Portraits

The human face is instantly recognisable, and can be the centrepiece of an eye-catching image. Whether celebrating the great and the good, or offering a perspective on a personal, interior world, the use of portraiture is strong on this year’s shortlist.


Thomke Meyer
DORPIE Movie Poster

Thomke was asked to illustrate a film poster for the documentary “Dorpie”. It depicts a portrait of Lana, a woman who ran a safe house for women suffering from violence and drug addiction near Bredasdork in South Africa.

The poster was created with Lana in its centre and regional Flowers surrounding her, showing her determined fight for a new awakening and change.


Katia Bligh
“Alice in Wonderland” Book Cover Illustration

When designing this illustration, Katia wanted to create a whimsical cover that was at once minimal, striking, and emblematic, standing apart from the traditional covers she had seen for this classic story. She opted to merge the portraits of Alice and characters depicted in the story for it all to come back to Alice when displayed together.


Viviane Dupupet
The Power Of Pink

This illustration was based on the Maison Valentino Fall/Winter Ready-to-wear 2022 show.

The colour pink was at the centre of the show, so Viviane wanted to create a vibrant illustration featuring a model in a particular maxi coat in the collection that caught her eye, by pairing the pink with a flamboyant yellow background.


Metin Sozen
Your Young Self

Metin’s wife wrote an article about whether we are the same person now as when we were a child.

Metin was inspired by this concept and decided to create an accompanying illustration of showing a person young within the old.

He started to make thumbnail sketches on paper and then executed the final image digitally in Procreate and Photoshop.

Daniel Stolle
Xi’s Non-Traditional Threats

This series of illustrations were created for a Politico magazine article about China employing traditional and non-traditional methods to further its interests.

Such methods are influencing social media like TikTok, using technology to garner influence or to spy and using the force of its shipping industry to put pressure on partners and adversaries.


Lynn Bremner
At The Barbs Portrait Illustration

This digital illustration, made in Procreate, was made for The Barbican Centre to promote their six-part podcast series ‘At the Barbs’.

Lynn was hired to make a series of engaging and realistic portraits with eye catching details like grain, texture and movement. She was also tasked to show each subject from an interesting perspective whilst interacting with the image of The Barbican Centre.


JanJaap Rijpkema
The King Of Beef

JanJaap chose to construct this portrait of powerful tycoon Larry Goodman (King of Beef) out of cuts of beef.

Goodman evaded taxes via the Netherlands and JanJaap wanted to create an image that is shocking and gross, so that it draws the viewers attention.


Trevin Wyant
The Governess

This exploration piece was created using a mixture of charcoal and digital illustration.

It was made in part as response to an assertion that illustrations need to be more than a portrait.

There is a story to be told in the portrait of The Governess, a caretaker for children. She is there whether you want her to be or not.


Raina Jia
Book Cover Series

This illustration was one of a series of book covers created by Raina for their final year of college. This particular design was created for the book ‘Love in a Fallen City’ by Eileen Chang.

The juxtaposition of silhouettes with the striking female portraits create a compelling composition.


Chiu Ling Chen
Me And Me

This animated film explores the illustrators’ experience of being alone and finding the small joys and pleasures in this. Using a monochromatic colour palette, it focuses on one character moving through their day.