alanlee1.jpg Happy belated birthday to Alan Lee! Alan Lee (born August 20, 1947) is an English book illustrator and movie conceptual designer. He has illustrated several fantasy books, notably several works of J.R.R. Tolkien, such as the centenary edition of The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Children of Húrin. Other books he has illustrated include Faeries (with Brian Froud), Lavondyss by Robert Holdstock (as well as the cover of an early print of this book), The Mabinogion, Castles and Tolkien’s Ring (both by David Day), ‘The Mirrorstone by Michael Palin, The Moon’s Revenge by Joan Aiken and Merlin Dreams by Peter Dickinson. He has also illustrated Rosemary Sutcliff’s adaptations of Iliad and Odyssey (Black Ships Before Troy and The Wanderings of Odysseus.) He has also done a cover painting for Mervyn Peake’s Titus Groan. He won the Kate Greenaway Medal for illustration in 1993 for Black Ships Before Troy and the Best Artist Award at the World Fantasy Awards of 1998.