Josh Kirby: Difference between revisions
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[[File:The Colour | [[File:Cover The Colour Of Magic.jpg|thumb|{{TCOM}}: the first Discworld cover by Josh Kirby, showing [[Twoflower]] with "four eyes" and an "old" [[Rincewind]].]] | ||
'''Ronald William Kirby''', born 27 November 1928, acquired the nickname "Josh" (after Sir Joshua Reynolds) at the Liverpool City School of Art, where he was already a talented portrait painter. After a fairly successful start in commercial portraits, especially for movie posters and publicity, he realised that he preferred book covers, particularly fantasy and science fiction. These allowed for a large input of imagination, and allowed him to work in the styles of his favourites, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder. His first cover was for the sci-fi novel ''Cee-Tee Man'' in 1954 and he remained popular for the rest of the millennium, painting hundreds of covers. He exhibited across England and in Germany. | '''Ronald William Kirby''', born 27 November 1928, acquired the nickname "Josh" (after Sir Joshua Reynolds) at the Liverpool City School of Art, where he was already a talented portrait painter. After a fairly successful start in commercial portraits, especially for movie posters and publicity, he realised that he preferred book covers, particularly fantasy and science fiction. These allowed for a large input of imagination, and allowed him to work in the styles of his favourites, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder. His first cover was for the sci-fi novel ''Cee-Tee Man'' in 1954 and he remained popular for the rest of the millennium, painting hundreds of covers. He exhibited across England and in Germany. | ||
He was, then, already well known, when Corgi Books asked him to provide the cover for {{TCOM}}. Josh made a habit of reading the book first (not a universal practice, apparently,) and showed a lot of the character of the story and cast in his busy and elaborate, but cartoon-ish, paintings. His depictions were often wildly at odds with the author's descriptions, yet the characters were immediately recognisable and the mood of the scene would come through. He created every Discworld cover for Corgi for nearly two decades thereafter, and collaborated on the large-format edition of {{E}}, which was later republished in 2010 as ''The Illustrated Eric'', although in a smaller hardback format. He also published several portfolios and books of Discworld and other paintings. | He was, then, already well known, when Corgi Books asked him to provide the cover for {{TCOM}}. Josh made a habit of reading the book first (not a universal practice, apparently,) and showed a lot of the character of the story and cast in his busy and elaborate, but cartoon-ish, paintings. His depictions were often wildly at odds with the author's descriptions, yet the characters were immediately recognisable and the mood of the scene would come through. He created every Discworld cover for Corgi for nearly two decades thereafter, and collaborated on the large-format edition of {{E}}, which was later republished in 2010 as [[Book:The Illustrated Eric|''The Illustrated Eric'']], although in a smaller hardback format. He also published several portfolios and books of Discworld and other paintings. | ||
Kirby was born in Lancashire and lived latterly near Diss, Norfolk, in a house with multiple studios and many of his original paintings, which he preferred to keep. He died in his sleep on 23 Oct 2001. | Kirby was born in Lancashire and lived latterly near Diss, Norfolk, in a house with multiple studios and many of his original paintings, which he preferred to keep. He died in his sleep on 23 Oct 2001. | ||
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:"...quick, thus the line should go. | :"...quick, thus the line should go. | ||
:"Ay, but the soul! He's Rafael! Rub it out!" | :"Ay, but the soul! He's Rafael! Rub it out!" | ||
:—''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_del_Sarto_%28poem%29 Andrea del Sarto]'' (1855) by Robert Browning | :—''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_del_Sarto_%28poem%29 Andrea del Sarto]'' (1855) by {{wp|Robert Browning|Robert Browning}} | ||
==Annotation== | |||
In 2016 the Josh Kirby Estate uncovered an unfinished 'lost' picture book created by Josh Kirby called 'Marmaduke Mousington.' After a successful Kickstarter campaign the book is set to release completed with the aid of artist [[Book:Small Gods A Discworld Graphic Novel|Ray Friesen]]. | |||
==Collections== | ==Collections== | ||
* [[Book:The Josh Kirby Poster Book|''The Josh Kirby Poster Book'']] (Corgi, 1989) | *[[Book:The Josh Kirby Poster Book|''The Josh Kirby Poster Book'']] (Corgi, 1989) | ||
* ''In the Garden of Unearthly Delights'' (Paper Tiger, 1991) | *[https://www.amazon.co.uk/GARDEN-UNEARTHLY-DELIGHTS-Paintings-Kirby/dp/1850281548/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=in+the+garden+of+unearthly+delights&qid=1565338278&s=gateway&sprefix=in+the+garden+of+un&sr=8-1 ''In the Garden of Unearthly Delights''] (Paper Tiger, 1991) | ||
* [[Book:The Josh Kirby Discworld Portfolio|''The Josh Kirby Discworld Portfolio'']] (Paper Tiger, 1993) | *[[Book:The Josh Kirby Discworld Portfolio|''The Josh Kirby Discworld Portfolio'']] (Paper Tiger, 1993) | ||
* ''A Cosmic Cornucopia'' (Paper, Tiger, 1999) | *[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cosmic-Cornucopia-David-Langford/dp/1855857316/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=a+cosmic+cornacopia&qid=1565338122&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spell ''A Cosmic Cornucopia''] (Paper, Tiger, 1999) | ||
==External Links== | |||
*[http://www.joshkirbyart.com/ Josh Kirby Official Website] | |||
*{{wp|Josh Kirby|Josh Kirby on Wikipedia}} | |||
*[http://www.ansible.co.uk/misc/joshlist.html Book Covers by Josh Kirby] – a catalogue of Josh Kirby's work at David Langford's official website | |||
*[http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/walker/exhibitions/joshkirby/ Out of this World: the Art of Josh Kirby] on the National Museums Liverpool website, from the Walker Art Gallery's 2007 Kirby retrospective | |||
*[https://www.facebook.com/officialjoshkirby/ Official Facebook Page] | |||
*[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rayfriesen/josh-kirbys-marmaduke-mousington-childrens-book Childrens book Kickstarter] | |||
[[Category:People|Kirby,Josh]] | [[Category:People|Kirby,Josh]] | ||
Latest revision as of 04:51, 12 June 2024
Ronald William Kirby, born 27 November 1928, acquired the nickname "Josh" (after Sir Joshua Reynolds) at the Liverpool City School of Art, where he was already a talented portrait painter. After a fairly successful start in commercial portraits, especially for movie posters and publicity, he realised that he preferred book covers, particularly fantasy and science fiction. These allowed for a large input of imagination, and allowed him to work in the styles of his favourites, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder. His first cover was for the sci-fi novel Cee-Tee Man in 1954 and he remained popular for the rest of the millennium, painting hundreds of covers. He exhibited across England and in Germany.
He was, then, already well known, when Corgi Books asked him to provide the cover for The Colour of Magic. Josh made a habit of reading the book first (not a universal practice, apparently,) and showed a lot of the character of the story and cast in his busy and elaborate, but cartoon-ish, paintings. His depictions were often wildly at odds with the author's descriptions, yet the characters were immediately recognisable and the mood of the scene would come through. He created every Discworld cover for Corgi for nearly two decades thereafter, and collaborated on the large-format edition of Eric, which was later republished in 2010 as The Illustrated Eric, although in a smaller hardback format. He also published several portfolios and books of Discworld and other paintings.
Kirby was born in Lancashire and lived latterly near Diss, Norfolk, in a house with multiple studios and many of his original paintings, which he preferred to keep. He died in his sleep on 23 Oct 2001.
- "...quick, thus the line should go.
- "Ay, but the soul! He's Rafael! Rub it out!"
- —Andrea del Sarto (1855) by Robert Browning
Annotation
In 2016 the Josh Kirby Estate uncovered an unfinished 'lost' picture book created by Josh Kirby called 'Marmaduke Mousington.' After a successful Kickstarter campaign the book is set to release completed with the aid of artist Ray Friesen.
Collections
- The Josh Kirby Poster Book (Corgi, 1989)
- In the Garden of Unearthly Delights (Paper Tiger, 1991)
- The Josh Kirby Discworld Portfolio (Paper Tiger, 1993)
- A Cosmic Cornucopia (Paper, Tiger, 1999)
External Links
- Josh Kirby Official Website
- Josh Kirby on Wikipedia
- Book Covers by Josh Kirby – a catalogue of Josh Kirby's work at David Langford's official website
- Out of this World: the Art of Josh Kirby on the National Museums Liverpool website, from the Walker Art Gallery's 2007 Kirby retrospective
- Official Facebook Page
- Childrens book Kickstarter