Inside Fantastic Beasts Illustrated & Deluxe editions

 I just had my first proper look at the deluxe edition of Fantastic Beasts, with beautiful design by art director Stephanie Amster and marvellous production by Bloomsbury. My favourite part is the cardboard box, full of surprises….

A full colour printed cloth slipcase

Containing a cloth covered hardback

With a Hebridean Black dragon & the Cuillin mountains?

And a small print of the Phoenix etching inside

And the page I keep forgetting about, The Ukranian Ironbelly gatefold. My other favourite bit!

Both standard and deluxe editions of Fantastic Beasts are available at the workshop, Lomenech Gill & Fils, where we will be doing a special launch event on 9th December.

The British Library, Friday 17th

To accompany the ‘History of Magic’ exhibition currently on at the British Library, Jim and I are talking about our work on the Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts books. It should be…magic!

For more info, go here:

https://www.bl.uk/events/illustrating-harry-potter-with-jim-kay-and-olivia-lomenech-gill

Beasts on BBC Newcastle!

 Fantastic Beasts on BBC Radio Newcastle! I was hugely excited to go behind the scenes of my favourite medium (that’s radio!) and talk to Lisa Shaw about Fantastic Beasts. Thank you to Lisa and everyone at BBC Newcastle! Anyone who wants to listen can do so using the link here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05kq4rl

Fantastic Beasts at Seven Stories

I am delighted to be doing an event at Seven Stories, Newcastle, to launch the new book, for anyone who would like to come along. Friday 10th November, 6pm, more details here:

https://www.sevenstories.org.uk/whats-on/events/123441/exclusive-launch-of-fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them-illustrated-by-olivia-lomenech-gill

This will be a chaired event, with a ‘slideshow’ and signed books available. All welcome.

 

‘Fantastic Beasts’ – Publication Day!

 After many months of work in the studio, and several months in production, the wait is over. The launch and publication of the fully illustrated version of ‘Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them’ is on 7th November, 7pm at House of Illustration, London.

For more information: http://www.houseofillustration.org.uk/whats-on/current-future-events/olivia-lomenech-gill-illustrating-harry-potter-315

So, forget the movie, this is 140 pages of full colour ‘magizoology’, the book that Newt Scamander wrote on his return from his travels, with a bit of help from JK Rowling.  Originally published in 1927, it found it’s way onto the shelves of Hogwarts Library and there was found by a small boy called Harry Potter. The rest as they say, is history.

Published by Bloomsbury, with the most exquisite design and production, the book will, from 7th November, be available from all good bookshops, so anyone who would like a copy, please support them. Bookshops are FANTASTIC!

(And this also supports the author/artist royalties which is actually really important, especially in this case when two marvellous charities are the beneficiaries).

http://www.booksellers.org.uk/bookshopsearch

End of sermon.

 

British Library ‘Magic Show’

 ‘Harry Potter, The History of Magic’ exhibition at The British Library is now open. It is a fantastic collection of artefacts from the BL’s own collection such as this herbal manuscript…

 And items loaned from elsewhere, including this real witches broomstick from the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, Boscastle…

 And accompanying these fascinating artefacts are original artworks and manuscripts from the world of Harry Potter, including many of Jim Kay’s fantastic illustrations and a couple of the Fantastic Beasts!

For more information:

https://www.bl.uk/events/harry-potter-a-history-of-magic

 

Fantastic Beasts Book

 ‘Fantastic Beasts’ by JK Rowling. This is the cover…

A lovely design job by Bloomsbury. Publication date 7th November.