Jim Burns

Jim Burns (10 April 1948- ) is a British book illustrator and visual artist from Wales, a native of Cardiff, with a career spanning decades. He's illustrated publications in a number of different genres, including for many speculative fiction books.

Burns joined the Royal Air Force in 1966, but eventually left and signed up at the Newport School of Art for a year's foundation course. Subsequently, he completed a 3-year Diploma in Art and Design at Saint Martin's School of Art in London. When he left Saint Martin's in 1972 he had already joined the recently established illustration agency Young Artists (later renamed Arena). Burns cooperates with this agency to this day. The agency is well-known for grouping many other British speculative fiction illustrators of the same generation, including Chris Foss.

In 1985, Burns created the cover design and the inside black-and-white illustrations for the Frank Herbert anthology Eye, particularly for the novella The Road to Dune, set in Arrakeen just before the events of Dune Messiah.

Awards
Burns won the Hugo award for best professional artist three times and has also been awarded 12 BSFA awards. Well regarded in fandom, he was artist guest of honour at the 1987 Worldcon.