John Watkiss
{{Short description|British artist (1961–2017)}}
{{for|the footballer|Johnny Watkiss}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = John Watkiss
| image = John-Watkiss rkw4387.gif
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1961|7|28|df=y}}
| birth_place = Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|1|20|1961|7||df=y}}
| death_place = Brighton, Sussex, England
| nationality = British
| other_names =
| occupation = Artist
| years_active = 1983–2017
| known_for = Tarzan
| notable_works =
}}
John Watkiss (28 July 1961 – 20 January 2017) was a British artist, known for his painting and his work in comics and film production. His career led him from artist for graphic novels to storyboard artist and character designer. He is arguably best known for his visual development work on Tarzan.
Biography
Watkiss was born in England in 1961. After growing up in the Midlands, he graduated from The Faculty of Arts and Architecture, Brighton University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.{{cite web |url=http://www.enterartacad.com/watkiss.htm |title=JOHN WATKISS |publisher=Entertainment Art Academy |access-date=2008-05-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506105748/http://www.enterartacad.com/watkiss.htm |archive-date=2008-05-06 }} on 2008-05-02 He began his career in London as a portrait painter and illustrator, then also taught anatomy and fine art at the Royal College of Art. He worked for the Museum of the Moving Image in London, Steven Spielberg's Amblimation, Derek Jarman, Saatchi & Saatchi, Ridley Scott Associates, Francis Ford Coppola, DreamWorks, 20th Century Fox, and Disney (where he worked on the 1999 animated movie Tarzan).{{cite web|url=http://www.richardkeithwolff.co.uk/photo_1964121.html |title=Johhn Watkiss |last=Wolff |first=Richard Keith |date=15 March 2000 |work=Richard Keith Wolff Gallery |access-date=2008-05-02 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726021417/http://www.richardkeithwolff.co.uk/photo_1964121.html |archive-date=2011-07-26 }} on 2008-05-02
One of his paintings, The Boxer, sold at Christie's in 2001, and in 2002 he was commissioned to provide a mural for the Ford Museum.
Watkiss' comics illustration work includes DC Comics' The Sandman #39 (1992) and #52 (1993),{{cite book|title=The Sandman Companion|last=Bender|first=Hy|publisher=DC Comics|year=1999|isbn=978-1563894657|pages=267–268}}{{cite web |url= http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2013/01/07/comics-you-should-own-sandman/|title= Comics You Should Own – Sandman|first= Greg|last= Burgas|date= January 7, 2013|publisher= Comic Book Resources|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140410022316/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2013/01/07/comics-you-should-own-sandman/|archive-date= April 10, 2014|url-status= live}} Sandman Mystery Theatre #5–8 (1993), Starman #18 (1996), and all 13 issues of Deadman written by Bruce Jones (2006–2007);{{cite web |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=5133 |title=WW Philly: The Mystery of Death After Life: Bruce Jones talks "Deadman" |last=Richards |first=Dave |date=June 4, 2005 |publisher=Comic Book Resources |access-date=2008-05-02 |archive-date=26 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081026235244/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article |url-status=bot: unknown }} on 2008-05-02 Ring of Roses (1992) written by Das Petrou; and various Conan comics (1993–1995) for Dark Horse; John Jakes' Mullkon Empire for Tekno Comix (1995); and Surgeon X with writer Sara Kenney (Image Comics, 2016).{{Cite web|url=http://www.comicbookdb.com/creator_chron.php?ID=329|title=John Watkiss - Comic Book DB|website=www.comicbookdb.com|access-date=2017-01-21}}
Watkiss died of cancer at the age of 55.{{Cite web|url=http://comicbook.com/dc/2017/01/21/comics-artist-john-watkiss-passes-away-at-55/|title=Comics Artist John Watkiss Passes Away at 55|website=DC|access-date=2017-01-21}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|2497513}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watkiss, John}}
Category:British comics artists
Category:Alumni of the University of Brighton
Category:British storyboard artists
Category:Artists from Stoke-on-Trent
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