Rodney Matthews


Rodney Matthews is a British illustrator and conceptual designer of fantasy and science-fiction.
WWW Official SiteFB RodneyMatthewsStudios

Career

Trained at the West of England College of Art, Matthews worked in advertising for Plastic Dog Graphics before turning freelance in 1970, initially under the name Skyline Studios.
Matthews has painted over 140 subjects for record album covers, for many rock and progressive rock bands. More than 90 of his pictures have been published worldwide, selling in poster format, as well as many international editions of calendars, jigsaw puzzles, postcards, notecards, snowboards and T-shirts. His originals have been exhibited throughout the UK and Europe. He has been a regular exhibitor at the Chris Beetles Gallery, in London's West End, where he met English comedian, actor, writer and producer John Cleese, an avid collector of his work.
Matthews has illustrated numerous books, including those by English fantasy and science fiction author Michael Moorcock. Their collaboration in the 1970s resulted in a series of 12 large posters, depicting scenes from Moorcock's Eternal Champion series. These images were also used for a 1978 calendar entitled "Wizardry and Wild Romance".
In 1998, Matthews and the late Gerry Anderson completed Lavender Castle, a 26-episode stop-motion/C.G. television series for children. It was produced at Cosgrove Hall Films in Manchester and purchased by ITV for the UK. Matthews has also contributed concept designs for the 2005 film The Magic Roundabout.
He supplied conceptual designs for computer games such as the Sony/Psygnosis game Shadow Master and Haven: Call of the King, published by Midway. Matthews has produced some publicity and a logo for the green energy company Ecotricity.
He has also written lyrics and played drums on a music album influenced by his images; American guitarist Jeff Scheetz, John Payne on bass guitar, Oliver Wakeman on keyboards and Pete Coleman.

Album covers

Album covers ':'

Books

Anthologies:
Portfolios:
Illustrated books:
Paperback covers:
Stephen R. Lawhead:
A. Merritt:
Michael Moorcock:
Andre Norton:
  • 1977, Spell of the Witch World, Wyndham/Universal.
  • 1977, Three Against the Witch World, Wyndham/Universal.
  • 1977, Web of the Witch World, Wyndham/Universal.
  • 1977, Witch World, Wyndham/Universal.
  • 1978, Sorceress of the Witch World, Wyndham/Universal.
  • 1978, The Year of the Unicorn, Wyndham/Universal.
  • 1978, Trey of Swords, Wyndham/Universal.
  • 1978, Warlock of the Witch World, Wyndham/Universal.
Clark Ashton Smith:
Others:
Magazine covers:
Vortex: The Science Fiction Fantasy:Vol. 1 No. 1, January 1977: Vortex, 1976.Vol. 1 No. 2, February 1977: Space Hijak, 1976.Vol. 1 No. 3, March 1977: Out of an Amber Sky, 1976.
  • Commissioned, but unused: Metropolis Trap, 1977.
  • Commissioned, but unused: The Crab, 1977.
Imagine :No. 1, April 1983: Elric and Moonglum, 1976.No. 9, December 1983: Imagine, 1982.No. 12, March 1984: The Guardian Awakes, 1982.No. 22, January 1985: Earl Aubec of Malador, 1984.
  • Issue and date unknown: Araneida the Destroyer, 1983.
  • Sales leaflet cover: Who Disturbs the Tyrant?, 1983.
FAB – The Gerry Anderson Fan Magazine:No. 32, 1998.No. 36, 1998.
Others:
  • Software Communications Magazine, The Fury, 1988.
  • Skivor & Band, The Rainbow Room, 1993.
  • Classic Rock Trade Magazine, The Hop, 2003.

Bands and recordings

Bands:
  • The Cheetahs
  • The Rhythm Cats
  • Pentworth's People
  • Barnaby Goode
  • Originn
  • Squidd
Recordings:
  • Pentworth's People: Demo on vinyl
  • Squidd: Twice Upon a Time
  • Frog Riders: Utterly Spontaneous – Jam Session
  • Rudi Dobson & Rodney Matthews, featuring Tony Clarkin: The House on the Rock
  • Jeff Scheetz, Rodney Matthews & Friends : I Saw Three Ships
  • Rodney Matthews and Oliver Wakeman: In the Bleak Midwinter
  • Rodney Matthews and Jeff Scheetz with Oliver Wakeman: Trinity