1 May to 21 July 2013

The Cartoon Museum
35 Little Russell Street, London WC1A 2HH.
Telephone 0207 580 8155
www.cartoonmuseum.org

Monday – Saturday, 10.30 – 17.30 including Bank Holidays, Sunday 12.00 – 17.30

AOI Patron, Ralph Steadman, is holding a retrospective of his work – Steadman @ 77.

Ralph is one of the most important British illustrators of the last fifty years. He is famous for his long collaboration with the writer Hunter S. Thompson, most notably providing the illustrations for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1971), and helping to create what has since become known as ‘Gonzo’ journalism. Steadman has attained a cult status in certain circles and has influenced many graphic and comic artists. His art has won him an international reputation and received numerous awards. His own illustrated books have been translated into several languages and his artwork has been exhibited around the world.

To celebrate his multifarious career (and his 77th birthday) the Cartoon Museum is mounting a major retrospective of his work over the last 50 years. It will feature over 100 original artworks.

Henry Boon

Call for Entries: Cheltenham Illustration Awards 2013 – Deadline 3 June 2013

Call for Entries for the 7th competition, Exhibition, Publication and Symposium.

Last year the Cheltenham Illustration Awards had contributions from 16 countries. Their aim is to provide a platform for illustrators to promote and exhibit their work as widely as possible.

This year’s theme is Tales of Mood and Memory, with memory also the theme to this year’s Times Cheltenham Literature Festival.

Artwork is invited in digital format, with an emphasis on narrative illustration.

Winners will be exhibited in October as part of the Times Cheltenham Literature Festival and in association with the Holst Birthplace Museum, and published in a full colour Annual.

Prizes of cash and an Apple computer will be awarded – for full details and application forms please visit here

The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival runs from 4th-13th October 2013

We’re never adverse to a bit of artistic colouring in at the AOI, being very good at pencil control. But we can also break out of those lines and just go for it! Johanna Basford’s intricately drawn new book, Secret Garden, brings an element of sophistication to what can be an unusually therapeutic pastime.

Johanna’s line drawings look beautiful on their own, but are there for filling in and expanding on, so off we went. Above is Nicola Manuel’s autumnal coloured leaves them, and below Derek Brazell’s watercolour efforts.

Secret Garden is published by Laurence King

The evening of 11 April saw the latest in Varoom magazine’s events based on the theme of the most recent issue take place at Foyles in London. Issue 21’s theme is Rules. Members of First Hand reportage collective were drawing throughout the evening, and we’ll be showing their results on the Varoom website soon.

Graham Rawle, Phoebe Halstead and Viviane Schwarz

Produced by the AOI, the event was chaired by Varoom editor John O’Reilly, with three panelists discussing their work around the theme of Rules. First on was Phoebe Halstead, a freelance illustrator, animator and director of ‘pH Level Studio’ animation studio and founding member of the illustration collective First Hand whose members took part in the 24 hour Musicals event covered in Varoom 21.

Sophia O’Connor of First Hand drawing in background; John O'Reilly facing the panel in foreground

Maker of interactive children’s books and comics, Viviane Schwarz, spoke next about her new Welcome to your awesome robot book, featured in Varoom21 and also covered her well known title, There are Cats in this Book.

Author, artist and designer, Graham Rawle, spoke about his books including collaged novel Woman’s World, and new book The Card about ‘found’ playing cards.

AOI staff, Helen and Derek, were then very surprised to discover a ‘found’ playing card (7 of Hearts) lying on the pavement in Oxford Street on their way to the tube. Spooky!

AOI Managing Director, Heng Khoo, writes on how changing rights, wider interests and diversifying markets are affecting illustrators in the Industry Focus section of the new Computer Arts Collection, Illustration edition.

The article starts: Imagery is essential to our culture and is visible across all areas of modern life. Illustrators contribute enormously to this, but they still face challenges, both economic and technological. As a subject, illustration has never been so popular, with nearly 80 universities and colleges in the UK offering courses in illustration and graphic design.

Compared to the late 70s, when illustrators promoted their work in a physical portfolio, the digital age also presents many new opportunities. The challenge nowadays is sustaining a lengthy career when fresh imagery is only a commissioner’s mouse click away.

For more see the magazine…

Info and regulation in 6 languages on www.eurhope.net

Competition: Living in the world – Cities, architecture, human landscapes

Deadline 2 April 2013

Imagination and the future are the subjects of the competition, focused on ways of living the world. The competition, taking inspiration from Europe, its territory, its cultures, and its infinite forms, invites artists to take a leap into the future and picture the ideas, visions, sceneries, fears, and hopes for the future on these particular subjects. Representing, not only the buildings and cities, but if participants wish, the personal experiences of the people who live there.

Cities, architecture, buildings, and dwelt territories receive a man and provide him with the first indications of personal and collective “living know-how”. The houses and villages are a form of living the planet in the most varied forms and situations. 
To live, to build are one of the main moments in the mankind’s life, in the future sustainability challenge, in the human environment research, which would be suitable for liveability, social relations, cultural evolution, and a green living.
The first step towards building is to Imagine.

THE COMPETITION

Information regarding the competition notice, the jury, the planned exhibitions for the selected participants, and publications can be found on the official website of the competition: www.eurhope.net

The award ceremony for the winners will take place at the opening of the first exhibition on May 4, 2013, at Genoa, Palazzo Ducale, Sala Liguria Spazio Aperto.

The winning and selected artworks will be exhibited in:
- Genoa – Palazzo Ducale 4 to 12 May 2013 
- Milan – WOW Spazio Fumetto – Museo del fumetto, dell’illustrazione e dell’immagine animata – other exhibitions to be defined.

PRIZES

For the best works there are three prizes:
 1° prize: 1.500,00 euros 
2° prize: 1.000,00 euros 
3° prize: 500,00 euros

Participation is free of charge.

Each author or a group of authors can submit up to three works in reproduction paper format 30 x 30 cm. One work of an author will be awarded.

Some of the selected works are going to be published in magazines: Scuola di Fumetto

The three winners will be hosted in a hotel on the night after the awards ceremony. They will also have a refund , to be agreed with the organization, for travel or visa costs up to 200 Euros each. 
The works selected are going to be displayed at one or more exhibitions, they are also to be complied in a catalogue.

EurHope supported by

. SMACK! Fiera del Fumetto di Genova

. Ordine degli Architetti, Pianificatori, Paesaggisti e Conservatori – Provincia di Genova

. Enrico Testino

Under the patronage of, amongst others:

. Associazione Illustratori

. European Illustrators Forum

An exhibition of Photomontage work made by level 2 and level 3 Illustration students including work by leading practitioners of photomontage and collage.

F block Gallery, University of the West of England, Bower Ashton, Kennel Lodge Road, Bristol BS3 2JT

Tuesday 26th March – Friday 5th April.

Private View and auction of signed limited edition work,  Thursday 28th March at 5.00pm – 8.00pm. Auction at 6.00pm.

Auction of signed limited edition prints including Graham Rawle, Tom Burns, Michelle Thompson, Martin O’Neil, Tonwen Jones, Joel lardner, Femke de jong, Alex Williamson, Phil Wrigglesworth and other photomontage and collage artists.

The proceeds of the auction will go towards the Level 3 Illustration shows in London at the Truman Brewery, Free Range  and D&AD.

Bob Gill has han finished 6 new prints for display at Print Club,  each one completely original and unique and on display from 29 March until 11 April.

After freelancing as designer/illustrator/teacher in New York, Gill emigrated to London on a whim and stayed 15 years. There, he founded Fletcher/Forbes/Gill later renamed Pentagram and he went on to be a co-founder of D&AD. Gill’s work has been exhibited in major museums around the world and his lectures on design are legendary. He has written eleven books on design and illustration, as well as many children’s books. Bob earned Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the London and New York Design and Art Directors’ Associations.

D&AD have also produced a film of illustrators Margot Bowman & Serge Seidlitz in conversation with Bob. You can watch it here.

Dalston’s favourite basement bar Ruby’s, will be opening up a container  and serving cocktails inspired by the prints for the opening evening. If you would like to attend this private view please RSVP full names to rsvp@printclublondon.com

Private View, Thursday 28 March, 6pm
Exhibition open 12pm – 6pm, Friday 29 March – Thursday 11 April 2013

Print Club Gallery
10-28 Millers Avenue
Dalston
E8 2DS

You are invited to the ILLUSTRATORS ONLY DINNER PARTY (illustrators friends are welcome, too)

Tuesday 26 March 2013 from 7:30pm on

If you’re visiting the Bologna Children’s Book Fair AOI would like to pass on an invitation to meet up with fellow European illustrators at an informal dinner meet-up hosted by the Italian illustrators organisation, AI, along with other European Illustrators Forum (EIF) members.

As EIF are not meeting formally at the Fair, AOI will not be attending, but we encourage you to go along as in our experience it’s been an entertaining evening in previous years. Details are below.

Reservations are required, so if you’d like to attend, please reply to Paolo Rui – Associazione Illustratori, paolorui@associazioneillustratori.it with your full name.

Venue;  TRATTORIA FANTONI, Via del Pratello, 11/a Bologna – Tel. 051-236.358

Selected menu a’ la carte 20€ including water (wine and drinks excluded)

BRING YOUR PENS, PENCILS AND BRUSHES!

10-14 April 2013

BABYLON am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz,
PLATOON KUNSTHALLE Berlin, Germany

Geneviève Gauckler

A five day festival and conference, exhibitions, animation festival performances and parties.

Speakers include many artists recently featured in Varoom 21 including Welsh artist Osian Efnisien, Mexican El Grand Chamaco, French cover artist Geneviève Gauckler, Canadian Andrea Wan and AOI member Jon Burgerman.

Andrea Wan

The Character Walk guides international festival attendees, the general public and everyone interested in cutting edge character driven art through more than twenty galleries, project spaces and selected locations in Berlin-Mitte.

Anna Hrachovec

For further information on the festival go here