Josh Kirby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Josh Kirby
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Kirby at home
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| Born |
Ronald William Kirby
27 November 1928 Waterloo, Lancashire, England
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| Died | 23 October 2001 (aged 72) Shelfanger, Norfolk, England
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| Known for | Painting, especially book cover art |
| Spouse(s) |
Dianne Kingston
(m. 1965; div. 1982) |
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Ronald William "Josh" Kirby (born November 27, 1928 – died October 23, 2001) was a talented British artist. He was famous for creating the covers of many science fiction and fantasy books. His most well-known work includes the amazing covers for Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. Josh Kirby worked as an artist for over 60 years!
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About Josh Kirby's Early Life
Josh Kirby was born Ronald William Kirby on November 27, 1928. His parents, Charles and Ellen Kirby, ran a grocery shop. From a very young age, Josh dreamed of becoming an artist. When he was only seven, he made a sign that said "KIRBY – ARTIST." He also loved science fiction and fantasy, which he saw in movies and magazines.
During World War II, his school moved to South Wales. In 1943, when he was 14, he returned to Liverpool. He then studied at the Liverpool City School of Art until he was 20. There, he learned drawing, painting, and lithography. His detailed portraits reminded his classmates of the famous painter Sir Joshua Reynolds. This is how he got his nickname "Josh," which stayed with him.
In 1950, Josh moved to London. Later, in 1965, he married Dianne Kingston. They moved to a place called The Old Rectory in Shelfanger, Norfolk. Josh lived and worked there in his studio until he passed away. He died peacefully in his sleep at home on October 23, 2001, at the age of 72.
Josh Kirby's Art Career
Josh Kirby worked as a freelance artist for his entire career. This means he worked for himself and took on different projects. After art school, he painted a portrait for the Lord Mayor of Liverpool. But Josh decided he preferred illustration over painting portraits.
In the 1950s, Josh started illustrating film posters for movie studios. He continued this work until the 1980s. He even created character designs for famous movies like Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and The Beastmaster. He also designed a poster for The Life of Brian, but it was not used.
When there was less work for film posters in the mid-1980s, Josh started creating art for role-playing games. He made covers for games like Duelmasters and Tunnels & Trolls.
Book Covers and Discworld
However, Josh Kirby's main work was creating art for book covers. From the late 1950s to the 1980s, he illustrated over 400 covers! These included westerns, crime novels, science fiction, and non-fiction books. His first published book cover was for the science fiction novel Cee-Tee Man in 1955. He also created a cover for Ian Fleming's book Moonraker in 1956.
He worked for many different publishers and illustrated books for famous authors. Some of these authors include Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Ursula Le Guin, and H. G. Wells.
His most important work began in the 1980s when he started creating covers for the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. Josh thought it would be just one book, but he ended up illustrating 26 Discworld covers! He continued this work until he passed away in 2001. After his death, another artist, Paul Kidby, painted a small picture of Josh Kirby into the cover of the Discworld novel Night Watch as a tribute.
Josh Kirby's Artistic Style
Josh Kirby used different art materials throughout his career. He often used oils, acrylics, gouache, or watercolor. Sometimes, he even used more than one method on a single painting. He liked using oils the most because they dried slowly. This allowed him to change and add layers to his paintings until they were perfect.
When asked about artists who inspired him, Josh often mentioned three. One was Hieronymus Bosch, known for his amazing and detailed fantasy art. Another was Pieter Bruegel, who painted scenes that made people think differently about reality. Finally, he admired Frank Brangwyn, a muralist famous for his bold and colorful paintings.
Josh worked very carefully and slowly. It would take him four to eight weeks to finish one painting. This was because he would read each novel completely before he started illustrating it. Then, he would draw a rough sketch for the publisher to approve. For the Discworld books, he even talked directly with Terry Pratchett about the ideas for the covers.
Collections of Josh Kirby's Art
Many of Josh Kirby's artworks have been collected into books and portfolios:
- The Voyage of the Ayeguy (1981) – a collection of six science-fantasy pictures.
- The Josh Kirby Poster Book (1989) – featured 13 posters inspired by Discworld.
- Faust Eric (1990) – a Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett with 15 Kirby illustrations.
- In the Garden of Unearthly Delights (1991) – a large collection of 159 of his paintings.
- The Josh Kirby Discworld Portfolio (1993).
Exhibitions of Josh Kirby's Work
Josh Kirby's art has been shown in several exhibitions:
- 1986: Hammer Gallery, Berlin
- 1988: Albert Dock, Liverpool
- 1996: Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead
- 2007: A special show of his work at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
Awards Josh Kirby Received
Josh Kirby was recognized for his amazing art:
- Best SF Artist (Professional Class) at the World Science Fiction Convention (1979)
- British Fantasy Award for Professional Artist (1996)
See also
In Spanish: Josh Kirby para niños
