Fantasy artist John Howe to illustrate the 2020 Song of Ice and Fire calendar

Every year, Random House puts out a calendar based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, and every year, it finds a talented artist to illustrate the months. The calendars have produced some terrific stuff over the years, like this image from the 2019 calendar, from artist Jude Palencar:

Now, Random House has announced that the 2020 calendar will be illustrated by John Howe, an artist best known for his work as the chief conceptual designer on Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, not a bad gig if you can get it. He’s also created maps for The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and The Silmarillion, worked on the film adaptation of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and produced illustrations based on the epic poem Beowulf. All that and he worked on a limited illustrated edition of A Clash of Kings. If there’s such a thing as fantasy art royalty, John Howe is it.

For 2020, the calendar will have a theme. Random House lays it out:

"The magical creatures of A Game of Thrones and beyond come to life in a 2020 calendar inspired by George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, featuring illustrations by acclaimed artist John Howe.Fantastic beasts are not solely the purview of Newt Scamander. Such creatures also abound in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels—one of the most successful and beloved fantasy series ever written. And who better to bring these creatures to life than acclaimed artist John Howe, who has built a huge reputation for his stunning work in Middle-earth? Here are sphinxes and krakens, sea dragons and ice spiders—a thrilling panoply of creatures both real and legendary . . . and some a bit of both. With twelve stunning full-color paintings, plus a bonus fold-out poster, this annual calendar—now in its tenth year!—is a “timely” addition to a franchise that has continued to grow with each passing year."

So this calendar will be all about the magical creatures of Westeros and beyond, of which there are plenty. Although I don’t remember there being sphinxes in A Song of Ice and Fire. Someone help me; where were they mentioned?

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The 2019 Song of Ice and Fire calendar is already available. Hopefully we’ll see some stuff from the 2020 version soon.

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h/t Westeros.org