Richard Lewington
B. 1951
Richard Lewington is considered to be the world's finest illustrator of books about butterflies and moths. Both his father and grandfather were very keen on butterflies and as a boy Richard used to pore over their collections. When he first started to sketch creatures as a boy, Richard tended to draw birds but after graduating from art college in the early 1970s, his first freelance commission was to illustrate the insects in the Reader's Digest Book of the Countryside and from then on he has specialised in butterflies and moths.Richard's skill as observer and miniaturist is complemented by his knowledge of his subject matter, gathered over more than three decades, and his total fascination with the creatures he paints. Using a combination of live specimens, photographic resources and specimens from the Oxford University Museum and private collectors, he captures more accurately in his gouache paintings the detail and colour of each specimen than any photograph.
Amongst the many books illustrated: and in some cases written or co-authored - by Richard are :
The Butterflies of the West Indies and South Florida 1994
Collins Field Guide : Butterflies of Britain and Europe 1997
Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland 1997
Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland 2003
Pocket Guide to the Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland 2003