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Jim Kay

This article is not part of the Harry Potter universe.
This article covers a subject that is part of the real world, and thus should not be taken as a part of the Harry Potter universe.

Jim Kay is an English artist from Northamptonshire, England, who won the Kate Greenway Medal in 2012 for his illustrations for the book A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. He was selected personally by J. K. Rowling to present illustrations of every title in the Harry Potter series in technicolour. On 6 October 2022, he announced he had pulled out of illustrating the series to focus on his mental health. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Illustrated Edition is his final work, and Bloomsbury worked with other illustrators to create the last two books.[1][2] On 11 March 2025, Levi Pinfold was announced as the illustrator for the final two titles, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.[3]

Biography

Work

The first title, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, was released on 6 October 2015, featuring over 100 full-colour illustrations. It's the only illustrated edition that has a Kindle edition.[4] Kay's illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was published in 4 October 2016, featuring 115 new colour images.[5] Kay's illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was published in October 2017.[6] Kay's illustrated Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was published on 8 October, 2019.[7]

In May 2020, Jim Kay released a couple of sketches of illustrations for the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It was estimated at the time that the title would be released no earlier than Fall 2021.[8] Kay later stated that he didn't think it would be out until 2022,[9] which was later verified by Harry Potter (website).[10] He later brought in guest collaborator Neil Packer to help complete the illustrations.[11] In October 2021, Harry Potter: A Magical Year, The Illustrations of Jim Kay was put out. It has illustrations found in the first four illustrated editions, and new, unseen sketches and pieces by Kay in diary form, each day celebrating an event or anniversary in the Harry Potter books.[10] In October 2022, Kay's final illustrated edition was published.

Interviews

Selective gallery

Behind the scenes

  • On Pottermore, Jim Kay said "I think the most fun I've had though is working on Diagon Alley, because that's your chance to let rip and do things that aren't mentioned in the book".[6]

External links

The Harry Potter Wiki has 207 images related to Jim Kay.

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Instagram
  2. ↑ A celebration of Jim Kay’s work on the Harry Potter Illustrated Editions series
  3. ↑ Bloomsbury announce Levi Pinfold as the new illustrator of the Harry Potter Illustrated Editions series. Wizarding World Digital (March 11, 2025). Retrieved on 11 March 2025.
  4. ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone illustrated edition on Amazon
  5. ↑ Pottermore - Exclusive first look inside ‘Chamber of Secrets' Illustrated Edition from Jim Kay
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Pottermore - Exclusive: Artist Jim Kay on the joy of illustrating Diagon Alley
  7. ↑ Amazon - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: The Illustrated Edition
  8. ↑ Sims, Andrew (8 May, 2020). ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ Illustrated Edition release date, previews. Hypable. Retrieved on 31 July 2025.
  9. ↑ Creepy Scrawlers Ltd. by Jim Kay - The Order of the Phoenix
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Wizarding World - Bloomsbury and Scholastic announce the release of Harry Potter: A Magical Year, The Illustrations of Jim Kay
  11. ↑ Harry Potter (website): An exclusive first look at images from the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix