Bruce Jensen

Bruce Jensen (born 1962 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is a US illustrator who has created book covers for science fiction authors such as Kim Stanley Robinson, Neal Stephenson, Charles Sheffield, Joe Haldeman, Linda Nagata, and Philip K. Dick. His covers were described by Nagata as "deftly illustrat[ing] the mood, the feeling of the book". He also drew the unfinished Neuromancer graphic novel in 1989. He won the 1995 Jack Gaughan Award for Best Emerging Artist.

Career overview

Bruce Jensen began drawing at an early age, drawing the typical childhood birds and dinosaurs. As he grew older he discovered science fiction. A book that heavily influenced his decision to become a science fiction cover artist was Jack Gaughn's cover to The Skylark of Valeron by E. E. Smith. When Bruce was in high school he realized his dream to become an artist. He then went on to the Columbus College of Art and Design, receiving BFA in 1984; it is here that he developed his more abstract usage of color.

In the summer of 1984 Jensen received his first cover assignment, which went well enough for him to receive others immediately after this. During the next six years after his first book cover he had produced twelve book covers; he also spent some time working in television. In 1990 Jensen was earning enough money from painting science fiction book covers that he considered it to be his full time job.

When Jensen began painting book covers, his art was representational, realistically showing scenes from the books. It was only in 1990 that Bantam Books editor Betsy Mitchell persuaded Jensen to use his artistic ability and produce paintings that were based on emotion, something that Jensen had wanted to do, but refrained from because he thought they would be rejected.

External links

• http://www.brucejensen.com – Bruce Jensen's homepage
• Bruce Jensen at The Internet Movie Database
• Bruce Jensen at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Bruce Jensen entry in Pen & Paper RPG Database
• 2006 brief interview