AOI Illustration Awards 2014 | Somerset House Exhibition

posted by Emma Fisher October 9, 2014

After much deliberation we are sure, the shortlist has been announced for this year AOI Illustration Awards 2014. In the only independent jury-selected illustration competition in the UK, the professional judging panel from all areas of the design industry have selected there favourite illustrators of the year. Submissions were received from all over the world, and now the final shortlist work has been showcased in the beautiful setting of Somerset House. Overall there are 12 category winners including awards in Proffesional Practice, as well as lots of new faces featured in the New Talent awards. The exhibition is always a brilliant showcase of work from across the world and celebrates the diversity of illustration design today.

Chris Haughton
Category winners included Chris Haughton for the Children’s Books award for ‘Shh! We have a Plan’. His unique colour palette and cut-out style design has become iconic, and he is always pushing boundaries in his work. The book is just one highlight of his flawless character design that resonates with children and adults alike, spanning three published books, charity work and an app soon to be released, Chris definitely deserves this award.

Aaron Meshon
Commended in the Self Initiated category is a designer from over the pond, New York illustrator Aaron Meshon. His huge 24 x 36 inch illustration of his home borough Brooklyn was all hand drawn before being scanned section by section to create an absorbing and mesmerising piece of work. All that effort surely makes him worthy of a little rest and AOI award!

Geoff Grandfield
Geoff Grandfield was a worthy winner for his Books award. He combined his traditional drawing method of chalk pastels and hand painted ink lettering to create a design series that was then digitally rendered, covering 3 books, 24 illustration and slipcase designs. An established illustrator and now Associate Professor and Course Director at Kingston University, Geoff Grandfield is a figure head in the illustration world.

William Grill
The AOI have always supported New Talent and William Grill is no exception. A recent graduate from University College Falmouth he has already built up an impressive list of clients including Harrods, Radley Daunt Books and the New York Times. His book ‘Shackleton’s Journey’ initially started as a small university third year project before it was spotted by Flying Eye Books and grew into a 80 page publication. William interesting found the project like an exercise in conveying the way he draws in his small sketchbooks to a larger format but keeping his beautiful hand finished style. We love it.

To view the whole selection of winners and shortlisted artists head down to Somerset House until 2nd November.
Open daily 10.00-18.00 (last admission 17.30) Terrace Rooms, South Wing

www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/aoi-illustration-awards-2014