Video: Jim Kay Explains His Creative Process
UPDATE (October 6):
A behind-the-scenes video of the book being published has been released by Bloomsbury. Check it out below:
Also, BBC has released a new video interview with Kay, in which he talks about why he is excited to start working on the later books in the series.
The mind behind the magic of the long-awaited illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone, Jim Kay, has taken us behind the scenes into his creative studio in a recent interview.
We’re all incredibly excited to see Kay’s visual take on the story we know and love all too well. In a previous post, we discussed Kay’s challenges in creating the illustrations – he now takes us through the creative process by which he created his illustrations in a brand-new video released by Pottermore.
Kay begins with a quirky welcome and shows us some of his snippets of Potter-related art. Bringing out page after page of detailed Hogwarts sketches, Kay opens drawers to show us the immense number of drawings he’s done, including those featuring Hagrid and Harry.
Delving into the influence behind his creation, Kay expresses his fascination for wildlife and explains how he draws inspiration from the plants in his garden both structurally and color-wise.
Kay confirms that he is currently working on an illustrated version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which undoubtedly will be highly anticipated after the release of the first novel.
A 3D model of Dobby sits on his counter as he works, and Kay explains that making models helps him draw. These self-made models allow him to manipulate lighting and angles for the drawings, which minimizes challenges in perspective.
The bright smile on Kay’s face that we are left with makes it difficult not to feel a little more sentimental toward the drawings and Kay himself. It is impossible not to love the friendly and warm personality who has crafted our favorite timeless story into images.
The illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone is available today, October 6, and Bloomsbury is currently selling it for £27 online. Will you be grabbing a copy anytime soon? Let us know in the comments!