Q&A: Artist Jim Burns Discusses His Creative Approach to the Haunting Illustrations Featured in The Folio Society’s Limited Edition of Stephen King’s IT

Nearly 40 years after Stephen King introduced readers to the sewer-dwelling Pennywise and his eerie red balloon, IT is haunting the printed page like never before in The Folio Society's new limited illustrated edition featuring hauntingly beautiful artwork by Jim Burns. Limited to 500 copies showcasing "11 double-page black-and-white illustrations and 6 double-page colour illustrations" by Jim Burns, "binding and endpaper design" by David Curtis, and a new introduction by Guillermo del Toro, The Folio Society's limited edition of Stephen King's IT is now available, and we had the great pleasure of catching up with Jim Burns in a new Q&A feature to discuss his creative approach to drawing Pennywise, his personal favorite illustrations in the new edition, and the joys of working with the passionate team at The Folio Society.

Thank you for taking the time to answer questions for us, Jim, and congratulations on your excellent artwork for The Folio Society’s limited edition release of Stephen King’s IT, which includes an introduction by Guillermo del Toro as well as box, binding, and endpaper design by David Curtis. How did the opportunity come about to be a part of this special release of IT?

Jim Burns: To work with Folio on one of their fab releases is surely an illustrator’s dream. I hadn’t really anticipated an approach from Folio. I was exhibiting some of my work at the Glasgow Science Fiction Convention in late Summer 2024. A very nice fellow came up to me and expressed enthusiasm for the work and then told me that he was the Publishing Director at the Folio Society. This was Tom Walker and he asked if I might be interested in maybe working with them one day on the illustrations for one of their spectacular, collectable bibliophile editions. Well I’ve been aware, of course, of the Folio Society for a long time and have indeed thought more than once that it would be very nice to be invited to work with them. So I made appropriately enthusiastic sounds and as he went off I wondered if anything might ever come of this short exchange. Within minutes, as I recall, my agent, Alison Eldred came up to me and said, “Folio would like you to do the art for their upcoming edition of Stephen King’s IT. What do you think, Jim?”

Were you already a fan of Stephen King’s IT prior to illustrating this limited edition version of the book?

Jim Burns: I hadn’t actually read the book before this. I had read some other King novels, but I only knew this one from watching the two filmed versions, the Tim Curry and the Bill Skarsgård. I was certainly a fan of his writing.

From Georgie’s encounter with Pennywise at the sewer drain to the chilling Paul Bunyan statue scene to the showdown with It as a giant spider, there are so many iconic and haunting moments from Stephen King’s massive 1986 novel. How did you determine which moments to bring to life with your 11 double-page black-and-white illustrations and 6 double-page color illustrations that will be included in this Folio Society limited edition?

Jim Burns: The rights arrangement for this edition didn’t allow for too much by way of a nice long extended timeline in which to produce the art. It had to be commenced in early October and everything had to be completed by the beginning of February. Christmas fell inconveniently right in the middle. With the understanding that the time wasn’t generous it was suggested by the Head of Editorial at Folio, James Rose, that I take the approach of producing the bulk of the work in the style of my quite well-known large "mythical beast" drawings in pencil, which James seemed to be a fan of. This would comprise ten of the full double spread pieces, leaving the remaining six spreads to be completed as paintings. So 16 images in all plus a 17th as the title page frontispiece. Drawings I’m able to produce relatively quickly, but paintings are a lot more time-consuming. I decided that if I was going to complete the work within the tight schedule, rather than producing them one at a time, I should basically approach the project on a broad front, cracking on with everything pretty much as one large job, moving between images and bringing them all on together, in particular the six paintings. And whilst the drawings are quite large, the paintings are, by necessity, a bit smaller than my usual preferred size.

Pennywise is such a horrifying and iconic character (and he’s responsible for instilling a fear of clowns into generations of readers). How did you approach illustrating such a recognizable character while also still bringing your own unique visual style to Pennywise?

Jim Burns: Well—quite tricky really! The two versions we are visually very aware of are the Curry and Skarsgård approaches. Pennywise is pretty minutely described in his pure clown manifestation, so one has to stick to those visual details. It was important to me to not make him appear to be derived in any way from those two representations. I did a LOT of Google clown referencing to finesse some kind of different look that at the same time captures those same described details. Important too was to get that sense in the first illustration of Pennywise—as he peers up from the storm drain—of a character that is both friendly and inviting… but also creepy and dangerous. Tricky stuff. Pushing paint around gets you there in the end… I hope!

In addition to the creepiness of Pennywise and the other horrors that the Losers’ Club face, there is so much emotion pulsating through the pages of IT, making it one of the essential coming-of-age novels of our time. While you were drawing the illustrations for The Folio Society’s limited edition, was it important for you to capture the poignant emotion of these characters along with the palpable horrors that they face?

Jim Burns: I hope I did to some degree. The opportunities were a little limited perhaps to dig too deeply into that aspect of the book, the whole coming of age, small-town Americana vibe that King is so brilliant at. I think given longer on such a commission one might explore this aspect more deeply. But given the time constraints, I decided to focus more on the "horror."

From start to finish, approximately how long did it take you to complete the artwork for this limited edition?

Jim Burns: I commenced work in October 2024 and everything had to be completed by the beginning of February 2025… with Christmas falling smack in the middle. This is not a "generous" period in which to complete what was quite a lot of work! Hopefully I managed to complete it to everyone’s satisfaction… but that was quite hard graft!

Out of all the amazing artwork that you created for this special release of IT, do you have a favorite one in particular that you’re excited for readers to experience?

Jim Burns: I prefer my black-and-whites to be honest—and that again is due to time constraints. My personal favourites are probably the mummy/clown clambering over the bridge and frightening the bejeezus out of Ben, the Doberman-headed Pennywise with the nasty little representation of the evil, and psycho reprobate Henry… and maybe too the old crone at tea with Beverley.

Stephen King himself approved every detail featured in this limited edition. How does it feel to have King’s stamp of approval on this very special release, and why do you think IT—and King’s work as a whole—continues to resonate so well with readers decades later?

Jim Burns: It’s "seminal," isn't it? One of "those books" which passes somehow into near-legend. The fact is, King is just a superb writer—his ability to evoke a sense of America, a somewhat lost in time America maybe, the evocation of small towns which even I as a Brit, a Welshman more specifically, can relate to. To gain a "stamp of approval..." well I’m not going to complain, am I?

What has it been like to collaborate with the editorial team at The Folio Society? Were you given a lot of creative freedom while working on this limited edition of IT?

Jim Burns: Great people. Creative people. People who love books and who love the art that goes hand in hand to illustrate great books… in a grand old tradition. Apart from the early discussions that defined fairly precisely the division of work into painted and black-and-white work, I was given pretty much total freedom to develop my input along the lines I thought worked… and at no time did I encounter any difficulties or objections from the team at Folio. The perfect commission! Apart from the tight deadline!

In addition to Stephen King’s IT, is there another book—horror, sci-fi, or otherwise—that you would love to illustrate if given the opportunity?

Jim Burns: Oh gosh—what a difficult one to answer! There are just too many. I rather like the possibility of a drift towards the darker end of the fantastical spectrum for sure. Lovecraft, since I started listening to his books on Audible, strikes me as potentially rather engaging. I would love a crack at maybe the old H.G. Wells short stories, tales I used to read to my kids as bedtime reading when they were little. "Aepyornis Island,"The Strange Orchid" and suchlike… More contemporary… the novels of Greg Bear—Blood Music or Eon maybe—and of course the old warhorses, Clarke in particular. I mentioned Olaf Stapledon to Folio… Last and First Men and Starmaker... but those would be enormous undertakings… and of course are very dated and a bit weird to modern sensibilities. And ‘weird’—in a not very good way. Stanislaw Lem please! Solaris and The Invincible...!

Ultimately, what do you hope readers take way from this illustrated edition of IT, which will be limited to 500 copies for very lucky readers?

Jim Burns: Massive amount of pleasure and delight… and revulsion where appropriate! An appreciation of the fact that beautiful illustrated books are enjoying a revival… Obtain them, enjoy them, treasure them. Don’t just see them as investment opportunities in our somewhat cynical world of 2025!

What advice would you give to artists who are just getting started?

Jim Burns: Oh my goodness. Persist. Expect disappointment on the way… but hang on in there. Follow your own "muse" or obsession. That word "obsession..." I was always obsessed—since childhood—with painting and drawing precisely what you see me producing today. I’ve never veered from that path. And at times it will almost certainly be shaky and you’ll question the wisdom of your life choices… I certainly have! But persistence is the thing. Don’t let others dictate to you what they think you should be doing with your life. Having said that—this isn’t an easy road to follow as we are all victims of style, fashion, taste… nothing stays the same. So be open to adaptation too and the engagement and acceptance of new technologies and how to make them work for you. Don’t close off opportunities… but never, ever stop enjoying doing this stuff.

In addition to this very special release of Stephen King’s IT (now available on The Folio Society’s website), what other projects do you have coming up that you can tease for our readers?

Jim Burns: Nothing special right now. Currently working on a few private commissions for collectors which will take me through to the end of 2025. After that... I’m open to offers!

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We have additional details and a look at the cover and binding below, and to learn more about The Folio Society's limited edition of Stephen King's IT, visit:

• https://www.foliosociety.com/usa/authors/stephen-king

Press Release: (July 15, 2025) One of Stephen King's most popular and iconic novels, IT was first published in 1986. The book went on to win the British Fantasy Award in 1987, was adapted into several films, and firmly established its creepy clown antagonist as a massively influential part of the pop-culture lexicon. Now the Folio Society, independent publisher of beautifully illustrated hardback books, will publish a limited illustrated edition of Stephen King’s seminal classic IT, featuring chilling illustrations by award-winning artist Jim Burns as well as an all-new introduction by Guillermo Del Toro.

Limited to just 500 copies, the stunning edition features 11 double-page black-and-white illustrations and 6 double-page colour illustrations from Burns, as well as box, binding and endpaper design by David Curtis. The limited edition will be quarter bound in leather with printed cloth sides and printed edges and presented in a clamshell box covered in cloth with a printed lining. The box also includes instructions on how to make a paper boat, designed by Curtis, which recalls the boat which sends Georgie into the sewers in King’s seminal story. Every element of the production has been approved by Stephen King himself and will feature signatures from Del Toro, Burns and Curtis.

“IT speaks of the struggle that never ends, the eternal vigil against evil that is, by necessity, cyclical. The many shapes the cosmic dread takes keep changing: sometimes smiling, sometimes frowning at us,” said Guillermo Del Toro in his deeply personal introduction. “IT was a presage of what was to come in adult years — it struck great fear in me — irrational fear and then, slowly, a fragile kind of bravery — the tenuous understanding that when all is said and done, all we have is each other.”

“Jim Burns' illustrations reveal all the terror and mystery of IT, one of the truly great horror stories of the modern age — and Guillermo del Toro's personal introduction reveals why this is one of his must-read books, a book that has grown bigger than itself and now infuses much of our popular culture,” said Folio Society Head of Editorial James Rose. “This one-of-a-kind edition continues Folio's commitment to publishing Stephen King’s work — and some readers might be surprised to see how much was (inevitably) missed in the adaptations. Always horrifying, always creeping closer, IT is where Pennywise began, and it remains essential for any serious fan of the genre.”

The Folio Society edition of IT will be available for £590 / US $825 from 4pm UK time (11am EST, 8am PT) on July 15, 2025 exclusively from https://www.foliosociety.com/usa/authors/stephen-king. For more information, follow the Folio Society on social media:

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ABOUT STEPHEN KING

Stephen King was born in Portland, Maine, in 1947. He graduated with a BA in English from the University of Maine at Orono in 1970, and taught high-school English in Hampden, Maine, before becoming a full-time writer in 1974, following the publication of his first book, Carrie. He is the author of more than 50 novels, all of them worldwide best-sellers, including Salem's Lot (1975), Pet Sematary (1983, Folio 2023) and Misery (1987, Folio 2021). He has also written six works of non-fiction and nearly 200 short stories. Many of his books and novellas have been turned into celebrated films, and have earned him Bram Stoker Awards, World Fantasy Awards and British Fantasy Society Awards. In 2003 the National Book Foundation awarded King the Medal for Distinguished Contributions to American Letters, and in 2015 he received a National Medal of Arts from the United States National Endowment for the Arts for his contribution to literature.

ABOUT JIM BURNS

Since leaving St Martin's School of Art in London in 1972, illustrator Jim Burns has been working as a freelance illustrator — mostly in the science fiction and fantasy genres. His published work has gained him a number of awards, including three Hugos, 14 BSFA Awards and a Chesley Lifetime Achievement award. Occasional film work includes concept designs for Blade Runner and The Chronicles of Riddick, as well as the cancelled remake of Forbidden Planet. He works in a variety of media — drawing in pencil, oils, acrylics and digital.

ABOUT THE FOLIO SOCIETY

The Folio Society, based in London, publishes beautifully produced, illustrated hardback books. From a single purchase to a lifetime of collecting, book lovers around the world can buy these exquisite editions exclusively from their website, foliosociety.com. Proudly independent for its 75-year history, in 2021 under the leadership of its CEO, Joanna Reynolds, The Folio Society became an Employee Ownership Trust. The Folio Society is committed to a progressive sharing of power and profit in publishing, and this is reflected in their new status.

The Folio Society publishes some of the best names in publishing past and present, across the globe in high specification, collector editions. Notable publications include Frank Herbert’s Dune, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Andrew Chaikin’s A Man on the Moon and Alice Walker’s The Color Purple among many other contemporary and classic titles including a publishing partnership with Marvel delivering the world-recognized, iconic brand’s luxury editions.