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Kate and I had the idea of making a design that represents the idea of being together with someone all the time and then very quickly not being with them at all.

we want to make something that people can relate to, whether it be a housemate who has moved to australia or a loved one that has been lost, it is something we want to shed light on.

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I just love the colours and nonsensical nature of the artists illustrations.

Feels like it pairs well with the ideas and concepts of visual language thst I want to create within this project

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Bertron - Beautiful Marks & Odd Storytelling

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Bertron - Beautiful Marks & Odd Storytelling

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I love the childish elements Bertron has and maximises whilst keeping a gorgeous element of stroytelling leaving the viewer to figure out.

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I adore this man and his music, I feel this song particularly can be great inspiration to create various forms of illustration.

I can focus on the lyrics and/or on the music video and see where that takes me.

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I love the visual language of this book with the style of illustrations being so fitting to what is being explored

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I just adore the stupidity of this book, i love things that make no sense and show no explanation either and this book is amazing at providing that in an abundance.

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these character designs are just amazing i love the textures created and just the overall hand crafted nature of them.

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I just love how frantic this image feels, yet so wonderfully laid out on the page.

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For as long as there have been people, those people have been drinking. And for as long as they've been drinking, they've been turning their rabble-rousing into art. Whether used for ceremonial offerings or as social lubricant, alcohol has provided ample inspiration to artists and intellectuals the world over.

In fact, the word "symposium"-likely to make any art historian reach for a cocktail-is derived from the ancient Greek sympinein, meaning "to drink together." Every culture has some association with a spirit of revelry (Bacchus, the god of wine, is particularly prominent in Western art history). The case has also been made for alcohol to serve a medicinal purpose-an "antifogmatic" to clear the cobwebs from one's brain.

What better time than Independence Day in the United States-when many of us will be kicking back with a beer-to consider how artists have illustrated the act of imbibing over the years? Allow us to take you on a visual trip from 2,400 BC to the present-no hangover required. Bottoms up!

Ancient Egyptian, Relief of Ptahhotep before offering table at Necropolis (ca. 2400 BC)

Ancient Greek, Red-figure psykter (wine cooler) with a symposium scene, (ca. 505-500 BC)

Giovanni Bellini and Titian, Feast of the Gods (1514/29)

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Bacchus (1589)

Matteo Ghidoni, Inside of an Inn With Drunk Fight (ca. 17th century)

Adriaen Brouwer, The Bitter Potion (ca. 1630)

Jacob Jordaens, The Feast of the Bean King (1640-1645)

Jan Steen, Beware of Luxury (ca. 1663)

Francisco de Goya, The Drunken Mason (1786)

Thomas Couture, Romans During the Decadence (1847)

Vladimir Yegorovich Makovsky, Hiding From Wife (1872)

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Luncheon of the Boating Party (1880-81)

James Ensor, The Drunkards (1883)

Antonio Casanova y Estorach, Monk Testing Wine (1886)

Peder Severin Kroyer, 'Hip Hip Hurrah!' Artists' Party at Skagen (1888)

Vincent van Gogh, The Drinkers (1890)

Pablo Picasso, Absinthe Drinker (1901)

Otto Dix, Portrait of the Journalist Sylvia von Harden (1926)

Archibald J. Motley, Cocktails (1926)

Liu Wei, Two Drunk Painters (1990)

Tracey Emin, From Army to Armani (1993)

Fernando Botero, Three Women Drinking (2006)

Peter Saul, Viva la Difference (2008)

Nicole Eisenman, Sloppy Bar Room Kiss (2011)

Kati Heck, Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde (Drinking Song of Earth's Sorrow) (2017)

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Drunk Art History: See the Finest Artistic Depictions of Totally Wasted People Ever, From Ancient Greece to the Present

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For as long as there have been people, those people have been drinking. And for as long as they've been drinking, they've been turning their rabble-rousing into art. Whether used for ceremonial offerings or as social lubricant, alcohol has provided ample inspiration to artists and intellectuals the world over.

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Kati Heck, Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde,(Drinking Song of Earth’s Sorrow) (2017)

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I feel this illustration - intentional or not - provides a great lense on how it feels/looks to be drunk. So much confusion and lingering things/feelings

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the painterly elements of this piece is gorgeous, and once again seems to make no sense which of course I love.

Also a great story is there to be unvailled.

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shows a wonderful chaos with so many moving parts to this drunken tale.

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Had the idea of showing a repeating motif of two people on a sofa doing things like eating food, watching a film, reading etc, with each frame being different - representing that togetherness. Then the last part of the image would consist of the sofa but just with one person on it.

This idea I think could work brilliantly as it can be super relatable and people can picture themselves as one of the people on the sofa.

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Had the idea of creating a house that you could look into, with different sections/rooms.

one house would show us both in it then the next house would only show one person to try and get that feeling of loss across.

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love the simplicity and colours of this house, something about it feels very nostalgic.

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Just gorgeous

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These just feel so free and careless, I know i have it in me to make like this, i just need to get back into this sort of groove.

I have been making quite safe and rigid things, which have been okay, but dont feel like me.

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i would like to make work like John Molesworth please

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John Molesworth describes himself as an artist with "fingers in many pies". Since It's Nice That last spoke with him, John has illustrated the cover of Vanguards Magazine, delved into ceramics and started selling his drawings at Liberty London. Describing his work as "perhaps now closer to 'art' than 'illustration', John's pieces, with their bold and vivacious colours, hit you in the eyes like a "wild, visual guitar solo".

Claiming that he can't do anything "clever" and "subtle", John uses colour to grab the attention of the viewer, "peacocking" them with an "obnoxiously loud palette". A playful energy defines his scratchy crayon drawings; their expressive strokes sparking excitement in anyone who sees them. His pages are crowded with as much vibrant, visual information as possible. "While creating, I feel like there's a conflict in trying to balance making the loudest visual noise with the artwork still remaining legible", the artist jokes; "sooner, or later my work will just be scribbles on pieces of paper".

John's art spans an impressive range of mediums; he used to worry that his "interests were too broad", however, he now realises it is these "broad references that make [his] work what it is". No longer concerned about how his art will be viewed if his practice isn't clearly defined, the artist brings a variety of elements to the table - combining painting and crayon, ceramics and art. It is this eclecticism that defines his unique style and makes his pieces so intriguing.

"I love the physicality of making things by hand," the artist explains, "I'm always trying to remind the viewer that there's a person making mistakes and having fun whilst making the work". John is inspired by a variety of things, from music to American folk art, Soviet propaganda posters to nature. He prefers to work outside, stating "when I work outside I stop overthinking about how a drawing should be; it just feels like a very natural way of making". Drawn to "the chaos of the natural world", John's drawings of plants are definitive of his style - colourful, odd shapes overlapping and interacting with each other in a beautiful whirl of excited and expressive colour.

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John Molesworth's vivacious artworks hit you in the eyes like "a wild, visual guitar solo"

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John Molesworth describes himself as an artist with "fingers in many pies". Since It's Nice That last spoke with him, John has illustrated the cover of Vanguards Magazine, delved into ceramics and started selling his drawings at Liberty London.

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The textures, the composition, the colours, the visual language. Just beautiful. It feels so fun and adventurous, I don;t even know what is going on but i love it

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I suppose this is a poem although I am not much of a poet. It is my outlook on the peer pressures of doing the silliest things at uni societies. then once you have done it becoming what you once feared.

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Following the sofa idea, Kate had the idea of making each sofa represent a month, so each frame would have something to represent that month to really show the passing of time. Could definitely be something to explore.

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Just super silly and fun to look at.

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A natural born storyteller, illustrator Nina Izycka is making organic images in her signature soft, inky style with the motivation to "awaken sensitivity and empathy". Largely focused on the natural world, the artist's illustrated plants, characters and creatures are all part of a colourful visual landscape that's symbolic of her hopes to "convey the ideals of respect and support between people, animals and nature". They are also a way to capture all the characters, (big or small), that she meets along the way.

When speaking about what influences her style and the warm sense of childlike wonder in her work, she says: "I am inspired by the everyday, social, cultural and emotional world. I am passionate about folk art from different cultures, art brut, the handicrafts movement and medieval art. My big influence though is the Soviet and Polish-Socialist era of poster and children's book illustration."

Passionate about all things natural and physical, each of Nina's works is either hand painted with gouache or watercolour, or shaped by coloured pencils and manual printing techniques. "I experiment a lot in my work," she says. "I use flat colours and collage elements as well as cut-outs [...] I am often combining traditional and digital techniques." For the artist, both Risograph and screen print have become integral for translating the handcrafted look and feel of her illustration style into print when making her self-published artist books and zines. Constantly rethinking her creative process anew and trying different techniques for her world building, the artist shares: "The process always gives me a lot of joy and energy. Creating is fun and full of constant discovery for me."

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Nina Izycka's inky catalogue of characters holds quiet messages for harmony with the natural world

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The Barcelona-based visual artist is transforming reality into blotchy collaged forms that merge medieval and folkloric inspirations.

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Grand Matter's yearly professional development programme for artists at the beginning of their career looking to take the next step.

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First established in 1972, the V&A's competition is defined by a focus on the British illustration industry, celebrating artwork made for the UK market by artists from across the globe as well as artwork made by illustrators living the UK. We are excited to announce some changes in our categories to evolve the Awards further for 2024.

The Awards are generously supported by The Linder Foundation and the Moira Gemmill Memorial fund.

For the 2024 V&A Illustration Awards we are welcoming entries for four published categories and one for emerging unpublished illustrators:

Adult Fiction

Adult Non-Fiction

Advertising and Commercial

Illustration for Children

Emerging Illustrator

See our Terms and conditions for detail on the types of illustration included in each category.

There is no set brief for any of our Awards. They are open to illustrators aged 18 or above on 31 August 2023 and working in any media. The 2024 Awards judge work created (by emerging illustrators) or published in the period between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2023.

Our four published categories are open to illustrators resident in the UK, and international illustrators working for UK clients.

The Emerging Illustrator category is open to students attending courses at UK universities in 2022 or 2023 and emerging illustrators resident in the UK who are yet to be commercially published or commissioned.

There is a winner and runner-up in each category. The five category winners each receive £3,000 and five runners-up receive £750.

An overall winner is named the Moira Gemmill Illustrator of the Year and receives an additional £5,000, with their artwork entering the V&A's collection.

Selected artwork from each of the winners and runners-up will feature in a display held at V&A South Kensington.

Judging will take place January to March 2024 and shortlisted illustrators will be revealed on this page. Winners will be announced at the V&A South Kensington in September 2024 when the display of winners' work opens.

Entry to the V&A Illustration Awards is online only via our competition platform. Deadline for entry is 23:59 GMT on 5 January 2024.

Please read our Terms and conditions before submitting work to the competition.

These are the terms and conditions covering entry to all categories of the 2024 V&A Illustration Awards.

If you have more questions about the V&A Illustration Awards and how to apply, please consult our frequently asked questions.

The V&A has been running an illustration competition since 1972 when the Francis Williams Awards were presented for the best illustrated books. In 2004 new categories were introduced for Book Cover Design and for Editorial Illustration, covering illustration in newspapers, magazines and comics. The student category was created in 2005, with a runner-up prize introduced in 2009.

For the 2024 Awards a new category Advertising & Commercial has been introduced. We have realigned other categories to create Adult Fiction, Adult Non-Fiction and Illustration for Children. The student category has now expanded to become Emerging Illustrator.

View a selection of winning works from 1972 - present

The V&A Illustration Awards blog brings you the latest updates throughout the year including the shortlist and winner announcements. You can also hear from our previous winners and receive words of advice from former judges.

The Awards are generously supported by The Linder Foundation and the Moira Gemmill Memorial fund.

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The V&A Illustration Awards is the UK's most prestigious annual illustration competition recognising the very best in book, editorial and student illustration.

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Job roles in book cover design and production

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Dreaming of a role in book creation, but unsure where your skills fit in? What’s the difference between a junior designer and designer, and what is a picture editor? Here, our design and production teams answer all your questions, with insights on their day to day work, responsibilities, and what skills they think are most […]

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Post Wave Children’s Books - UK | Read, Dream, Discover

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Publishing with creativity, originality and passion – for children all over the world.

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“Das Kind und die Katze” текст: Ingrid Bacher, илл.: Rotraut Susanne Berner

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хочу поделиться с вами одной замечательной книгой отличнейшие иллюстрации, печать в 5 красок и загадочная история правда, она на немецком и я не совсем разобрала, что там случилось (если кто-нибудь знает, поделитесь, пожалуйста!) итак, начинаем:

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The university said it was determined to "prevent events like this one, which took place a number of years ago, from being repeated".

It also said it did not accept that poor student behaviour could be passed off as "just tradition", as claimed in the newspaper article.

West Mercia Police said it had "carried out a detailed and thorough investigation into allegations of abuse involving students at Harper Adams University between February and December 2022".

It said that during its investigation, an "experienced detective" worked closely with the university's safeguarding officer, the local safer neighbourhood team and a licensing officer to investigate the claims.

But the force said there was insufficient evidence to prove any criminal offences had taken place.

It said: "We take all reports of physical and sexual abuse incredibly seriously and will always pursue all lines of inquiry to ensure those responsible are brought to justice, regardless of when the offences took place."

The force also said it encouraged the victims of any sexual offence to come forward and speak to officers, even if the offences happened a number of years ago.

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Harper Adams University 'initiation rituals' investigated

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Harper Adams University responds to claims of sexual and physical abuse in rugby initiations.

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UK University Initiations Are Getting More and More Extreme

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Two students have died in recent years because of initiation rituals.

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Dead rats and live goldfish: Inside the worst university initiation scandals of all time

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Students who take part in toxic initiations could be jailed for torture

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I just love the composition of this illustration, super fun textures and colour palette.

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For the live brief I have found a client that wants a Magazine front cover made.

The client likes the aesthtic of the Broom Magazine.

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The magazine is about giving a space for creatives to show their work so I think a design similar to this could work really well, highlighting the people behind the scenes.

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This image just screams playfulness and creativity. Something the magazine sheds light on.

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I just love the 'pow!' elements of the title of thus poster, I really want to try and test something with my magazine cover, it is just wonderfully unique.

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The linework on this is just super fun, and pairs really well with the bursts of misplaced and jumbled up colour.