Artists whose work has featured in our books
A LIFE-LONG enthusiasm for painting and the other creative arts fuelled our decision to feature original artwork on the covers of all our books, and as Britain is blessed with more than its fair share of extremely talented painters and illustrators, we've been able to commission a broad range of styles and techniques.
Buckingham Press' founder John Pemberton started the tradition of using artwork for The Birdwatcher's Yearbook cover with the 1983 edition. This featured a pair of Pintails painted by Crispin Fisher, a respected publisher at Collins, and he continued to generate images until his untimely death in 1989, aged just 48. Thelma K Sykes generated the cover image for the 1990 edition with a print of Waxwings, but from 1991 to 2002 a standardised four-bird design by Ron Hume was used, the colour of the background changing year on year.
On buying the company, we decided to re-instate painted images, the first of which was a pair of Eiders painted by Martin Ridley. Below, in alphabetical order, is a brief resume of the artists who have contributed images for Yearbooks since 2002, for our Best Birdwatching Sites guides and for the ID Insights Pockets Cards.
RICHARD ALLEN
Cover of BBS: North-East England (Subject: Eiders and other wildfowl at Lindisfarne).
Visit: www.richardallenillustrator.com
ANDREW BECKETT
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2009 (Pair of Lapwings).
Visit: http://www.illustrationweb.com/AndrewBeckett
STEVE CALE
Covers of BBS: North Wales (Subject: Various species in Snowdonia); BBS: Norfolk (Cranes at Hickling) and Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2012 (Little Owls).
Visit: www.steve-cale-artist.co.uk
DAN COLE
Cover of BBS: Cornwall & Scilly (Subject: Choughs at Kynance Cove).
Visit: www.pinkfootgallery.co.uk
ROB COOK
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2010 (Subject: Pair of Kingfishers).
Visit: www.robcookart.com
JOHN DAVIS
Cover of BBS: Sussex (Subject: Peregrine at Beachy Head); BBS: Dorset (Various heathland species at Corfe Castle).
Visit: www.wildlifeartcompany.com/john_davis.
ROBERT GREENHALF
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2011 (Subject: Pair of Shelduck).
Visit: www.robertgreenhalf.co.uk
ALAN HARRIS
Cover of BBS: Norfolk 1st edition (Subject: Marsh Harrier at Cley).
MIKE HENRY
Cover of BBS: The Solway (Subject: Barnacle Geese at Caerlaverock).
ANDREW HUTCHINSON
Cover of BBS: Scottish Highlands (Subject: Golden Eagle in flight).
Visit: http://www.john-noott.com/artist/hutchinson~andrew/hutchinson~andrew.php
JONATHAN LATIMER
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2007 (Pair of Kestrels).
Visit: www.jonathanlatimer.com
ERNEST LEAHY
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2008 (Pair of Lapwings).
Buckingham Press' founder John Pemberton started the tradition of using artwork for The Birdwatcher's Yearbook cover with the 1983 edition. This featured a pair of Pintails painted by Crispin Fisher, a respected publisher at Collins, and he continued to generate images until his untimely death in 1989, aged just 48. Thelma K Sykes generated the cover image for the 1990 edition with a print of Waxwings, but from 1991 to 2002 a standardised four-bird design by Ron Hume was used, the colour of the background changing year on year.
On buying the company, we decided to re-instate painted images, the first of which was a pair of Eiders painted by Martin Ridley. Below, in alphabetical order, is a brief resume of the artists who have contributed images for Yearbooks since 2002, for our Best Birdwatching Sites guides and for the ID Insights Pockets Cards.
RICHARD ALLEN
Cover of BBS: North-East England (Subject: Eiders and other wildfowl at Lindisfarne).
Visit: www.richardallenillustrator.com
ANDREW BECKETT
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2009 (Pair of Lapwings).
Visit: http://www.illustrationweb.com/AndrewBeckett
STEVE CALE
Covers of BBS: North Wales (Subject: Various species in Snowdonia); BBS: Norfolk (Cranes at Hickling) and Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2012 (Little Owls).
Visit: www.steve-cale-artist.co.uk
DAN COLE
Cover of BBS: Cornwall & Scilly (Subject: Choughs at Kynance Cove).
Visit: www.pinkfootgallery.co.uk
ROB COOK
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2010 (Subject: Pair of Kingfishers).
Visit: www.robcookart.com
JOHN DAVIS
Cover of BBS: Sussex (Subject: Peregrine at Beachy Head); BBS: Dorset (Various heathland species at Corfe Castle).
Visit: www.wildlifeartcompany.com/john_davis.
ROBERT GREENHALF
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2011 (Subject: Pair of Shelduck).
Visit: www.robertgreenhalf.co.uk
ALAN HARRIS
Cover of BBS: Norfolk 1st edition (Subject: Marsh Harrier at Cley).
MIKE HENRY
Cover of BBS: The Solway (Subject: Barnacle Geese at Caerlaverock).
ANDREW HUTCHINSON
Cover of BBS: Scottish Highlands (Subject: Golden Eagle in flight).
Visit: http://www.john-noott.com/artist/hutchinson~andrew/hutchinson~andrew.php
JONATHAN LATIMER
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2007 (Pair of Kestrels).
Visit: www.jonathanlatimer.com
ERNEST LEAHY
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2008 (Pair of Lapwings).
Visit: www.wildlifewatercolours.co.uk
STEPHEN MESSAGE
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2005 (Pair of Firecrests).
Visit: www.message-wildlife-art.co.uk
DAVE NURNEY
Illustrations of 113 species for British Birds set of ID Insights Pocket Cards.
PETER PARTINGTON
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2004 (Pair of Puffins).
STEPHEN MESSAGE
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2005 (Pair of Firecrests).
Visit: www.message-wildlife-art.co.uk
DAVE NURNEY
Illustrations of 113 species for British Birds set of ID Insights Pocket Cards.
PETER PARTINGTON
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2004 (Pair of Puffins).
Visit: www.peter-partington.fsnet.co.uk
DAN POWELL
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2006 (Pair of Red-backed Shrikes); illustrations for ID Insights Pocket Cards for dragonflies and garden birds.
DAN POWELL
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2006 (Pair of Red-backed Shrikes); illustrations for ID Insights Pocket Cards for dragonflies and garden birds.
Visit: www.powellwildlifeart.com
ROSIE POWELL
Illustrations for ID Insights Pocket Cards - British butterflies and garden birds.
ROSIE POWELL
Illustrations for ID Insights Pocket Cards - British butterflies and garden birds.
Visit: www.powellwildlifeart.com
MARTIN RIDLEY
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2002 (Pair of Eiders).
MARTIN RIDLEY
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2002 (Pair of Eiders).
Vosot: www.martinridley.com
CHRIS ROSE
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2003 (Pair of Slavonian Grebes).
CHRIS ROSE
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2003 (Pair of Slavonian Grebes).
visit: www.chrisrose-artist.co.uk
JOHN THRELFALL
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2013 (Pair of Ringed Plovers).
Visit: www.johnthrelfall.co.uk
JOHN THRELFALL
Cover of Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2013 (Pair of Ringed Plovers).
Visit: www.johnthrelfall.co.uk