Olivia Lomenech Gill
Early Roots and Accidental Beginnings
Before Olivia Lomenech Gill’s name became associated with the wizarding world, her artistic journey was already deeply rooted in a respect for the natural world, traditional technique, and storytelling. Olivia's first steps into illustration weren’t meticulously planned. In fact, her first major commission happened almost by accident. While attending a modest book festival in Brittany, France, she was introduced to acclaimed British author Michael Morpurgo. Having seen her drawings, Morpurgo and his wife Clare asked her to illustrate Where My Wellies Take Me, published in 2012. It was this project that would eventually land her an even greater opportunity: the chance to illustrate J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
At the time, Gill didn’t realize how closely she was being watched. Someone at Bloomsbury had admired Wellies, and her sample dragons—created without knowing their purpose—were shown to J.K. Rowling. Soon after, Olivia received the call that would change her career.
Working in Secret, Creating in Solitude
Accepting the commission meant accepting silence. For an entire year, Olivia worked under strict confidentiality, unable to share what she was doing with even her closest friends. But even if she could have spoken about it, the task was so vast it left little time for distraction.
With over 100 magical beasts to bring to life and 140 pages to illustrate, the job was daunting—especially for an artist who candidly admitted, “I’m not good at making things up.” But it was this exact quality—her insistence on drawing from real life—that made her vision so unique.
Gill did not grow up immersed in the Harry Potter books, nor had she seen the films before taking the job. This lack of prior fandom, surprisingly, became a strength. She approached the work with no preconceived notions, allowing her to bring a fresh, grounded authenticity to each magical creature.
Finding Magic in the Ordinary
Instead of relying on CGI or digital wizardry, Olivia turned to the world around her. Her countryside home near the Scottish border became a haven of inspiration. “If you examine the ordinary,” she explained, “you find the extraordinary.” A toad in her garden became the model for the Basilisk’s egg. Swallows nesting on her studio roof reminded her of the vast beauty found in migration and magic alike.
Rather than traveling to exotic locales, she focused on what was nearby—observing rhinos at the zoo, drawing birds of prey at the Kielder Water Bird of Prey Centre, and even roping in her husband and son to model for various creatures.
Her approach was holistic. She created physical models, used traditional copperplate etching, drypoint, collage, and hand-coloring. Each creature was treated as a unique challenge, requiring a different visual voice. “If you only worked with one medium, the whole book could become monotonous,” she said. Her diversity in technique mirrored the wild variety of Rowling’s bestiary.
An Artist Rooted in Legacy
Olivia’s commitment to traditional techniques stems from both personal passion and family legacy. Her great-great-aunt was a skilled printmaker who worked through two world wars. Though uncelebrated due to her gender, her dedication left a lasting impression on Olivia. “I like to think that somehow this legacy inspired me and is continued through what I do,” she said.
Gill’s specialty—copperplate etching—added a Renaissance antiquarian texture to the book, connecting her illustrations to the zoological inventories of the 16th century, like those by Conrad Gessner and Ulisse Aldrovandi. This historical grounding helped anchor the fantastical beasts in a believable reality, giving the book the feel of a “modern bestiary.”
Bringing Creatures to Life
Each creature presented a new puzzle. The Occamy, displayed proudly on the book’s cover, became one of her favorites to draw. She infused it with architectural details inspired by Mughal and Rajasthani buildings she had sketched years ago while living near Amber Fort in India.
Other creatures pushed her further. The Manticore—a fusion of human, lion, and scorpion—was illustrated in the style of Victorian cut-out toy soldiers, complete with stylized body parts of its victims. The Chimera, a terrifying hybrid of lion, goat, and dragon, gained additional emotional weight when Olivia embedded her old sketches of the ruins of Palmyra, Syria, as its backdrop—a subtle tribute to a place she loved, now ravaged by war.
When illustrating Bowtruckles—creatures described as “very hard to see”—she initially suggested not drawing them at all, letting readers search for them. That idea was rejected, but it highlighted her dedication to remaining true to the text.
Respect for the Source
Even as she leaned on reality, Olivia respected Rowling’s universe. She worked closely with editors and received feedback on everything from limb placement to anatomical accuracy. A notable example came with the Hippogriff. Initially drawn with horse legs, it was only after re-reading the books that she realized the creature needed eagle talons. She corrected the illustration accordingly, even reworking its position on the page.
Such attention to detail, combined with creative reinterpretation, defined her work. The water beings—often depicted in fiction as seductive—were reimagined wearing sailor’s clothing salvaged from shipwrecks. The Yeti was shown as distant and elusive, framed by the Himalayas and oblivious human travelers.
From Page to Motion
In a delightful twist, Gill’s static illustrations were brought to life in the Kindle in Motion edition of Fantastic Beasts, animating her artwork in subtle ways. Dragons flapped their wings, fire crabs sparked flames, and creatures blinked into being. “It’s a kind of technical hitch of working as an artist,” she joked, “that the images are always static.” The experience of seeing her work animated was thrilling—and unexpected.
A Very Human Project
Despite its magical subject, the making of Fantastic Beasts was deeply human. Olivia’s family became part of the process. Her husband took on domestic duties and modeled for various creatures. Her son, her chickens, and even the garden toad found their way into the artwork. The project took eighteen months and countless hours, with Olivia working up to 18 hours a day in the final stages.
“I went through the mill,” she admitted. “But it was a huge privilege.”
Legacy of a Beastly Book
Olivia Lomenech Gill may not have set out to become part of the wizarding world, but she left an unforgettable mark. Her interpretation of Fantastic Beasts is not just a companion to the Harry Potter series—it’s a standalone tribute to the wonder of nature, the richness of mythology, and the power of observation.
By grounding the magical in the real, Olivia made readers believe that perhaps, just perhaps, the most incredible creatures aren’t always locked in books—but waiting to be discovered in the world just outside our window.