The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

I'd first read and loved HHGTTG in my teens so going back to it to do an illustrated version for The Folio Society was a dream job. Douglas Adams' book has an important place in British culture and is an international bestseller which started out as a Radio Play, then went on to a TV series and most recently a big budget Movie. Working on a much loved story was more than a little intimidating and a real challenge helped along by Art Directors Gavin Morris and Sheri Gee and also the active involvement of the Douglas Adams Estate.

The cover is printed in holographic ink on navy blue glittered cloth with blind embossing.

The first illustration was to be a test for marketing purposes and to show how I would approach a main character. I chose Zaphod Beeblebrox, the president of the Universe. A two headed, three armed, badly dressed egomaniac.

'The robot camera homed in for a close-up on the more popular of his two heads and he waved again.'

Some of the reference used for a character study. A wonderful mixture of spandex, back combed hair, glitter, knee-high boots and neckerchiefs. Sexy and weird.

The frontis illustration is of a Vogon ship about to demolish the Earth and is a nice way to start the book. These were some of the thumbnail sketches presented with notes:

'It’s difficult to know exactly what the people on the surface of the planet were doing now because they didn’t really know what they were doing themselves.'

I've tried not to show any of the characters in too obvious a way and leave something to the imagination which is why I love behind the head views, obscured faces and unusual angles. Showing the Vogon from behind felt right for this. This is the scene where Captain Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz tortures Ford and Arthur with diabolical Vogon poetry.

‘Nnnnnnnnnnyyyyyyyuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrggggggghhhhhh!’

Here's some early Marvins. At first I was thinking of him as a slick futuristic robot, beautifully shaped as if designed by Apple Mac resembling the humanoid robots in 'irobot' or simple and sleek like the character Eve in 'Wall-E'. But no, clunky, clanky and creaking seems more suited to Marvin's personality.

"I suppose you want to see the aliens now" he said.
‘They would appear,’ said Ford doubtfully, ‘to have turned into a bowl of petunias and a very surprised looking whale.’

'Arthur was a dead weight – he seemed hypnotised by the airborne rodents swooping towards him.'

And finally: Some reference photographs of myself looking daft taken on a delayed timer. Sometimes my wife walks in and catches me like this and then walks out the room shaking her head whispering the word 'freak'...

All eight final illustrations are on my website here.