Following the incredibly useful Agents Top Tips for Bologna, we asked for a publisher’s insight into how to use your time wisely. We approach our friends at Pan Macmillan for their tips for the Children’s Book Fair!

In the run up to Bologna we find ourselves delighted by one application by Italian Illustrator Valeria Weerasinghe. Her website bustling with character driven personal projects, we found her the perfect candidate for our Italian take on Illustrator of the Month!

Attending the Bologna Childrens Book Fair is exciting and sometimes slightly overwhelming, but with the right advice and planning you can make the most of it. Many Agents, both for artwork and literary/artwork attend Bologna, and we asked Penny from Holroyde Cartey and Steph from The Artworks for their top tips for the Childrens Book Fair.

The perfect guide for visiting Bologna. Illustrator Jean Mackey Lebleu revisits her guide to BCBF for first-time visitors to the 2019 fair. From travel to portfolio reviews, it’s all here.

Zines are a great way to gather visual ideas and give context to personal work. But where do you start? What should you consider? We ask four exciting DIY Illustrators for their thoughts and expert advice.

We spoke to Lucia Orlandi a Creative Director at R/GA the advertising agency involved in Mailchimp‘s recent global contemporary rebrand!

The exhibition is curated by Lauren Child and commissioned by the British Council, and celebrates ten of the most inspiring contemporary British Children’s Book illustrators, including AOI member, Jill Calder.

London based Member Steve Scott is the go-to guy for light-hearted, playful and intricate Illustration. As the final member feature for this year we eagerly chatted with Steve and Agent..

Stuart Lang weighs up the potential for success and failure when brands support social movements – an excert from Varoom 38 – Activism

Comic maker Joseph Kai is part of the Varoom 38 (Activism) feature on the new wave of Arab Comics, and here he talks to Paul Gravett about the group, the role of comics in Lebanese culture and issues for freelance artists in the country

Simona Ciraolo is a children’s book author. Having worked with Chronicle Books, Flying Eye Books, Walker Books and more, Simona has published a number of titles including Hug Me, Can’t Catch Me and Lighs! Camera! Alice! We speak to her about her illustrious career so far, her process as Author/Illustrator and her stance on the value of illustration.

Pearls of wisdom from the AOI AOP Debate about commissioning.

George Butler is an award winning reportage artist and illustrator specialising in travel and current affairs. His drawings, done in situ are in pen, ink and watercolour. His exhibition Anima..

Chocks away!  Middlesex University students have collaborated with the Royal Airforce museum at Hendon airfield to produce an online interactive graphic novel relating the history of the airfield from the early 1900’s to the present day.

Warning: graphic content!

Illustrator and Artist Polly Nor describes Instagram as the vital element in the making of Art as a viable career for herself and talks to us about her new exhibition at Protein Studios.

We talk to AOI Patron Tony Ross about his new anti-war book. Douglas just wants to fit in but in ant society you are what you are pre-destined to be, and the colony want him to be a soldier…

Bristol-based Member James Davies was the perfect candidate to fill the position of Illustrator of the Month in light of all the creative activity appearing in the West of England this October

Kick starting an awesome few days of illustration events in Dublin, is our all new business masterclass – essential for all image makers! An Evening Masterclass with the AOI –..

Sarah Habershon is Art Director of G2 at the Guardian. She commissioned Tommy Parkers’ World Illustration Awards shortlisted entry “The Disability Diaries”. Here we take the opportunity to talk to her about her career in commissioning illustration, and the challenges of editorial illustration times.

Holly Fulbrook is Head of Children’s Design at Oxford University Press and worked with Sarah McIntyre and Philip Reeve on their book The Legend of Kevin: the Roly-Poly Flying Pony Adventure, published 6 September 2018. Holly explains more about the process of commissioning, working with Sarah and Philip, and the various challenges and excitements present in today’s publishing industry.

Peter Cross, Customer Experience Director at John Lewis Partnership, commissioned Paul Thurlby’s World Illustration Award winning project National Treasures. Find out more about the commissioning process in this insightful interview.

In this industry insight we talked to Jeremy Wortsman of Jacky Winter about the Australian illustration scene, working globally, geographical trends and the secret to a long career, “Everyone needs to spin a lot of different plates to survive!”

From ‘Down Under’, AOI member Andrea Innocent lives and works as part of the Illustration scene in Melbourne. She describes her travelling years in Japan and how its historical art style influenced her own practice, plus the journey to finding satisfaction and grounding in teaching and leading workshops in Australia.

The Folio Society who are committmed to publishing quality illustrated books, are profiled in the Love issue. We talk to illustrators Victo and Paul about the experience of working with the esteemed publisher.

‘There is a groundswell zeitgeist perspective shift occurring. But much too slowly in my opinion.’ The superstar illustrator on his enthusiasm for tackling political and social issues with image and comment.

The AOI are pleased to be joined by Member Jiyeun Kang at Seoul Illustration Fair this month. Come and meet us at the World Illustration Awards booth where we can answer (in English and Korean) any of your questions about your career in Illustration.

Membership Assistant Marianna Madriz not only supports AOI Members week by week, but she also skilfully balances her workload as a freelance Illustrator. We celebrate the launch of her first illustrated children’s book Little Guides to Great Lives: Frida Kahlo and go behind the scenes of the book.

We talk to Animation Director and Illustrator Stevie Gee about his success in Design, Advertising and Music, as well as a variety of weird and wonderful products. Also highlight his triumphant win(s) at the World Illustration Awards.

Illustrator and Animator Rune Fisker is a Coperhagen-based and Danish born designer, who’s dynamic compositions and vivid colours caught the eye of the AOI team and led to animated dialog for June’s Member of the Month.

Your immersive snapshot into the nation’s emergent creative design talent will be coming to New Designers this summer, for two weeks from 27-30 June & 4-7 July.