Herb was born in Munich, Germany, but grew up in the United States. One of his earliest memories was of a series of German children’s books beautifully illustrated by Fritz Baumgarten. This, along with a childhood spent within the pages of comics, inevitably led to a career as an artist with a love of many of the classic illustrators, both traditional and contemporary, including the Pre-Raphaelites; Maxfield Parrish, Alphonse Mucha, N.C. Wyeth, Brian Froud and Roger Dean. Because of this he remains able to observe the natural world around us with a sense of wonder and sees every subsequent painting and drawing as a new learning experience.

In a career spanning over forty years as a professional illustrator and graphic designer, Herb has illustrated more than 60 books and has earned numerous awards and international acclaim. His clients have included musician Tori Amos, Pelican Publishing, Omnibus Press, Ashgate Publishing, Raven Publishing, Steiner Korea and D Magazine. Through his own company, The Prancing Pony, he has published a series of popular fantasy coloring books, storybooks and various related products.

He lives in Prosser, Washington, with his wife, son, two horses and four cats.

(Biography from Herb Leonhard Art. Visit Herb’s website for delightful fantasy art!)