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Spellbinding illustrations of 'Harry Potter' characters (pictures)

UK artist Jim Kay has been tapped to illustrate the full-color illustrated editions of all seven books in J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" heptalogy. Here are some of his first enchanting creations.

Anthony Domanico

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Anthony Domanico

Jan. 13, 2015 12:41 p.m. PT

A young Harry Potter heads to Hogwarts

Publishing companies Bloomsbury in the UK and Scholastic in the US are working on fully illustrated and full-color versions of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" heptalogy. The first book is set to be released in October 2015, followed by the other seven books in subsequent years.

Award-winning UK illustrator Jim Kay will provide the illustrations. He released the first series of drawings on Tuesday. Here's what Harry Potter will look like in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."

Hermione works her magic

And here's our first look at the new Hermione Granger, whom illustrator Jim Kay calls the cement that really holds it all together. She's always ready to hop in with a little magic.

An unfinished Ron Weasley

This sketch of Ron Weasley may be unfinished (or uncolored, anyway), but it still captures Ron's freckles and mop-like hair from the books and movies.

Draco Malfoy is up to no good

The complicated nemesis of the "Harry Potter" series, Draco Malfoy, is pictured here with his trademark shock of white-blond hair.

Hagrid is as imposing as ever

Artist Jim Kay really captured Hagrid's imposing stature in this portrait. Kay tells The Guardian that Hagrid is his favorite character, at least visually, saying Hagrid has "a wonderful heart, clothed in an enormous, shabby body." We tend to agree.

Hogwarts in all its majesty

Finally, we have Hogwarts, the school where would-be wizards learn about wizardry. Hogwarts is a magical place -- heck, it's even fully supported by magic -- and Jim Kay's illustration fully demonstrates the majesty of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.