Andrew Skilleter

See also Andrew Skilleter Gallery

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 that focussed 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 with small brush strokes were used.

By The Gunfighters Andrew Skilleter had moved onto a larger size painting and by 1987 was feeling competant to use the airbrush 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 which later reappeared again 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

Book Illustrations

As well as providing covers Andrew Skilleter was also illustrator for a number of Doctor Who titles;
The TARDIS Inside Out
Doctor Who: The Monsters
Doctor Who: Cybermen
Doctor Who: The Gallifrey Chronicles
Blacklight

Exhibitions

Andrew Skilleters artwork has been used at a number of Doctor Who Exhibitions, most significantly for the Doctor Who USA Touring Trailer, where he was responcible 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 to 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 to drop the photographic montages used in the early video releases of Doctor Who by the BBC Andrew Skilleter was commisioned to provide the covers for new releases.
Andrew Skilleter also provided artwork for the the special video release tins for 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 seperate publisher set up by Andrew Skilleter producing a range of quality merchandise that included, poster prints, calendars (1986, 1987, 1988 and 1999) and bookmarks.

Other

Andrew Skilleters poster work also featured in a range of jigsaws released for the USA market.