The SAA are very pleased to be supporting the World Illustration Awards by sponsoring The SAA Agents Award for New Talent.
General News 
Bestselling author/illustrator, Jonny Duddle and Cyber Group Studios, presented the Gigantosaurus trailer based on Jonny's picture book at Cartoon Forum 2015 in Toulouse this month. The forum is an event where all the great and the good of the European animation world gather together to pitch their projects to broadcasters and investors.
Take a look at this video on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/Nxkp2oAXgTI
Last month we welcomed Column Arts Agency and founder Will Astbury to the Society of Artist Agents.
Interview with Will Astbury
Q. What drove you to establish Column Arts Agency?
I dreamt up the idea for Column Arts Agency in Manchester in January 2011. A self-employed journalist and marketer at the time, I had been helping artist-friends to do their tax returns. I’d been doing my own for years and I’d always been meticulous when running my business and doing my own accounting.
21st July, Bright and Puffin Books hosted a swashbuckling soirée to launch Fred Blunt’s debut author/illustrated picture book Captain Falsebeard in a Very Fishy Tale, aboard the 16th Century galleon, The Golden Hinde.
A guide for first timers.
Have you authored a children’s book? Are you looking for a special illustrator to match the style of your story? Perhaps you’re looking to commission an artist privately, for something you’d like to have in your home or workplace.
As illustrators' agents, we receive a great deal of enquiries for this particular area, and whilst we understand most people are generally interested in the bottom line, and what the job will cost, in order for us to provide you with an accurate quote there is a series of information we require to do so. In addition, having this guide will provide everyone working on the project with clarity and understanding, which is vital when communicating creatively.
The following questions, although pertinent to publishing clients, are similar to those required for most illustration briefs.
How to write perfect illustration briefs when commissioning illustrators
Illustrators and animators eventually reach a point of curiosity about agency representation. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, applying to agencies for inclusion on their roster can be a daunting task. At Illustration Ltd, we receive an extremely high volume of requests for representation from artists all around the world, and our success stems from a careful method of selection.
7 things agents look out for in an illustration portfolio
Dave Hopkins drew a number of portraits to be printed on deck chairs for Historic Royal Palaces to celebrate Hampton Court Palace’s 500th Anniversary, taking place this year.
The portraits include Bradley Wiggins, Grand Duchess Xenia, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Lady Baden Powell and Paddington Bear – all of whom have been linked to the Palace in the past.
Dave Hopkins is represented by Phosphor Art
Alex T. Smith's fantastic new picture book, Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion is published this month by Scholastic Children's Books. Alex artfully brings a new, cheeky little twist to the classic Little Red Riding Hood tale, setting his charming story in Africa with gorgeous hot colours and introducing a greedy lion to replace the cunning wolf. Our plucky heroine, Little Red, is a fearless little girl who won't let a lion get between her and curing her Auntie Rosie from a mysterious rash!
This 'riotous romp of a story' was Fiona Noble's 'Editor's Choice for the Month' in The Bookseller (20th February, 2015). She goes on to say:
“Little Red is not a girl to be messed with…. The spreads of her travelling to her auntie’s house are a particular joy: dashing, creeping and wiggling (with her trusty goat sidekick) past a glorious menagerie of giraffes, crocodiles, monkeys and more. There are quirky details to spot and savour, all decorated in a vivid palette of red and gold. Smith’s sense of mischief is everywhere, with moments of pure, joyful silliness…. As the parent of a six-year-old I have a strict standard of merit for picture books: does it still delight on the 10th re-reading? A resounding yes!”
Alex T. Smith is represented by Arena Illustration.
With the launch of a special edition of Pimm’s this summer, Mother London asked Paul Thurlby to create artwork for the new bottle.
The flavour in question was Strawberry (with a hint of mint), which along with the British countryside, Paul used as his inspiration for his illustrations. Twenty signed prints were also created for the campaign, which will be given away to promote the launch.
Paul Thurlby is represented by Handsome Frank
We’ve been working on our new stationery here at HF towers, something that’s always a tricky thing to do – stock samples, pantone chips, brand identity. It’s a dizzying task. It all began with some clever illustrated portraits of HF staff Tom, Jon and Stuart, created by Jean Jullien. These were then handed over to master-of-design George Bradshaw, who worked them into business card designs, which utilises the Circular typeface by Lineto. GF Smith Colorplan Cool Grey was the stock of choice, which was printed by the good folk at Darwin Press. Patrick Bateman eat your heart out.
Jean Jullien is represented by Handsome Frank