David A. Hardy

David A. Hardy (born 1936) is the longest-established living space artist, having illustrated his first book in 1954.

He started his career as an employee in the Design Office of Cadbury's, where he created packaging and advertising art for the company's confectionery. His first science fiction art was published in 1970, but he has gone on to illustrate hundreds of covers for books, and for magazines such as The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact. His work also appears regularly in magazines such as Astronomy, Sky & Telescope, Astronomy Now and Popular Astronomy, for which he also writes articles.

He is European Vice President of the International Association of Astronomical Artists, and Vice President of the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists.

He has been Artist Guest of Honour at a number of science fiction conventions, including Stucon, Albacon, Armadacon, Novacon, the 2007 Eurocon, and Illustrious, the 2011 Eastercon.