Soon to be featured in Japanese and Chinese Vogue, I would recommend a visit to the new premises at 320 Kilburn Lane, London W9 3EF.

Escape from Planet Earth

2007-11-17T16:44:00.000Z

Fred Gambino has been in Vancouver working at Rainmaker Studios since the summer. He's working on an animated film about aliens escaping from Area 51 - which is to be released in 2008. John Harris has now joined him and the rest of the large team of artists currently working on the film. With a lifelong interest in film, John is pleased to be involved with this production.

Jim Burns in Deathray Magazine

2007-11-17T16:38:00.000Z

Look out for the next edition of Deathray Magazine where you will find Guy Haley's article on Jim Burns together with three spreads crammed with examples of his illustrations for book covers both for UK and US publishers.

Jim Burns work for Sinclair Research

2007-10-05T17:03:00.000+01:00

For those Sinclair fans out there it may also be of interest to know that Jim not only designed a promotional poster for the ZX81 computer but was also involved with the design of the C5 car and it's potential successor the C6. These two A3 prints have been produced from those designs and, like the John Harris manual covers, are available for £25 each directly from me.

Sinclair Computers, Croatia

2007-09-17T17:55:00.000+01:00

I'm pleased to say that I've been contacted by some Sinclair fans in Croatia who are planning an exhibition of early computers. They've acquired 300m2 of space in Rijeka and they've assembled with great affection a collection of early ZX81, Spectrums and other early computers. The exhibition opened on 22nd September and more information can be found at www.peekandpoke.org.

These A3 prints of the illustrations for the manual covers can be bought directly from me for £25 each plus postage. Email your order to me.

John Harris and Microvisions

2007-05-28T10:01:00.000+01:00

Irene Gallo of Tor Books has asked a selection of artists to contribute original postcard-sized paintings which will be exhibited and sold by auction. John has sent in his contribution which is called is called Ruined World. Irene was delighted. Visit John's page of Illustration to see some of the work he has produced for her in the past.

John Harris, Ports of Call

2007-05-25T23:26:00.000+01:00

This is a quote from someone who recently bought one of John Harris's originals:
"What Bradbury, Asimov and Clarke do with words, you do with paint and canvas. The scale and sense of awe you invoke in this work is truly monumental and breathtaking. I hope in the future more of your work will grace my walls."

Fred Gambino

2007-05-25T23:04:00.000+01:00

Fred has just completed a job for Scottish Education which will be used on posters and websites in Scottish schools. This view of the Earth is a good example.

Go to Fred's illustration page to see more.