In the industry

I was out of education for 3 years before starting my Graphic Design course and then moving to Derby to study Illustration. I had always been interested in art, but I have found that the Illustration course is very different from art classes in school. Coming to University has opened my eyes to a whole new world, finding new influences and ways to work. I am slowly finding my voice as an Illustrator and I continue growing and learning.
Within the industry there are many competitions and awards from designers and illustrators from all around the world. Many of these are open to professionals as well as to students like me. This is great as it lets me get my feet wet and into the world of Illustration.
The place to be for Illustrators is the Association of Illustrators (AOI) they hold the World Illustration Awards. It is now in it's 40th year and is partnering with the Directory of Illustration which is widely regarded the leading marketing program in the United States.

Benji Davies was the winner in the Children's book category 2015. This is an image from his book Granddad's Island where he was both the author and Illustrator. The story is about remembering someone and the things you did together, it explores how that connection lives within memory. Through his illustrations he aims to evoke and celebrate human emotions. He works largely in digital, and relies on his own visual memory and allowing his work to surface through his sketching.
I really like this style of work and the thought and emotions put into it, working from personal experiences is a key part in illustration as it keeps you genuine.

The winner of the Design category was George Douglas who is an Illustrator and Artist living in Edinburgh. His wining design were the posters above, he wanted them to show a whole story within a single image and these were made by silk screen.He also likes working with found objects and enjoys most working with his hands and not digitally. 

These two winners work are very different but I like both of the styles as they work for their intended purpose.

There is also the Thought Bubble Comic Art competition, which I have talked briefly about as it was one of the live briefs we worked on within the first module. It is a competition open to Artists and writers in the UK. It is split into two categories 12-18 and 18+. I had not previously heard of this competition before, but having entered it I feel that it is a good one for students and anyone looking to become an illustrator, while still a big competition it is not as big as the World Illustration Awards. 

My entry to the thought bubble art competition

From looking at some other illustrators work and what has won in competitions I can see that there is a place for my work and how important research is in helping me to become an even better illustrator.