David Roberts/Junior Literary Guild
Nothing like starting the new year with some new accolades and awards.
David Roberts was awarded the gold standard selection award by the Junior Literary Guild
for not one, but two books.
We are delighted …..
Balloon to the Moon Wins at Book Awards
Phosphor Art's Christopher Nielsen was chuffed to hear that Balloon to the Moon, a book he illustrated for Gill Arbuthnott and Big Picture Press (Templar) won the 'Children’s Trade 9 to 16 Years' category at the British Book Design & Production Awards.
David Roberts,
Amazing news having already reached No 1 in the New York Times Best Sellers list in the first week of its publication and launch !
Illustration and Packaging Design: A Perfect Pairing!
Urban Cordial’s packaging and branding has just picked up a Silver Award at the Pentawards the only worldwide awards to exclusively celebrate packaging design.
World Illustration Awards 2019
Earlier this month members of The SAA were delighted to join friends, colleagues and remarkable talent for the prestigious World Illustration Awards 2019.
Fiona Woodcock Wins World Illustration Award Children’s Book Category 2019
We are delighted and incredibly proud that Bright author illustrator Fiona Woodcock has won the World Illustration Awards 2019 Children’s Book Category for her children’s book LOOK, published by HarperCollins US imprint Greenwillow Books.
Fiona at Somerset House for the World Illustration Awards 2019
Told entirely in words that contain a double ‘O’, LOOK is the story of a brother and sister’s day, including a trip to the zoo, where they discover baboons, balloons and many more delights!
The engaging, interactive text is perfect for emerging readers – encouraging them to read through the blend of letters and pictures – and has captured the hearts of both children and adults with its heart-warming illustrations and fun word play.
Established over 40 years ago, the AOI’s World Illustration Awards are widely respected across the industry, offering a comprehensive insight into the ideas, trends and techniques that are at the forefront of illustration today. Previous winners of the award include Benji Davies in 2015 for Grandad’s Island (published by Simon & Schuster).
Fiona
“It is such an enormous honour and a beautiful surprise for LOOK to receive this World Illustration Award. I was thrilled to be shortlisted amongst so many brilliant children’s books, so to be given this recognition from the judges really does mean a lot.
“There’s a lovely sense of things linking back up, because I first came across The Bright Agency at an AOI talk held at Somerset House six years ago. And I always visit the World Illustration Awards exhibition, so I’m incredibly proud to have been a part of it this year.
Fiona with her winning artwork, Fiona and Bright MD Vicki Willden-Lebrecht and Director Arabella Stein at Somerset House
“The concept for the book was an idea I had many years ago and when I eventually started trying to shape it into a book my personal brief was to produce a vibrant and playful story using double ‘O’ words. I incorporated the ‘OO’ letters into the illustrations to encourage children to engage with both the words and pictures together.
“The initial inspiration came from a pair of 2003 New Year’s glasses. The double zeros transformed into double ‘O’ words in my sketches and I started playing around with both the shape and sound, experimenting with words which worked well when incorporated in the image.”
“Once the difficult part of deciding on the sequence of events was resolved it was a real pleasure to focus on the artwork. I created every element of the illustration individually on paper, using stencils and rubber stamps to create varied areas of textured colour. Then I composited them together like a collage digitally, sometimes changing the size and colour if needed. This final stage came together relatively quickly after all those years of walking around with the idea knocking around in the back of my head.
“This book taught me to persevere with my ideas, even though they might not exactly fit with picture book conventions.”
“I find that publishers are often after unique individuals, so I think about what I love to draw best and let ideas grow from that. Of course, making books is a team game, so I’d like to say a big thank you to Greenwillow Books for seeing the potential in my idea.”
To see Fiona’s portfolio, please click here.
To work with Fiona, please contact Arabella Stein.
The World Illustration Awards 2019
CALL FOR ENTRIES OPEN!
The WIA are delighted to announce that they are now open for entries for the 2019 awards.
The ever prestigious awards saw its most successful year in 2018 with thousands of illustrators submitting work from across the globe. The Awards are delivered by the AOI in partnership with USA-based Directory of Illustration, building on a 40-year tradition of the AOI organising juried survey competitions.
The World Illustration Awards has eight categories that reflect the breadth and diversity of illustration being commissioned globally today. You may enter your work into the following categories: Advertising, Books, Children's Books, Editorial, Design, Experimental, Research and Site Specific.
To find out more about the competition and how to enter click the link HERE
BRIGHT JUDGES AT NEW DESIGNERS 2018
Bright’s Senior Licensing Agent, and newly-appointed director, Hannah Curtis, was honoured to be invited to join the small-but-select panel of judges to decide the award for SAA New Talent in Illustration Associate Prize at the prestigious New Designers Awards, taking place at London’s Business Design Centre this week.
We caught up with Hannah after the ceremony to hear about the exhilarating - but also slightly daunting - process of appraising the assembled new illustration talent on display, and selecting just one winner…
HANNAH CURTIS, NEW DESIGNERS SAA NEW TALENT IN ILLUSTRATION ASSOCIATE PRIZE JUDGE 2018: REPORT
New Designers is renowned for launching the next generation of design talent in the UK. The breadth and wealth of skills is extraordinary and exciting. Graduates are transitioning from the comfort of their degree into the commercial world of design. Specifically looking for illustrators, the appointed SAA agents met to discuss their criteria and how best to sift through the pool of talent.
New Designers Show 2018, Week 2 (4-7 July), inside the Business Design Centre; the SAA judging panel roundtable (literally!); smart stationery, and helpful button badge, for the selection process
We all agreed we were looking for fresh, inspired, new and exciting design. So many trends just keep filtering through, and there is an air of ‘I’ve seen it all before’ despite the creative skill and execution demonstrated. We wanted something new, something that stood out and something that no one else is doing. We were also interested in the commerciality of the work and the illustrator: as Agents we are promoting our illustrators’ work to clients on a daily basis, so they need to be professional, personable, hard working and driven.
Initially scouting alone, the judges came back together to discuss and put their favourites forward. The five creative minds really came together and gelled as a team, helping each other see things in the artists’ portfolios that we might have otherwise missed. We then set off as a team to revisit our shortlist - possibly a slightly terrifying experience for the graduates who saw us coming, mob-handed!
Just a sample of the creativity on display at the show in Week 2
It was clear when we looked again at Ella Rose Brown’s work that we had all fallen in love. Her vibrant use of colour immediately draws you in; inspired by fashion and textiles, she creates beautiful work with an emphasis on detail and a love for culture. Ella was passionate, well-presented and very determined. Her portfolio was vast and, although varied, it was consistently strong. It was clear from the judges’ excitement that we had found our winner!
Ella Rose Brown, Manchester School of Art, proudly displaying her richly deserved SAA New Talent in Illustration Associate Prize
We also had three commendation certificates to distribute, so it was back to the judges’ lounge to decide on our three runners up. Again we wanted to concentrate on originality, fresh ideas and a potential commerciality. George Goodwin from Plymouth College of Art offered a well-executed, fun and expressive style: with huge amounts of detail and bold use of colours, his work really stood out for the judges.
George Goodwin: ‘The Jungle’, excerpt from a crowd-funded illustrated picture and activity book,Don’t Shoot the Long Tailed Tiger.
Maisy Summer Lewin-Sanderson, also from Manchester School of Art, demonstrated a fresh and exciting technique; her mixed-media approach used illustration and collage in sensitive proportions. Maisy’s portfolio showed a strong use of colour, expressive characterisation and a clear narrative.
Maisy Summer Lewin-Sanderson: ‘Night and Day’, spread from a self-directed publication about the bar and music venue of the same name in Manchester’s Northern Quarter
A portfolio that kept drawing us back in, and provided interesting discussion, was Carl Tai Thompson. Carl’s illustrations depict serial killings perpetrated by a murderous alter-ego, ‘Snake Eye’s, stalking India and Pakistan. His interest in culture and colour was obvious, and his conceptual ideas - which were passionately displayed - was inspiring.
Carl Tai Thompson: ‘Yard Sale’, 7-colour screen print.
A HUGE congratulations to all the graduates who took part in this year’s New Designers, and especially to our winner and runners up: you are at the beginning of a very exciting road, one that will offer beautiful opportunities doing what you love - and hopefully excelling at it. Choose the job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life!
ABOUT THE AWARD
New Designers SAA New Talent in Illustration Associate Prize
The SAA Associate Prize is awarded to a graduate specialising in illustration who is judged to have the most fresh and inspiring work within the Visual Communications zone at the show.
The prize will be six months career development by one of the SAA’s member agents which will include mentoring, portfolio advice and promotion through the SAA’s website and social media channels.
Website: New Designers Awards
WINNER
Ella Rose Brown
– Manchester School of Art
RUNNERS UP
George Goodwin
– Plymouth College of Art
Maisy Summer Lewin
– Manchester School of Art
Carl Tai Thompson
– University of Portsmouth
SAA MEMBER AGENT JUDGING PANEL
Victoria – Illustration Web; Alice – Illustration Web; Hannah - The Bright Agency; Alex – The Artworks; Tom – Handsome Frank
Bright launches new children’s book award
Bright have partnered with The Alligator’s Mouth independent bookshop to launch a new award for highly illustrated children’s fiction.