WIA2021: How to Present your Project

As the illustration industry changes, so do the projects we see being entered into the World Illustration Awards.

We’ve rounded up some common queries from WIA2021 entrants, particularly around entering more complex or unusual projects into the awards.

If you can’t find the answers on our other pages, have a look and see what other entrants have asked, (and the answers)!

I’m not sure what to write, or which images to include. Where can I get some inspiration?

If you’re not sure how to present your project, you can browse previous shortlisted entries from past years.

The text and images on the site are the same as the information that was originally submitted via the entry form, so it gives you a good idea of how other people have approached their entries in previous competitions.

Have a look at previous WIA entries here

What is the hero lead image for?

The hero lead image acts as thumbnail and first one the jury sees before they get to see the others for multiple entries.

We advise you choose the strongest image of entry for the lead image. It can be an animated gif, or use a still for animation or video projects.

You only need to add it once if you are entering a multiple entry.

My project is huge, 5 images for a multiple just doesn’t cover it, what can I do to showcase it?

We know that illustration commissions and projects are becoming more extensive and complex all the time.

If you can’t show your project using a selection of five images, gifs or URLs within the multiple entry format, then you could create a flipthrough or walkaround video of the whole project, and upload that to YouTube or Vimeo, and select the URL option within the formats dropdown.

For example, Xavier Segers used a short promotional video to show his interactive installation in action alongside a set of images:

Can I enter an animation or video work?

Yes, you can enter animation or video work into any category.

Choose the URL option from the format dropdown, and choose an eye-catching hero lead image to go with it. This could be a still from the moving image work.

Ensure your URL is a direct link to YouTube or Vimeo, and not password protected.

My project is a collaboration, can I enter it?

Yes, you can!

You can decide whether to enter your work as a partnership, collaboration or collective project.

If you’re working under a collective name, use that as the artist name, and if you’re two artists, or for example, artist and animator, you can put your name & another name as the artist name.

Good examples of two artists entering a collaborative project include Nancy Liang and Fiona Lu’s project for the Sydney Lunar Festival, and Stevie Gee and Nicos Livesey who entered a project as a partnership, with illustrations by Stevie and animation by Nicos:

This entry was submitted under the name of Publica, a design practice specialising in design for the public realm:

Can I enter if my book is yet to be published, or was published a while ago but is reissued in another language?

Yes, you can enter any project either created, commissioned or published since January 2020 (or if part of the process has happened in that timeframe).

This applies to projects that were refreshed, reworked or republished in that time period too.

My project features text in another language, how will the judges understand it?

You can enter projects created in any country and for any global market. While entries need to be in English (i.e. the information you enter on the entry form), any text not in English on your images is fine to submit.

You can use the entry form to summarise the story or text.

These entries are good examples of using the form to explain non-English text within the submitted images:

Some illustrators choose to translate the title of their project into English, or have a dual language title with the original title and English in brackets, as Mikel Casal has here:

My entry is made using embroidery/knitting/papercut/ceramics, can I enter it to WIA?

Yes, we love seeing entries using unusual media.

There are no limits on the medium used, style, or artistic processes for WIA entries, and we encourage you to show your most innovative and creative work. We’ve seen everything from work made from knitting, to painting on boots, to sculptures made from food!

A few examples from previous longlisted and shortlisted illustrators include:

My entry was made using Virtual or Augmented Reality technology. How can I showcase this?

Depending on how you made the work, a combination of still images, and a link to a video demonstration could be the most effective.

Last year’s DI Award winner Menghui took this approach to showcase the incredible detail of her project ‘Balance’:

Should I include text in my images (e.g. book titles, magazine cover graphics)?

There are no rules on this, so it is entirely up to you. If the text forms part of the design, then it can be good to leave it in, especially if you designed the typography. If not, and you want the focus to be on the illustration, then submit the image without text.

Eva Cremers entered this project last year, with both options so the judges could see how the text worked with the image, but also the image on its own in its full glory.

If you have any other questions you’d like us to answer (and maybe even add to this page), get in touch!

The deadline is 15 February, so make sure you don’t miss out. Enter here: www.theaoi.com/wia2021

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