History Main / UnreliableIllustrator

* On the original cover of ''[[Literature/TheIcewindDaleTrilogy The Crystal Shard]]'', it's possible that the artist wasn't briefed on what exactly a [[OurElvesAreDifferent drow "dark elf"]] exactly looked like, simply told they have "black skin". Going on that, [[Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt Drizzt Do'Urden]] is depicted more like a human of African descent rather than the unnaturally black skin of the drow. This is corrected on the subsequent two books.

* The final ''ComicBook/{{Bionicle}}'' graphic novel, ''Legends of Bara Magna'', had a couple of noticeable goof-ups:
** In the story ''Fall and Rise of the Skrall'', the two Rock Tribe Agori manning a wood-carrying cart are actually the promotional toy images of Raanu and a Zesk, lazily pasted into the scene. Neither have anything to do with the Rock Tribe, nor the story.
** More famously, the comic ''All Our Sins Remembered'' depicted the Mata Nui robot and the character Kyry using the wrong models, however the artist admitted that he didn't receive the correct ones in time, so he accidentally modeled Mata Nui after his toy (which represented a totally different body than his original) and simply made one up for Kyry. Then again, images of Mata Nui were readily available on the 'net.
** ''The Exile's Tale'' has a couple of odd panels which show the exiled Malum wielding a gatling gun, even though the caption says he didn't need anything from his former people, and he throws it away a panel later. Not necessarily an error, but it's strange that the artist would include it.

* Protagonist Vera Vixen of the ''Literarure/ShadyHollow'' series is ([[SpeciesSurname you guessed it]]) [[FunnyAnimal a fox]], and as such the first book referred to her forest home as a "den", with the implication that it was an underground residence beneath some trees not unlike ''Literature/FantasticMrFox''. The town map, however, depicts it as a cozy cottage simply among the trees, and after some vacillation in the second book, the third's text changes it to a "den-like cottage".

* Protagonist Vera Vixen of the ''Shady Hollow'' series is ([[SpeciesSurname you guessed it]]) [[FunnyAnimal a fox]], and as such the first book referred to her forest home as a "den", with the implication that it was an underground residence beneath some trees not unlike ''Literature/FantasticMrFox''. The town map, however, depicts it as a cozy cottage simply among the trees, and after some vacillation in the second book, the third's text changes it to a "den-like cottage".

* The book ''The Space Race'' apparently described one alien racer's spaceship as being colored red, but the illustrations colored it green.

** The toy version of DJ has blue stripes on his body unlike the green ones he had in the movie. Adding to this was the fact that his official artwork (which was extremely film-accurate) is actually shown on the toy's blister package. Later versions of the toy show him in his correct colors, but unfortunately, those were actually variants (Impounded DJ, lenticular eyes DJ, and metallic DJ). It wasn't until the release of a Toys "R" Us-exclusive toy set, as well as a UsefulNotes/{{Walmart}}-exclusive 4-pack in which "classic eyes" DJ was actually shown in his correct colors.

* Antonio Caparo, the original illustrator for ''Literature/TheCampHalfBloodSeries//, is by most accounts a very skilled artist, but he has trouble drawing the child-aged characters of the series. Jason Grace from ''Literature/TheHeroesOfOlympus'' [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/olympians/images/3/3d/Jason_Grace.png looks like he's about twelve]] when he's meant to be about fifteen, while Luke Castellan, who has always been described with a scar under his right eye, [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/olympians/images/e/e2/Luke_Castelllan.jpg inexplicably has it under his left]].

** ''Literature/TheColourOfMagic'' describes Marchessa of Krull as " Her skin was black. Not the dark brown of Urabewe, or the polished blue-black of monsoon-haunted Klatch, but the deep black of midnight at the bottom of a cave." Since the franchise developed in such a way that humans with [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation unusual skin tones]] don't feel very Disceworldly, Kidby draws her (and other Krullians, such as the Arch-Astronomer) as having what is normally meant by black skin.

* In Creator/ThomasMDisch's 1986 novella ''The Brave Little Toaster'' ([[AdaptationDisplacement Best known for]] [[WesternAnimation/TheBraveLittleToaster its film adaptation]]), the AM-Only Clock Radio is described as being off-white in the text but is depicted as brown on the cover.
* In the ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya'' light novels, this happens on occasion. Two examples are:
** In the first book when The SOS Brigade meets up to look for supernatural beings, Mikuru is described as wearing a blue dress. However, she is shown wearing her school uniform in the same chapter during the search.
** In the final chapter of the first book, [[spoiler: when Kyon kisses Haruhi, his hands are described as being on her shoulders the whole time. They are shown as being somewhere around her waist.]]
* In ''[[Literature/{{Shannara}} The Elfstones of Shannara]]'', the [[BigBad Dagda Mor]] is a demon that's described in the book as being a vaguely ape-like creature, but in the interior illustration depicting the final battle, he's shown as a typical Black Cloak-and-horns-and-pitchfork devil.
* In the reissues of the ''Literature/RamonaQuimby'' books, which feature new illustrations, characters are shown not doing exactly what the text says, or dressed differently from the text.
** For example, Ramona is said to angrily stomp her bare foot on the floor, but she's shown wearing socks. Another time, she's said to cry and have her tears land on her skirt, but she's shown wearing shorts (perhaps done to accommodate the "modernization" of the books and the changing times).
** In an example of added detail unrelated to the text, when Ramona is scooping out pumpkin seeds, Beezus is seen looking grossed out. The text makes no mention of Beezus's reaction either way.
** Also, Ramona's outfit changes from picture to picture in the span of only 10 minutes' worth of story time in ''Ramona the Pest'' at one point.
** Roller skates are mentioned, but roller '''blades''' are actually shown (though that's likely modernization).
** In Tracy Dockray's illustration for the scene in ''Ramona Quimby, Age 8'' where Ramona cracks a raw egg on her head (thinking it was hard-boiled), Ramona is smiling goofily, as if she thinks the whole thing is funny, when she's mortified in the actual text. Although the picture might be capturing the exact moment that the egg breaks, before Ramona realizes what just happened.
** Finally, in one of the funnier blatant discrepancies, Ramona is said to "not bother putting on her slippers" late at night, and is shown in the illustration wearing... slippers!
* The newer cover illustration of ''[[Literature/TheGreatBrain Me And My Little Brain]]'' is of Frankie smashing J.D.'s toys with a hammer. Not only does this not happen in the book, one of the toys is an airplane. The story takes place in 1897.
* The illustrator of the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' books draws Snape with a goatee. While he's never explicitly stated not to have facial hair, you'd think it would warrant a mention if it was present. They also tend to depict him as ''bald'', despite constant references to his black greasy hair.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': Harry Dresden is always shown on the covers of his books with his three trademark items: his leather duster, his rune carved staff, and his fedora. Problem is, Harry doesn't wear a hat. WordOfGod says that this has become something of an in-joke between the author and illustrator, with the hat on the cover becoming more prominent and detailed with each book, while inside the pages of said book Harry finds new and interesting ways to stress that he hates hats and would never wear one.
** He's also almost always depicted with long hair, even though he's only stated to grow his hair out at one point in the books (in depression) and he's told it looks horrible and not exactly like a rock star.
* That's often present in the works of the Italian writer Chiara Rapaccini, who is also the illustrator of her own books. For example, in one of her books a character is described wearing a green apron and bunny-shaped slippers. The illustration shows that character without any apron and with black boots. Another character is said wearing a shirt with a snake drawn on it... cue the illustration showing instead a skull with crossbones.

* A tie-in storybook, ''[[Literature/TheLionKingSixNewAdventures A Tale of Two Brothers]]'', based on Disney's ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' focusing on Mufasa's childhood described his father Ahadi as having brown fur, a black mane, and green eyes (just like Scar, the series' would-be BigBad), but the illustrations show him with gold fur, a brown mane, and brown eyes, like Mufasa.
* ''Literature/WhiteFang'': In the illustrated version of the book, when the bulldog is giving White Fang a Curb Stomp Battle, the accompanying illustrations show the bulldog burying his jaws in White Fang's neck, then standing a foot away, then standing a few yards away, then back to gnawing on the protagonist's throat. All the while the accompanying text has White Fang constantly in the bulldog's jaws with Scott and Matt barely struggling to get the dog's mouth open. Also, while a lot of blood and gore is described in-text, none of it is shown.
* In ''Le Crime du Pauvre Cornichon'' by Joseph Périgot, a little girl called Morgane is described as running away barefoot and cutting herself on rocks, leaving some blood behind. The illustrations show her wearing socks.

* Special cartographic edition: Christopher Tolkien's beautiful but hastily created maps of the Shire and of Middle Earth, made for the first publication of ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', contradicted the original text in certain details. Because of the potency of illustrations in the imagination, J.R.R. Tolkien made a conscious decision in such cases to allow the ''maps'' to be canon wherever possible, and toward this end made a number of small changes to the text to bring it closer to the maps as part of his revisions for the trilogy's second edition.
* The covers for the first Russian translation of ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' shows black-haired Jon Snow with blond hair. The same cover artist A. Dubovik is also responsible for the blond [[Literature/VorkosiganSaga Cordelia Naismith]].
* The covers of ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'':
** They usually pictured Tobias with brown hair, even though he was described as blond for the longest time and was only corrected within the last five or so books. His appearance in the short-lived live-action TV series was obviously based on these covers, too, rather than his descriptions in the text.
** Each cover showed a smooth morph transition, the character going into their morph one-fifth at a time. However, the books always have rough, piece by piece transformations; there faces may be the first part to morph, or their change in size, or their limbs, etc.
* The book ''The Space Race'' apparantly described one alien racer's spaceship as being colored red, but the illustrations colored it green.

* The largely-forgotten ''Runesword'' series had cover art painted by Larry Elmore, quite popular with the fantasy crowd. While depicting the main characters, he did the elf Endril as your standard long-blond-hair smooth-faced pretty-boy. Problem: the book text mentioned on more than one occasion that Endril had a ''beard''. Him dyeing it was even a plot point once. Of course, it was a cheap series written quickly by an assortment of different authors who couldn't agree on basic characterisation between books, so...

* ''Literature/HonorHarrington'': Honor Harrington did not appear on the cover of one of her novels with correct rank insignia until ''In Enemy Hands'', the seventh book of the series. Various covers also have problems with the depictions of the ships, Nimitz, and Honor's appearance.

* The first UK edition cover for ''Literature/TheCatcherInTheRye'' (as seen on the book's page) depicts Phoebe as a dirty blonde. She's described in the text as a redhead.
* ''Literature/LandOfOz'':
** John R. Neill depicts Dorothy as a fashion savvy child with multiple dresses. Dorothy was only supposed to have two dresses according to ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'' – her [[IconicOutfit iconic]] blue and white gingham dress and another one that the original illustrations portrayed as red – though it's possible that she gained a larger wardrobe as the books went on.
** John R. Neil codified Ozma as a teenager with long, brown curls, which has been her design in almost every media since (including [[Film/ThePatchworkGirlOfOz a film that Baum himself was involved with]]). However Ozma is described with ''reddish blonde'' hair in her introduction in ''Literature/TheMarvelousLandOfOz''. Neil drew Ozma with blonde hair but changed her to a brunette in the next book ''Literature/OzmaOfOz''. According to ''The Tin Woodsman of Oz'', Ozma looks fourteen-to-fifteen and Baum himself has stated she should look no older than sixteen. John R. Neil drew most of Ozma's iconic official art but he was [[http://hungrytigerpress.blogspot.com/2010/12/ozma-iconic-and-odd.html?m=1 very inconsistent on her age]], which fluctuates between being Dorothy's age to resembling a 20-something year old. Oftentimes within the same book she changes from a teenager to a little girl.
* All four books of the ''Literature/HyperionCantos'' depict the monster known as the Shrike on their covers. Only the fourth book depicts it with the correct number of arms.
* ''Literature/TheColdMoons'':
** It's stated that Tendril is deformed due to an encounter with dogs. She's missing larges patches of fur, has a very twisted hindleg, and all that's left of one of her eyes is a "scarred hollow". The illustrations depict a normal badger with a few patches of fur missing.
** While on the journey, Beaufort comes across a murdered fox. The description describes that she's had patches of fur torn out, has multiple bite wounds, has a gaping wound in her throat, and is soaked in blood. The illustration shows a cleanly dead fox that looks as if she could be sleeping.
* ''Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland'': Kriss Sison's {{animesque}} version of the books has a few examples. For example, the text says that Alice is 7 1/2 but the illustrations make her look [[ArtisticAge 10 at youngest]]. In one illustration, Tweedledee has his entire upper torso shoved into an umbrella with his legs hanging out, but the text states his lower torso was shoved into an umbrella and his head was the only part hanging out.
* The cover art for ''Literature/{{Stray}}'' depicts Pufftail with brown/gold eyes, despite the fact he mentions having green eyes.
* On the original cover of ''[[Literature/TheIcewindDaleTrilogy The Crystal Shard]]'', it's possible that the artist wasn't briefed on what exactly a [[OurElvesAreDifferent drow "dark elf"]] exactly looked like, simply told they have "black skin". Going on that, [[Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt Drizzt Do'Urden]] is depicted more like a human of African descent rather than the unnaturally black skin of the drow. This is corrected on the subsequent two books.
* ''Literature/{{NERDS}}'': Jackson's braces are consistently described as [[BracesOfOrthodonticOverkill one of the most horrible sets of braces in existence]], headgear and all, yet are relatively normal-looking and lack any sort of headgear on both the cover and on-page illustrations. This is noticeable because it's a plot point in the first book that Jackson's headgear prevents him from wearing a football helmet and rejoining the team. Of course, eventually the books themselves also stop mentioning Jackson's headgear.
* Protagonist Vera Vixen of the ''Shady Hollow'' series is ([[SpeciesSurname you guessed it]]) [[FunnyAnimal a fox]], and as such the first book referred to her forest home as a "den", with the implication that it was an underground residence beneath some trees not unlike ''Literature/FantasticMrFox''. The town map, however, depicts it as a cozy cottage simply among the trees, and after some vacillation in the second book, the third's text changes it to a "den-like cottage".

* ''TabletopGame/InNomine'':
** Per written descriptions, Seraphim in celestial form have six wings. Artwork usually shows them with just one.
** In his full write-up, it's stated that David, the Archangel of Stone, primarily manifests as a black man, having kept the same vessel since humanity's origins in Africa. In ''illustrations'', he's usually depicted as white and blonde. This can be handwaved as he does temporarily alter his vessel's race based on the environment but still, it's a bit odd.

* The tankoubon covers for ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' can't keep the colour of anyone's hair consistent. Especially noticeable with female-form Ranma, who has sported at least a dozen different hair colours in different covers.

* Read the ''Avengers / Transformers'' crossover and see how many times the illustrations don't match the text. The worst is when they can't correctly label the characters. Second-worst is when Cap doesn't know what an F-15 looks like.

* In ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'' #499 Thor is in Asgard with three characters named Kim, Annie, and Sylvia. Then Sylvia goes missing... or at least they talk about her going missing but the artist kept drawing her into the panel! Kim's hair and outfit change from panel to panel as well. More here: [[http://daveslongbox.blogspot.com/2005/07/thor-499-marvel-comics-1996-part-one_11.html]] [[http://daveslongbox.blogspot.com/2005/07/thor-499-marvel-comics-1996-part-two.html]]

* Medieval ''[[MonsterCompendium Bestiaries]]'' often reused information from ancient Greek and Roman authors while illustrating them with contemporary depictions of said animals. This lead to instances of dragons being described as giant snakes without legs, as they were seen in antiquity, while the illustrations show dog-headed, winged creatures with legs.

** The music video for the song "Pokerap" from the ''[[Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries original Pokémon anime]]'' showed Poliwag when the song mentioned Poliwrath, and Geodude when it mentioned Graveler.

* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries}'':
** The music video for the song "Pokerap" from the ''[[Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries Pokémon anime]]'' showed Poliwag when the song mentioned Poliwrath, and Geodude when it mentioned Graveler.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'':
** The music video for the song "Pokerap" from the ''[[Anime/{{Pokemon}} Pokémon anime]]'' showed Poliwag when the song mentioned Poliwrath, and Geodude when it mentioned Graveler.
** The anime episode guide in the official Pokemon website had some of the screenshots shown in the wrong episodes!