Bruce Jensen (born 1962 in

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

, Indiana) is a US illustrator who has created book covers for science fiction authors such as Kim Stanley Robinson,

Neal Stephenson Neal Town Stephenson (born October 31, 1959) is an American writer known for his works of speculative fiction. His novels have been categorized as science fiction, historical fiction, cyberpunk, postcyberpunk, and baroque. Stephenson's work exp ...

, Charles Sheffield, Joe Haldeman,

Linda Nagata Linda Nagata (born November 7, 1960, in San Diego, California) is a Hawaii-based American author of speculative fiction, science fiction, and fantasy novels, novellas, and short stories. Her novella ''Goddesses'' was the first online publicati ...

Kelley Eskridge Kelley Eskridge (born 21 September 1960) is an American writer of fiction, non-fiction and screenplays. Her work is generally regarded as speculative fiction and is associated with the more literary edge of the category, as well as with the cat ...

, and

Philip K. Dick Philip Kindred Dick (December 16, 1928March 2, 1982), often referred to by his initials PKD, was an American science fiction writer. He wrote 44 novels and about 121 short stories, most of which appeared in science fiction magazines during his l ...

. His covers were described by Nagata as "deftly illustrat ngthe mood, the ''

feeling Feelings are subjective self-contained phenomenal experiences. According to the ''APA Dictionary of Psychology'', a feeling is "a self-contained phenomenal experience"; and feelings are "subjective, evaluative, and independent of the sensations ...

'' of the book".How I Got to Know Bruce Jensen
by

He also drew the unfinished '' Neuromancer'' graphic novel in 1989. He won the 1995

Jack Gaughan Award The Jack Gaughan Award for Best Emerging Artist is an American award honoring the memory of illustrator Jack Gaughan. Because the latter felt it was important to encourage and recognize new blood in the field, the New England Science Fiction Associa ...

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 Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas, USA People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, i ...

's cover to '' The Skylark of Valeron'' by

E. E. Smith Edward Elmer Smith (May 2, 1890 – August 31, 1965), publishing as E. E. Smith, Ph.D. and later as E. E. "Doc" Smith, was an American food engineer (specializing in doughnut and pastry mixes) and science-fiction author, best known for the '' ...

. 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.

External links

2006 brief interview
* *
Bruce Jensen entry
in Pen & Paper RPG Database

– Bruce Jensen's bibliography (archived
Bruce Jensen's blog ''Alien Menagerie''
* *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jensen, Bruce Science fiction artists American illustrators American speculative fiction artists 1962 births Living people Columbus College of Art and Design alumni