Andrew Skilleter is an artist who made a considerable contribution to the artistic interpretation of the world of Doctor Who through a wide range of media, from novelisation covers to large format illustrated guides, from calendars to posters, bookmarks to exhibition touring trucks during a fifteen year period from 1979 through to 1994.
Initially trained as a designer, he considered himself an illustrator by vocation.
On Chris Achilleos's advice, to protect the copyright on his work Andrew Skilleter set up his own (short-lived) publishing company, Who Dares Publishing.
Blacklight: The Art of Andrew Skilleter was a title published by BBC Books, an imprint of Virgin Publishing, which focused on the artist's Doctor Who output in various media.
Book covers
Andrew Skilleter painted a number of original Doctor Who novelisation covers (and gift sets) for Target Books, his first being the novelisation cover for Destiny of the Daleks, as well as the New Adventures series by Virgin Publishing. Original paintings were small, measuring 235mm x 150mm. Pastel colours and small brushstrokes were used. By The Gunfighters Andrew Skilleter had moved onto a larger size painting and by 1987 was feeling sufficiently competent with the airbrush to use it in his work.
Returning to the design of covers for novels, after long absence from Target Books, came about when the commissioned artist was unable to continue with the project to supply covers for the first four titles in the New Adventures series of novels from Virgin Publishing. A further cover was provided some time later in this series for Iceberg, which featured an oriental-style TARDIS in the design. This later reappeared on the cover of Sanctuary.
He also did original covers for a number of other Doctor Who titles, including:
- The Adventures of K9 and Other Mechanical Creatures (Andrew Skilleter's first Doctor Who commission)
- The TARDIS Inside Out
- Doctor Who: The Monsters
- Doctor Who: Cybermen
- Doctor Who: The Gallifrey Chronicles
- Blacklight
Book illustrations
As well as providing covers Andrew Skilleter was also illustrator for a number of Doctor Who titles:
Exhibitions
Andrew Skilleter's artwork has been used at a number of Doctor Who Exhibitions, most significantly for the Doctor Who USA Touring Trailer, where he was responsible for the 48-foot trailer exterior.
Magazines
Andrew Skilleter provided the cover artwork for the Radio Times issue promoting the 20th Anniversary story The Five Doctors, for which he received an invitation to the Radio Times Cover Party, where he received a framed cover. The artwork was subsequently used for the video release and available as a poster after the likeness of Richard Hurndall was reworked.
Posters
Andrew Skilleter was commissioned by Doctor Who Magazine to produce two pieces that were given away with issues 85 and 87, featuring the Master in Masterpiece and The Cybermen on Gallifrey respectively.
Video covers
When the decision was taken by the BBC to drop the photographic montages used in the early video releases of Doctor Who, Andrew Skilleter was commissioned to provide the covers for new releases. He also provided artwork for the the special video release tins for The Trial of a Time Lord and the Dalek tin release and the spine design for the Key to Time releases.
Who Dares Publishing
- Who Dares Publishing was a separate publisher set up by Andrew Skilleter producing a range of quality merchandise that included poster prints, calendars (1986, 1987, 1988 and 1999) and bookmarks.
- Who Dares Publishing Ltd was reformed on 9th October 2016 along with business partner and Doctor Who specialist Matthew Doe
Other
Andrew Skilleter's poster work also featured in a range of jigsaws released for the USA market.