DILLON, Leo

(1933-) and Diane (1933-)

   US illustrators, the only team (married in 1957) ever to win a HUGO for Best Professional Artist, which they did in 1971. They have been freelancing since 1958, at first working separately. Together their work has covered many fields: record album covers, advertising art, Christmas cards, children's books and movie posters among them; they are among the most respected commercial artists in the USA. Their sf work for ACE BOOKS in the late 1960s (notably for the Ace Specials) was particularly good, though perhaps their most celebrated work has been for children's books, winning them Caldecott Medals for Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears (1976) and Ashanti to Zulu (1977). They have designed especially strong covers for books by Harlan ELLISON. Their sf production has been only occasional since about 1972. Their work is often similar to wood-block prints: rough, sometimes semi-abstract shapes powerfully assembled. They are, however, extremely versatile and work in a variety of styles and media, notably an Art Nouveau-derived look reminiscent of Gustav Klimt (1862-1918), as can be seen in The Art of Leo and Diane Dillon (1981) ed Byron PREISS. Richard M. POWERS was one of the first to show that semi-abstract images of some sophistication could sell sf; the Dillons went on to prove the point incontrovertibly.

   JG/PN

   See also: FANTASY; ILLUSTRATION.