The world of model kits lost a legend recently with the death of Roy Huxley. Huxley was known as the main artist for box art for Matchbox, primarily for their model kits. He died on January 28, 2025.
He started his career in 1972, illustrating primarily for the brand’s military aircraft kits, but often dabbling into the world of cars. His straightforward style was detailed and accurate, yet he managed to infuse his box designs with a dynamic spirit of action.
Collectors of 1/64 Matchbox diecast will recognize his work as well, as he sometimes illustrated the packaging for multi-vehicle sets and more memorably, the annual catalogs that showed off the new 1-75 line every year. Much like Otto Kuhni, whose career at Hot Wheels spanned a similar era, Huxley became a celebrity within the hobby in his own right. His art was responsible for creating a sense of adventure and excitement even before a model builder opened the box.
Roy Huxley was 84. His art was timeless.
