Judges’ Reflections On The WIA2023 Winning Projects!
Read on for the judges’ commentary on what made this year’s Award-Winning works shine…
Harriet Noble ‘Lady Garden Foundation: “Give Your Fanny Five”‘
Winner of the Professional Advertising Category
“I thought this series of posters are brilliant. They tackle a sensitive and serious subject in a fun and extremely and engaging way.
The playful approach also helps to engage people often put off by serious subjects. I knew exactly what the illustration were meant to be communicating and they enticed me in to read the details of the piece of communication.
I also really like the textures that give the appearance of photographed paper cuts – it adds a lovely layer of charm to the images.”
Emma Houlston – Creative Director at VCCP
Chiu Ling Chen
Me and Me
Winner of Professional Animation Category
“Illustration and animation style really help to reinforce the sad, yet beautiful nature of the story.
When colour was used, it carried strong weight and added to the already compelling storytelling from the mostly black and white scenes.”
Angelica McKinley – Creative Director, Disney
Katia Bligh
“Alice in Wonderland” Book Cover Illustration
Winner Of The New Talent Book Covers Category
“I think creating a new collection that feels unique and original based on Alice in Wonderland is such a difficult task, a lot has been done around these stories, I love how minimal these covers are and how amazingly they work together as a collection. The spines together create the character on the shelfs and the clean placement and font selection make this project for me an award winning one.”
Jefferson Quintana – Art Director / Graphic Designer / Artist / Illustrator and Piñata Maker, currently Art Director & Designer at Tra Publishing
Owen Gent
That’s Nice, Love
Winner of the Professional Children’s Publishing Category
“I love that this is a book both children and adults can understand, learn from and enjoy. The texture and highly saturated colors create a really soft, beautiful and inviting world.
Overall, the art does a great job of emphasizing the importance of being present and seeing the beauty all around us. And the thoughtful layout and different perspectives also show great care given in the art direction.”
Monique Sterling – Independent Graphic Designer
Eva Wünsch
‘Z-Bau Summer Garden Poster Series’
Winner of the New Talent Advertising Category
“Really fun compositions, with a great level of space and consideration for text. The artist did well in creating an overall coherent feel across the different posters, with recurring colours, textures and characters. These posters would definitely grab my attention when seen out in public! Well done :-)”
Lena Yokoyama -Illustrator and Printmaker
Heovers
“It Is What It Is” – Animated Short
Winner of New Talent Animation Category
“Smart layout decisions and a style that works really well with the subject matter. Pretty interesting visual solutions for a short executed by one person. Really good colour palette too!”
Raul Aguiar – Freelance Illustrator and Art Director
Pauliina Mäkelä
Fantasma
Winner of the Professional Book Covers Category
“This cover really stands out for me. The drawings form a delicate universe all their own.
Surrealistic combinations put together that invite you to study further. The cover is strong and at the same time playfully composed. It is attractive in the choice of materials, the typography and balanced by the partial symmetry of the separate elements, the color scheme and the connections in the arbor-like construction.
This spaciousness gives a clarity and openness and allows you to enter it, but also to walk around it full of admiration. The backside of the book has extra engaging images used as the Uppercase and enhances the ornamental character of the illustrations.”
Marlies Visser – Creative Director, Illustration Embassy
Simona Massa
Gino
Winner of the New Talent Children’s Publishing Category
“Love at first sight. Well mastered graphics, powerful feelings and sadness with a smile on the face. I would adopt him right away, would he still be available!”
Dana Moroiu, Editorial Director, Baroque Books & Arts Publishing House
Stav Assis
FETCH!
Overall New Talent Winner and New Talent Design, Product and Packaging Category Winner
Julia Cherednichenko
To Be A Cossack Means
Winner Of the Professional Design, Product and Packaging Category
“I love the fun feeling that brings a smile to me. And I think doing small illustrations in the matchbox size isn’t easy; I think this series works very well.”
Pomme Chan, Founder and Design Director of Happy People Studio and Founder of Swoonspace Home Decor
Beautiful! Love how the artist addressed a theme that is especially relevant in current times for people to be aware of/locals to connect with, and applied it to a slightly silly medium, making it therefore very playful and fun. A canvas that you carry around with you, it’s brilliant. Great conversation starter for sure!
Lena Yokoyama -Illustrator and Printmaker
Alexandria Hall
Ketamine Treatment
Winner of the Professional Editorial Category
Kateryna Savchuk
My 2022 from the shelter
Winner of The New Talent Editorial Category
“Strong, but more importantly sensitive, execution that uses just the right amount of visual cliche to activate familiarity with the reader, and welcome them into an intimate experience. The balance of literal representation and surrealism is intriguing, and encourages further examination.”
Sam Whitney – Editorial Art Director, The New York Times
“The raw emotion in this work — like exposed wires in a sea of electricity — shines through an incredibly strong field of entries. Powerful, heart-wrenching work.”
Tim Ball, Art Director, Politico Europe
Trevin Wyant
The Governess
Winner of the Professional Exploration Category
Hermione
Into the Woods
Winner of The New Talent Exploration Category
“I like this work since it perfectly matches with the description of the person described. I also like the clothes she is wearing which are very detailed, but in soft colours that don’t draw attention to her. The eerie nature of the visual also work for me.”
Meeta Mastani, Maker and Social Entrepreneur, Bindaas Unlimited
“[This project] first caught my attention because of its excellent composition. Looking at it again and again, what’s wonderful about it is how the artist created a world unique to the style of the illustration that goes well beyond the borders of the frame of the piece.
My imagination went wild! I also love how every bit of colour and every stroke is used very efficiently and effectively. There is nothing about this illustration that feels unnecessary or unintentional—it’s very strong.”
Keir Novesky, Design Director at GQ
Beyapanicha
What Happen In The Room
Winner of the New Talent Publishing Category
Wincy Kung
Bamboo Craft Festival
Winner of the Professional Publishing Category
“I loved this – smart, funny, the use of simple shapes, use of line and unusual cropping create a complex composition in the main image
Smart use of texture and pattern helps creates depth in the use of flat simple colour.”
Darren Holt, Assistant Art Director, Harper Collins Australia
“A technical standout. Complex compositions and careful use of colour. Has a simple idea, sticks to it and successfully communicates it.”
Darren Holt, Assistant Art Director, Harper Collins Australia
Chiara Vercesi
The Urgent Need to Improve Health Equity
Winner of the Professional Science and Technology Category
Weston Wei
Sleeping With My Allergy
Winner of The New Talent Science and Technology Category
“I think the idea comes across clearly and effectively. Also appreciate how the illustrations can come together in different ways and in simple animation.
Joyce Hui, Head of Art & Design, AXS Studio
” [The] colour palette and lighting choices create a sense of discomfort and uneasiness, supporting the message well”
Joyce Hui, Head of Art & Design, AXS Studio
Orit Bergman, Anat Warshavsky
What is More, Yellow or an Elephant?
Overall Professional Winner and Winner of the Professional Site Specific Category
Yuanyuan Liu
Mural at Camberwell
Winner of the New Talent Site Specific Category
“The moment I saw this project I wanted to jump into the screen to be able to experience that installation in person. Love the palette, the diversity of the characters and the technique.
The elements created are very rich as individuals but also work perfectly together creating a harmonious playful universe. A perfect way to celebrate the power of imagination.”
Jefferson Quintana Cabrera, Art Director
“The variety of layers, textures and marks within this illustration create an interesting composition. The illustrator has reflected texture and form within the surrounding environment.”
Fiona Barlow, founder, Anonymous