The Chronicles of Narnia

The Art of Andrew Skilleter

Angel Dominguez

Andrew Skilleter

The Wonder of Illustration

including

The Chronicles of Narnia

by CS Lewis

This year, and for the first time, Books Illustrated is exhibiting at the Salisbury Museum from 4 April to 4 July. ‘The Wonder of Illustration’ features original artwork by Andrew Skilleter to CS Lewis's fantastic tales of Narnia.

Andrew Skilleter is a contemporary illustrator who has worked for over 30 years as a professional image maker and one of the most versatile illustrators in the UK. He has produced hundreds of covers for adult, teenage and children's books across numerous genres, including an unprecedented forty covers for the Ruth Rendell novels. His work has also encompassed the illustration of many books, magazines, CDs and Audio, TV and Video and a long creative partnership with the BBC including for the Radio Collection covers for The Chronicles of Narnia, Brother Cadfael, Tolkein, Journey Into Space and others.

In the late 1980s, the BBC began to adapt for radio The Chronicles of Narnia. Brian Sibley, writer, dramatist and broadcaster was responsible for the acclaimed dramatisation of this classic for BBC Radio 4. Brian had earlier dramatised the epic Radio 4 Lord of the Rings, a brilliant realisation for radio of another great classic

At the end of 1989 Andrew Skilleter was commissioned to illustrate the first two covers of the Chronicles and continued until the final cover, The Last Battle, in 1996.

The first two covers required an allegorical approach best suited for a Radio Four adult audience. Andrew devised the Narnia scroll and lettering which would feature on each and every cover and it was intended that this should alternate left and right as the sequence progressed.

A shift in art direction led to a change in the brief for the third cover, The Horse and His Boy. A more narrative approach that would appeal to children was required. The Narnia scroll would remain but situated on the right hand side of each cover.

In 1994 a makeover was introduced to give the covers a unified identity and as a consequence Andrew was commissioned to produce The Chronicles of Narnia title scroll and lettering plus individual spine motifs for all of the seven covers. When the cassettes spines were placed together it would spell Narnia, the final spine icon featuring Aslan’s head. All the cover inlays were redesigned using Andrew’s art, designs and textures.

With the Chronicle cover sequence completed, he was soon commissioned to devise the concept and provide the art for The Chronicles of Narnia Complete Treasury box set in 1997. It would take the form of a wardrobe complete with opening doors holding all seven cassette cases. All the imagery included within the decorative borders are derived from the Narnia stories; devotees can spend hours identifying the visual references. Ten pieces of artwork were completed for the box including the architrave and the door interiors featured a number of coats, scarves and belts.