 He has won the British Fantasy Society award for Best Artist seven times, and was awarded the World Fantasy Award in 2008.Edwards studied at Hornsey College of Art between 1968 and 1972, where he says he was "firmly advised that he would never be an illustrator" due to a general perception in the department that the job was too difficult, and later claiming that the experience failed to provide much of use in later years.After graduating, Edwards was taken on by the Young Artists agency in London, and began working as a freelance illustrator.