Students Shortlisted for World Illustration Awards

With two students and three graduates being shortlisted across a variety of categories, Falmouth has been well represented at this year’s World Illustration Awards.

El Burnard, a third year from BA(Hons) Illustration, was shortlisted for an illustration she submitted to the Editorial category, titled Procrastination: a student’s worst enemy?

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BA(Hons) Illustration

El told us:

Being shortlisted for such a prestigious competition is so exciting. The work shortlisted each year is of such a high quality, it feels surreal that I am a part of that!”

When asked what the concept was behind her design, El said: “I produced a speculative editorial in response to an article on the subject of procrastination; how students are hardwired to waste time whilst temptations surround them. I tried to illustrate that feeling of having work building up around you, making you feel isolated, whilst distractions are constantly tempting you to just put it off until tomorrow.”

“It’s important to define a space for work and a space for play”, El added.

Tilly McKerrow, one of our MA Illustration: Authorial Practice students and also a Level One Tutor on BA(Hons) Illustration, was shortlisted for the Experimental category. Her project, The Lonely Gannet, is an innovative comic/map with a 3D bird; an illustrated book designed for a gallery space, inspired by a news story about a Gannet called No Mates Nigel.

Tilly explained: “To encourage Gannets to the island of Mana, New Zealand, conservationists created a concrete colony of birds. This only attracted one Gannet: Nigel, who lived out his life on the island with one of the concrete birds as his mate, and later died by its side. The map represents the migration of Nigel to the island and the journey of his life. The work is accompanied by a concrete Gannet, taking the story into two dimensions.”

When asked how it felt to be shortlisted, Tilly said:

Fantastic! It was a completely unexpected and wonderful surprise. I almost didn’t enter and I’m so pleased I did! I would highly recommend to anyone who has doubts about entering work into a competition, just do it, you never know! It is so important to get your art work exposed to new people.”

Tilly added: “It feels great to have my work recognised and chosen by industry professionals. There were over 3,600 submissions this year, so to get into the 200 shortlisted felt like a great achievement!”

The World Illustration Awards is delivered by the Association of Illustrators in partnership with the Directory of Illustration. A huge array of techniques are showcased each year, from 3D models, embroidery and animation to large-scale interactive installations, as well as more traditional techniques such as watercolours, pencils, woodcuts and digital illustration.

Full list of shortlisted students and graduates:

Tilly McKerrow - Level One Tutor, BA(Hons) Illustration / MA Illustration: Authorial Practice student

El Burnard - Third year student, BA(Hons) Illustration

Emma Lewis – 2010 alumna, BA(Hons) Illustration

Thomas Patterson - 2018 graduate, BA(Hons) Illustration

Aran Golan-Coll – 2018 graduate, BA(Hons) Illustration