Keith Parkinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Keith Parkinson
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Keith Parkinson
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| Born |
Keith A. Parkinson
October 22, 1958 |
| Died | October 26, 2005 (aged 47) |
| Resting place | Mission San Luis Rey Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Fantasy art |
| Spouse(s) | Donna |
Keith Parkinson (born October 22, 1958 – died October 26, 2005) was a talented American artist. He was famous for his amazing fantasy art and illustrations. You might have seen his work on book covers or in popular video games. Some of these games include EverQuest, Magic: The Gathering, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes.
Keith started by designing covers for books and magazines. Later, in the 1990s, he began working on game design. He even helped create a collectible card game called Guardians. Sadly, Keith Parkinson passed away from leukemia in 2005, just after his 47th birthday.
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Early Life and Interests
Keith Parkinson was born in West Covina, California. Because of his father's job, Keith lived in many different cities across the United States. These included San Diego, CA, New York, NY, and Miami, Florida.
From a young age, Keith loved science fiction. He was especially interested in spaceships. He used his artistic skills to draw them. However, by age twelve, music became his main passion.
Music and High School
Keith played in a rock and roll band in high school. He continued playing semi-professionally even into college. His band toured on weekends and played heavy metal songs. They covered bands like Blue Öyster Cult, Rush, and Led Zeppelin.
At one of his band's shows, Keith met his future wife, Mary. Mary later became the Advertising Coordinator for Dragon Magazine.
Keith's Art Career
Keith Parkinson graduated from Kendall College of Art and Design in 1980. His first job was with a company called Advertising Posters. There, he created artwork for pinball games and early arcade games. Some of these games included Tron and Krull.
Joining TSR, Inc.
In November 1982, Keith started working at TSR, Inc.. This company was famous for creating Dungeons & Dragons. Keith was a big fan of D&D himself. He said he was "hooked" after his very first game.
At TSR, Keith worked on many exciting projects. He painted covers for books, game boxes, magazines, and calendars. Some of his well-known book covers were for Star Frontiers, Forgotten Realms, and Gamma World. He also created amazing art for the popular Dragonlance series.
Freelance Work
After five years at TSR, Keith decided to become a freelance artist. For seven years, he mostly painted covers for publishing companies in New York. He worked with big names like Bantam Books and Random House. He created covers for famous authors such as Terry Goodkind and Terry Brooks.
Game Design and Books
In 1995, Keith Parkinson released his first game design project. It was a collectible card game called Guardians. The same company, Friedlander Publishing Group (FPG), also published Keith's first art book, Knightsbridge: The Art of Keith Parkinson.
He later published two more art books: a sketchbook called Spellbound and another full-color artbook, King's Gate. He also created a set of art trading cards and a computer screensaver.
Focus on Video Games
Around 2000, Keith started spending more time on writing. He also shifted his art focus to the video game industry. He created art for THQ's Summoner. He also painted the iconic artwork for the original EverQuest game. He continued to create art for its first three expansion packs.
When he painted the box art for EverQuest, he created a character named Firiona Vie. She became so popular that she appeared on almost every EverQuest expansion cover afterward.
Working on Vanguard: Saga of Heroes
Keith was hired as the art director and co-founder of Sigil Games Online. There, he worked on the MMORPG Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. He worked on the game until his death in 2005.
Even though he became ill and couldn't finish the box art for Vanguard, he created the game's three main characters: Jeric, Eila, and Idara. His friend, Donato Giancola, finished the box art as a tribute to Keith. Donato even included a character in the painting who looked like Keith.
Awards and Tributes
In 2002, Keith Parkinson was nominated for a Chesley Award. This award is given by the ASFA. He was recognized for his excellent product illustration on Shadows of Luclin.
After his passing, an art show called "The Masters of Fantasy Art—A Tribute to Keith Parkinson" toured from February to July 2007. The goal of the tour was to show how important art is in video games. It also highlighted how classical art influenced the gaming industry.
In 2008, Keith's old art school, Kendall College of Art and Design, honored him. They held a gallery exhibit called "Out of the Dungeons." The exhibit also featured his friends and fellow artists, Larry Elmore and Jeff Easley, who worked with him at TSR.
In 2014, Scott Taylor of Black Gate magazine listed Keith Parkinson as one of the top RPG artists of the past 40 years. He praised Keith's unique style that continued to improve over time.
