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Things We Saw Today

Things We Saw Today: Every Harry Potter Chapter Illustration in One Place

by Alanna Bennett | 5:30 pm, July 28th, 2012


 

Mary GrandPré, the illustrator behind the book art for the Harry Potter series, is responsible for some of the most recognizable images in modern literature. Now, Reddit user alcfood compiled every piece of chapter art from the American* version of the books. Click here for the full image.

(via Bit Rebels)

  • The Frisky posted a great video called “50 Shades of Greyskull.” Give it a watch here. As The Frisky wrote, we’re operating under the assumption that Christian Grey is a “Skeletor-looking motherfucker, who happens to be really into butts.
  • Jason Bateman tweeted yet another thing that made us claw at our TV screens in anticipation of the upcoming new episodes of Arrested Development:
  • This is an Adventure Time apron. We want it. We’re not gonna talk about how it also kind of looks like somebody hunted Jake for sport. (via Fashionably Geek)

  • You know those actresses you see in everything but who you somehow can’t name? Hypable has a really handy list compiling some of those recognizable faces.
  • These three teenage girls have started a position to get a female moderator for one of three presidential debates between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. They are scheduled to present their petition at the Commission on Presidential Debates on Tuesday in Washington. (via Washington Post)
  • Is there a sequel to Hedwig and the Angry Inch in the works? It looks like it! Time to dust your wigs off, people. If you haven’t been using them regularly already, which, let’s face it, you probably have. (via Bleeding Cool)

*This post has been edited to reflect that Mary GrandPre was the illustrator for the American, not British, version of the Harry Potter books.

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    • Lady Rainicorn

      Wait, wait, wait – since when have the British versions of Harry Potter had illustrations? My copies sure don’t.

    • John Wao

      Everyone should keep they’re fingers crossed for Arrested Development and not because it was good show but because if they can resurrect it from the dead and it’s a success think about what other shows they might be bring back? 

      Firefly? 

      Community when it’s inevitably cancelled by NBC.

    • http://www.facebook.com/aaron.treat.75 Aaron Treat

      Ever since I was a kid first reading them, I absolutely loved the design of our U.S. Harry potter books. When a new one came out I’d spend several minutes just looking it over. I’d take the dust jacket off and spread it out to look at all the cool things hidden on it and then look at the metallic logo and the colors of the book cover underneath. I even loved the colors of the inside of the cover. And then there was GrandPre’s chapter headings.

      Now, not to offend anyone, but I’ve done some extensive study of Harry Potter editions from around the world and to my surprise EVERYONE else’s are ugly as all get out. What gives? I’m pretty sure attractive book designing isn’t an American monopoly, but even English ones have those God awful cheesy fantasy painting covers. The European ones were worse and some of them look like a six year old had scribbled out the cover picture. Anyway, all I’m saying is that I’m amazed that more care wasn’t taken with the books in other counties, but maybe people just have very different opinions of what attractive is.

      So I just have to thank GrandPre and anyone else who helped design them. I feel very lucky that we got such awesome books and if I was an English kid who got my hands on one after years of read the local edition I’d feel really gypped.

    • http://twitter.com/#!/alannabennett AlannaBennett

      Crap, that was my fault. I meant American. Edited!

    • Lady Rainicorn

      Oh, thank goodness, I thought they might have been in the new editions they published a couple of years ago. My bank account is safe for for another day!

    • Lady Rainicorn

      Eh, I think it might just be what you grew up with, because, in my opinion, the American designs are ugly as sin. Then again (except for PoA and maybe OoTP) I don’t particularly like the British designs either, so maybe I’m just picky.

    • http://wrongsirwrong.blogspot.com/ Magic Xylophone

      Don’t say “gypped.” But yes, I totally agree with you. It’s hard to remember how I envisioned the Potterverse before the films came out, but those illustrations dominated my imagination. So playful and evocative.

    • Alex T

      I love how Jake can be transformed into any clothing item and still be adorable!

    • Carmen Sandiego

      OHMAHGERD, a sequel to HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH?!!!  I frakking love that musical.  I saw it first in film form and then, some months back, got a chance to see a live performance which was phenomenal.   I love every song, particularly “Wicked Little Town” and “Midnight Radio”.

    • http://profile.yahoo.com/5ZXIEGCAFZ4F7LBI6QTTN3YJCY Ashe

      Yeah, I’d say it boils down to personal taste. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. 

      But, I will agree with you. Mary GrandPre’s work is whimsical and distinctive. Every time I saw an alternate cover, I found myself shaking my head. 

      I’d love to see animation done in her style. Like, during the end credits of a Harry Potter movie or something like that. It’d look so lovely. 

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