Harry Potter gets a new look in illustrated edition

The first of seven illustrated editions of JK Rowling's Harry Potter series is set for release in October, with artwork by the award-winning British illustrator Jim Kay.

The full colour books will be released over the next few years, with Kay committed to illustrating them all.

In an interview with The Guardian, Kay described the task of trying to reimagine the central characters including Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, as "an implosion of brain-freezing terror".

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

The British illustrator, famed for his award-winning book A Monster Calls, says that the job was "extremely exciting", but adds that the role came with "huge responsibility".

"From my point of view it is, without doubt, the best commission you can be given," Kay said. "I'm a bit of a control freak, so to be given the opportunity to design the characters, the clothing the architecture and landscapes to possibly the most expansive fantasy world in children's literature, well let's just say I'm extremely excited about it. However, I am also mindful of the huge responsibility this represents, I just want to make sure I do the best job I possibly can."

The first book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is due to be published in the UK, US and Australia in October 2015. See the new illustrations below (Illustrations: Jim Kay/PR).

Harry Potter

Draco Malfoy

Hermione Granger

Rubeus Hagrid

Ron Weasley