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} }) </script> </div> </form> </fieldset> <article class="entryArticle content STeditorial"> <header class="entryHeader icon-art"> <h1 class="entryTitle">Hardy, David A </h1> </header><p class='tagLine'>Entry updated 9 December 2024. Tagged: Artist.</p><div class="browsingBtns"> <span> <input class="button PNI previous" type="button" onclick="window.location.href='/next.php?id=p&entry=hardy_david_a'" value="Prev" /> </span> <span> <input class="button PNI next" type="button" onclick="window.location.href='/next.php?&entry=hardy_david_a'" value="Next" /> </span> <span> <input class="button PNI incoming" type="button" onclick="window.location.href='/incoming.php?entry=hardy_david_a'" value="About This Entry" title="What links to the entry; contributor initials explained; how to cite; other information" /> </span> <span><input class="button PNI" type="button" value="Checklist" onclick="window.location.hash='chklst'" ></span> <span><input class="button PNI" type="button" value="Alpha" onclick="window.location.href='/chron.php?id=hardy_david_a&abc'" ></span> <span><input class="button PNI" type="button" value="Chron" onclick="window.location.href='/chron.php?id=hardy_david_a'" ></span> <span style="cursor: pointer;" onclick="window.open('/gallery.php?link=hardy_david_a');"> <img alt="Icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com" style="margin: 0; position: relative; top:-2px;" src="/images/icon-gal.gif"></img></span> </div><p style='float:right; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:10px; position: relative; top: 3px;'> <a href='/gallery.php?id=FinderJH-AlienEnc.jpg' target='_blank'> <img src='https://x.sf-encyclopedia.com/gal/thumbs/FinderJH-AlienEnc.jpg' alt='pic'></a></p> <p>(1936-    ) UK artist and illustrator, known at least as much for his astronomical and space-exploration paintings, done in the accurate tradition of Chesley <a href="/entry/bonestell_chesley">Bonestell</a>, as for his sf work. Hardy is essentially a self-taught artist, though he attended the Margaret Street College of Art in Birmingham <i>circa</i> 1960 on day release from his illustration work for the chocolate manufacturer Cadbury, during which employment he honed his skills in commercial art, layout and typography before leaving for a freelance career in 1965. He had produced exhibition paintings for the British Interplanetary Society as early as 1952.</p> <p>Among his best early work was the illustration of a nonfiction book by Patrick <a href="/entry/moore_patrick">Moore</a>, <i>Suns, Myths and Men</i> (<b>1954</b>); he later illustrated and cowrote with Moore <i>Challenge of the Stars</i> (graph <b>1972</b>; rev vt <i>New Challenge of the Stars</i> <b>1978</b>). A quarter of a century later they revisited this material, comparing the predictions made in the earlier books with the reality and with more recent expectations, in <i>Futures: 50 Years in Space: The Challenge of the Stars</i> (graph <b>2004</b>; rev vt <i>50 Years in Space: What We Thought Then ... What We Know Now</i> graph <b>2006</b>), which won the <a href="/entry/arthur_c_clarke_award">Arthur C Clarke Award</a> for Best Written Presentation. Solo, Hardy wrote and compiled <i>Visions of Space: Artists Journey Through the Cosmos</i> (graph <b>1989</b>), an important and copiously illustrated history of space art that notably included contributions from both sides of the (then still extant) Iron Curtain. Other book credits include <i>Galactic Tours</i> (graph <b>1981</b>) with Bob <a href="/entry/shaw_bob">Shaw</a> and <i>The Fires Within: Volcanoes on Earth and Other Planets</i> (<b>1991</b>) with John Murray, and artwork for <i>Atlas of the Solar System</i> (<b>1982</b>; rev <b>1986</b>) and <i>The Encyclopedia of Fantasy & Science Fiction Art Techniques</i> (<b>1996</b>) by John <a href="/entry/grant_john">Grant</a> and Ron <a href="/entry/tiner_ron">Tiner</a>. His solitary novel, <i>Aurora: A Child of Two Worlds</i> (<b>2003</b>; rev <b>2012</b>), concerning an expedition to <a href="/entry/mars">Mars</a>, reflects his passionate interests in space exploration, <a href="/entry/aliens">Alien</a> contact (see <a href="/entry/first_contact">First Contact</a>), and rock music.</p> <p>His sf work has appeared on numerous magazine and book covers, most notably including (beginning 1971) many covers for <i>The</i> <a href="/entry/fsf">Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction</a>, the magazine for which he developed his famous "Space Gumby", a green alien which lent humour to his vivid astronomical scenes. He was an important artist for <a href="/entry/vision_of_tomorrow">Vision of Tomorrow</a>, and has worked also for <a href="/entry/science_fiction_monthly">Science Fiction Monthly</a>, <a href="/entry/if">If</a>, <a href="/entry/galaxy">Galaxy Science Fiction</a> and, more recently, extensively for <a href="/entry/analog">Analog</a>. He has contributed articles and astronomical art for a number of popular science magazines, including <i>Sky & Telescope</i> and <i>Astronomy Now</i>.</p> <p>He has been President (1996-2000) and is currently European Vice-President (since 1988) of the International Association of Astronomical Artists, and Vice-President (since 2009) of <a href="/entry/asfa">ASFA</a>. He received the 2001 Lucien <a href="/entry/rudaux_lucien">Rudaux</a> Memorial Award for his astronomical art, and his cover art for <a href="/entry/analog">Analog</a> has four times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2007) been voted best of the year by readers of that magazine. A retrospective of his art is <i>Hardyware: The Art of David A. Hardy</i> (graph <b>2001</b>) with Chris <a href="/entry/morgan_chris">Morgan</a>. An <a href="/entry/asteroids">Asteroid</a> discovered in 1998 was named 13329 Davidhardy in his honour. [JG/PN/JGr]</p> <p><b>see also:</b> <a href="/entry/nova_awards">Nova Awards</a>.</p> <h3 id="chklst">David Andrews Hardy</h3> <p><b>born</b> Birmingham: 10 April 1936</p> <p><b>works</b> (selected)</p> <p><input type="button" value="Alphabetical" class="button PNI" onclick="window.location.href='/chron.php?id=hardy_david_a&abc'"> <input type="button" value="Chronological" class="button PNI" onclick="window.location.href='/chron.php?id=hardy_david_a'"></p> <ul class="x"> <li><em><a href="/sfeshop.php?field-keywords=Aurora+A+Child+of+Two+Worlds&field-author=Hardy+David+A" class="link-amazon" target="_blank">Aurora: A Child of Two Worlds</a></em> (Holicong, Pennsylvania: Cosmos, <b>2003</b>) [pb/David A Hardy] <ul class="x"> <li><em><a href="/sfeshop.php?field-keywords=Aurora+A+Child+of+Two+Worlds&field-author=Hardy+David+A" class="link-amazon" target="_blank">Aurora: A Child of Two Worlds</a></em> (Rockville, Maryland: Wildside Press/Borgo Press, <b>2012</b>) [rev of the above: pb/David A Hardy]</li> </ul></li> </ul> <p><b>nonfiction</b></p> <ul class="x"> <li><em><a href="/sfeshop.php?field-keywords=Challenge+of+the+Stars&field-author=Hardy+David+A" class="link-amazon" target="_blank">Challenge of the Stars</a></em> (London: Mitchell Beazley, <b>1972</b>) with Patrick <a href="/entry/moore_patrick">Moore</a> [nonfiction: hb/David A Hardy] <ul class="x"> <li><em><a href="/sfeshop.php?field-keywords=The+New+Challenge+of+the+Stars&field-author=Hardy+David+A" class="link-amazon" target="_blank">The New Challenge of the Stars</a></em> (London: Mitchell Beazley/Sidgwick and Jackson, <b>1977</b>) with Patrick <a href="/entry/moore_patrick">Moore</a> [nonfiction: rev vt of the above: hb/David A Hardy]</li> <li><em><a href="/sfeshop.php?field-keywords=Futures+50+Years+in+Space&field-author=Hardy+David+A" class="link-amazon" target="_blank">Futures: 50 Years in Space</a></em> (London: AAPPL, <b>2004</b>) with Patrick <a href="/entry/moore_patrick">Moore</a> [nonfiction: rev vt of the above: hb/David A Hardy]</li> <li><em><a href="/sfeshop.php?field-keywords=50+Years+in+Space+What+We+Thought+Then++What&field-author=Hardy+David+A" class="link-amazon" target="_blank">50 Years in Space: What We Thought Then ... What We Know Now</a></em> (Wisley, Surrey: AAPPL, <b>2006</b>) with Patrick <a href="/entry/moore_patrick">Moore</a> [nonfiction: rev vt of the above: pb/David A Hardy]</li> </ul></li> <li><em><a href="/sfeshop.php?field-keywords=Visions+of+Space+Artists+Journey+Through+the&field-author=Hardy+David+A" class="link-amazon" target="_blank">Visions of Space: Artists Journey Through the Cosmos</a></em> (London: Dragon's World, <b>1989</b>) [nonfiction: graph: hb/David A Hardy]</li> <li><em><a href="/sfeshop.php?field-keywords=The+Fires+Within+Volcanoes+on+Earth+and+Other&field-author=Hardy+David+A" class="link-amazon" target="_blank">The Fires Within: Volcanoes on Earth and Other Planets</a></em> (London: Dragon's World, <b>1991</b>) with John Murray [nonfiction: hb/David A Hardy]</li> <li><em><a href="/sfeshop.php?field-keywords=Hardyware+The+Art+of+David+A+Hardy&field-author=Hardy+David+A" class="link-amazon" target="_blank">Hardyware: The Art of David A. Hardy</a></em> (London: Paper Tiger, <b>2001</b>) with text by Chris <a href="/entry/morgan_chris">Morgan</a> [graph: hb/David A Hardy]</li> </ul> <p><b>links</b></p> <ul class="x"> <li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.astroart.org/">David A Hardy</a></li> <li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.astroart.org/index.php/about-the-artist/bibliography">Bibliography</a></li> <li><a target="_blank" href="http://iaaa.org/">International Association of Astronomical Artists</a></li> <li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?21486">Internet Speculative Fiction Database</a></li> <li><a target="_blank" href="https://sf-encyclopedia.com/gallery.php?link=hardy_david_a">Picture Gallery</a></li> </ul> <p><b>previous versions of this entry</b></p> <ul><li><a href='https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/hardy_david_a' target='_blank'>Internet Archive</a></li></ul><br /><br /></article></div> <div class="sideBarsWrapper"> <div class="sideBarsColsWrapper clearfix"> <div class="column sideBar12 clearfix"> <div class="columnForm"><aside id="blogFeed" class="widget"> <div class="content STeditorial clearfix"> <h2>Recently visited entries<span style="background:url(/images/thingSFE2.png) !important"></span></h2><ul style='width: 50%; 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