20 Unforgettable “Animorphs” Book Cover Designs From The 90s By David Mattingly
If you were an avid reader in the 1990s, you would likely be familiar with the beloved “Animorphs” series. This iconic collection achieved global popularity, selling millions of copies worldwide. Even in 2025, millennials who cherished the series as children are now purchasing copies for their own offspring.
The “Animorphs” books are a captivating sci-fi fantasy series aimed at young readers. Authored by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant under the pen name K.A. Applegate, the series was published by Scholastic. Its rise to fame in the late ‘90s can be attributed, in part, to the unforgettable cover art by David Mattingly. His unique portrayal of teens in mid-transformation into animals brilliantly combined surrealism with the distinctive aesthetic of the 2000s.
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Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with David Mattingly about his work on the “Animorphs” cover art. He shared with DeMilked that he created his first cover at the age of 22 and continues to find joy in his craft at the age of 69. Reflecting on his experiences with the series, Mattingly stated, “I had 25 years of experience working traditionally in acrylic paint, but with the advent of computers, I was among the first artists, alongside my friend Barclay Shaw, to transition to digital work. All the covers for ‘Animorphs’ were created digitally, employing Elastic Reality and painting in Photoshop.”
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Mattingly expressed his lifelong passion for cover art, saying, “I was heavily influenced by comics during my childhood, but I preferred painting, making paperback covers a more suitable medium for my artistic expression. James Steranko was a significant influence on me. I recall his work in the comic book series ‘Nick Fury: Agent of Shield’ igniting my aspiration to become an artist. In particular, a two-page splash in issue 165 of ‘Strange Tales’ titled ‘Behold the Savage Sky’ struck me like a bolt of lightning with its dynamic depiction of an attack on a helicarrier.”
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He further elaborated, “I studied under talented artists such as Barron Storey and Jack Leynnwood, which helped shape my realist style. While I appreciate modern art, especially the works of Pollock, DeKooning, and Rothko, I never seriously considered pursuing abstraction. I have always been captivated by storytelling through visuals. Thus, becoming an illustrator was a natural progression for me. I would submit three or four rough sketches for each cover, and the publishers would select the one they preferred. Although I was given a fair amount of creative freedom, my work was inherently tied to the narratives of the stories.”
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David Mattingly has released a how-to guide dedicated to mastering the technique of digital matte painting! Check out this link to purchase your own copy. His other original works are available for purchase in his Etsy shop.
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