Tony DiTerlizzi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tony DiTerlizzi
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DiTerlizzi in 2015.
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| Born | September 6, 1969 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author, illustrator |
| Notable awards | Caldecott Honor |
| Spouse | Angela DiTerlizzi |
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| Website | |
| diterlizzi.com | |
Tony M. DiTerlizzi was born on September 6, 1969. He is an American artist who creates amazing fantasy worlds. Tony is also a children's book author and illustrator. He has even worked as a movie producer!
Tony is well-known for his art in games like Magic: The Gathering. He also worked on the Planescape series for the Dungeons & Dragons game. He co-created The Spiderwick Chronicles book series with Holly Black. This popular series was made into a movie in 2008 and a TV show in 2024. Tony also won a special award called the Caldecott Honor for his book The Spider and the Fly. He is also the author of the WondLa science fiction books. This trilogy became an Apple TV+ series in 2024.
Contents
Tony DiTerlizzi's Early Life
Tony DiTerlizzi was born in Los Angeles in 1969. He was the first of three children. His family name, DiTerlizzi, comes from a village in Italy called Terlizzi. He grew up in South Florida. He went to South Fork High School. Later, he studied at the Florida School of the Arts. He also attended The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. He earned a degree in graphic design in 1992.
Tony DiTerlizzi's Amazing Career
After college, Tony moved to New York with his wife, Angela. He started working as a freelance artist. One of his first big jobs was for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. He was very excited to work on the 1993 Monstrous Manual book. He wanted his art to stand out. This helped him get the job for the Planescape game setting.
For Planescape, Tony helped create a new look for the game's worlds. He wanted everything to look old and organic. This style fit his art perfectly. He looked at Japanese fantasy art for inspiration. Many people say his art was key to the Planescape world.
Tony also drew many cards for popular games. These included Magic: The Gathering, Blood Wars, and Rage. He also illustrated books by other authors. These included Giant Bones by Peter S. Beagle and Dinosaur Summer by Greg Bear.
His first book that he both wrote and illustrated was Jimmy Zangwow's Out-of-this-World Moon Pie Adventure. This came out in 2000. In 2001, he published Ted. This book won the Zena Sutherland Award in 2002.
Tony then worked on a classic poem by Mary Howitt. It was called The Spider and the Fly. His version became a New York Times Best Seller. He won the 2003 Caldecott Honor Medal for this book.
In 2002, Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black created The Spiderwick Chronicles. This series was bought by a big publisher and a movie studio. The first book came out in 2003. It was translated into 30 languages! In 2005, Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You was published. A live-action movie of The Spiderwick Chronicles came out in 2008. Tony was a co-executive producer for the film. A new TV series based on the books started in 2024.
A follow-up series, Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles, began in 2007. It continued until 2009.
In 2010, Tony started a new science fiction trilogy. The first book was The Search for WondLa. He wrote and illustrated all three books. A Hero for WondLa came out in 2012. The Battle for WondLa followed in 2014. These books were inspired by classic stories. These included Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. They were also inspired by movies like Star Wars. The WondLa trilogy became an animated series on Apple TV+ in June 2024.
In 2015, a book called Realms: The Roleplaying Art of Tony DiTerlizzi was published. It showed many of Tony's artworks and photos from his early career. Famous director Guillermo del Toro praised Tony's work. He said Tony's creatures have a special charm.
Tony also wrote and designed Star Wars: The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight. This book was published in 2014. It featured illustrations by Ralph McQuarrie.
In 2015, Tony worked with author/illustrator Mo Willems. They created the book The Story of Diva and Flea. This book was inspired by Mo Willems' time living in Paris. It also became a New York Times bestselling book.
What Inspired Tony DiTerlizzi?
Tony DiTerlizzi has many different artistic inspirations. He looks up to artists like Norman Rockwell and Dr. Seuss. He wanted his art to be unique. He studied artists like Hieronymus Bosch and Leonardo da Vinci. He also admired magazine artists from the early 1900s. These included Maxfield Parrish and Heinrich Kley.
Classic children's book illustrators also inspired him. Some of these were Arthur Rackham, Ernest Shepard, and John Tenniel. He also liked modern fantasy artists. These included Brian Froud, Moebius, William Stout, and Jim Henson. Tony's art style is often described as "demented exuberance."
He was also a big fan of role-playing game art. He loved the first Monster Manual for AD&D'. He would often copy the drawings by David A. Trampier.
Tony also loves the stories of Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm. Illustrators like Edmund Dulac and Kay Nielsen also influenced him. Authors who illustrate their own books, like Maurice Sendak and Shel Silverstein, were also inspirations.
Tony DiTerlizzi's Personal Life
Tony DiTerlizzi lives and works in Amherst, Massachusetts. He lives there with his wife, Angela DiTerlizzi. Angela is also a best-selling children's book author. They have a daughter named Sophia.
See also
In Spanish: Tony DiTerlizzi para niños
