U.S. artist conjures up Harry Potter

Mary GrandPre sounds just like a parent when she talks about Harry. She sees herself in him -- a little bit in the eyes, something in the line of his jaw. But that lightning bolt-shaped scar? Hey, that’s not from her side of the family.

The Harry in question? Harry Potter, of course. GrandPre is the artist behind the images of Harry seen on the American versions of the books by author J.K. Rowling. Her latest cover, for “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” was released Tuesday. The book, sixth in the series of seven, comes out July 16.

Of course, it’s Rowling’s imagination that conjured up young wizard Harry’s description -- black, unruly hair; green eyes behind glasses; and, don’t forget, that scar on his forehead. But it was GrandPre, 51, of Sarasota, Fla., who has been drawing him for the cover of each blockbuster book, as well as creating the illustrations that come at the start of each chapter. She’s drawn him from a boy of 11 in the first book to age 16 in the sixth.

“It’s a challenge to take a character ... and make sure he ages correctly and make sure he looks like he would look if he were to get a year older,” she said. “I feel like I’m his mom: I comb his hair or I mess it up, I make sure he looks good before he goes out the door.”