A London Story

The London Transport Museum have been using Anne Wilson's city inspired image to advertise the lead up to the Serco Prize for illustration 2014.
The theme for this year's competition is 'London Stories' with the winners announced mid February and the start of the exhibition based on the theme. Anne will also be running a workshop at the exhibition in the Transport Museum on the evening of the 14th February as part of the opening, which will include "a bar and DJ and storytelling for adults on board some of the heritage vehicles; a chance to illustrate your own London Story with short illustration workshops, and to strike a pose in a photo-booth with a choice of props". See the AOI website for more information.

Anne Wilson in Mac User

Anne's feature in Mac User

a selection of Anne's art used in the article

January's edition of Mac User Magazine features an article on the wonderful Anne Wilson. Experiencing the industry in times before our digital world, Anne talks of the changes, her illustration education and inspirations with some sound advice; " just do what you do".

The article:
I have been practicing as an illustrator for the past 15 years or so...the time seems to have flown past so fast at an unbelievable rate. During this time the technology I've experienced has evolved tremendously. One of my very first commissions for example was completed through to the finals stage using a fax machine! Email now is second nature, and the format now in which discussions on projects tend to take place in the main, to the point where now I cannot remember the first time I began using email! It has always been a highly competitive industry and unless, for the most part, illustrators keep an eye on the technology available to them and embrace it in their working practice, those around will most likely have the upper hand.
I love the global feel of the industry, now more apparent than ever. Often I get work via the USA and recently I have completed a few jobs for various clients in Korea. The days of hiking around London with my portfolio focusing in the main on UK based clients, has passed and evolved into an exciting mix of cultures, opportunities and inspiration on a world wide basis.
On the one hand there seems to be a constant barrage of fightingly good illustrators graduating and entering the industry today, bright eyed, fast paced and full of imagination, which is both wonderful and overwhelming for me. But on the other hand it provides a pool of fantastic inspiration which serves to keep me well on my toes year after year. As this career tends to be a rather solitary one, the reality of the competition for commissions is important, a good reason I feel to take the time and energy to enter industry led competitions when ever possible. They serve as a good tool to sharpen your creative processes and a bench mark for where you are at within the illustration world.
New creatives are certainly one source of inspiration. More and more creative collectives are appearing such as the illustrator led groups of Ohh Deer and No Brow, but global culture in the main endlessly fascinates me, from intricate details, patterns, textures, colours and beliefs people possess and live their lives by.
What would I be lost without? Well the traditional side of me would undoubtedly opt for my Swan Morton scalpel, with blade 10a, and the current side of me would say my Wacom drawing tablet and pen (teamed up with my Mac and Photoshop.) I think it is important to embrace both sides, to pick up a pencil, or my dip pen and ink and commit to a drawing, or make marks with mono prints and any other mixed media I might care to throw at a surface in the moment. Neither are seen as a separate entity and when the two working methods are brought together, exciting things evolve from their meeting. I enjoy the physical process of colour mixing and mark making according to what might be suitable for the project I am working on. These results then get scanned and imported into Photoshop to create a final image. Increasingly it is my Wacom pen and eraser tool which becomes my scalpel.
I certainly don't even pretend to be remotely wise, but if I had a little wisdom to share, I would say keep it all positive, be 'can do' in your communications with clients and get plenty of fresh air!
I have always felt compelled to draw and create something on paper or whatever comes to hand. I loved picture books as a child and as my reading progressed I would still look for the pictures! I think since school I had in my mind that creating pictures to tell a story or describe something was what I wanted to aim for, just to see if maybe I could give it a go, and maybe I might be able to keep doing it, and just maybe, if that happened I could make it my job! The funny thing is, that I still don't feel I have a 'job', so in an obscure sort of way that makes me a very lucky person!
So I progressed as follows; school, (start drawing) A levels, (keep drawing) Art Foundation course, (more drawing) Degree - BA Honours at Bath, (definitely some drawing here) and then I went to do an MA in Communication Design at St Martins College of Art in London a few years ago, where I was lucky enough to get a Distinction, (masses of drawing stuff went on here!) There was no other obvious career paths for me, in my mind it was simple, I love drawing and creating images, so all I have to do it keep creating and I felt that one day I would become a professional creative of some sort - illustration fitted the bill nicely.
Some of my favourite projects have been children's picture books, I have completed several for Barefoot Books, but other recent clients include The London Transport Museum, The Independent On Sunday, The BBC, Mojo Magazine, Francis Lincon, Feast Creative, Beam, Crocodile Creek and Save the Children.
So that's me in brief! I would add though that one thing I have learnt through time, frustration, joy and the general madness my creative world involves, is that you can over think things to the point where you just can't see...my answer, is to take a deep breath...and just do what you do.

Reading Is Fundamental

Anne Wilson has received the wonderful news that one of her children’s books has been chosen by the RIF (Reading Is Fundamental) organisation to be part of the Macy's Multicultural Collection of Children’s Literature 2012-2013. 40 titles were chosen for RIF to distribute to schools and other organisations across America with a focus on reaching at-risk and underserved children. Anne says "There were 800 books looked at and my book 'We're Roaming In The Rainforest' (written by Laurie Krebs) was selected! It's a lovely pat on the back to know your work is out there benefitting children."

Face In The Crowd

 

Anne Wilson’s entry for this year’s Serco Prize is an eye catching illustration. Face in The Crowd is a stunning piece of poster art on the theme 'Secret London'.

Anne, who won the award last year, saw her piece used as a poster on the Transport for London services aswell as receiving a cash sum.

The Serco Prize for Illustration is a competition organised by London Transport Museum, in partnership with the Association of Illustrators, the top 50 entries have been selected for this year’s exhibition, which will take place at the London Transport Museum opening on Tuesday 13th November and run until Monday 10th December 2012. The 3 winners will also be announced later in the year.

Anne Wilson in Digital Arts Magazine

photo by Russell Cobb

Our GOLD Serco Award Winner Anne Wilson continues to celebrate the very deserved award. Her latest piece of exposure is an interview with Digital Arts Magazine, about the award and Anne's reaction to her win. Have a read.

Anne Wilson - SERCO Award Winner

photo by Russell Cobb

We give a huge round of applause to Anne Wilson, winner of the Serco Prize for Illustration.

Anne’s ‘Winding Through The City’ beat 400 entries for the competition, 50 of which are on show at the London Transport Museum until June 3rd. The brief was to show the Thames as a diverse and exciting place for Londoners and visitors. The winning image is to be reproduced as posters to be used around the transport network and also sold at the London Transport museum shop. Photo of Anne by Russell Cobb.

Storytime With Anne

'Storytime First Tales for Sharing' is full of beautiful illustrations created by our very own Anne Wilson. She has become the Queen of Children’s Book illustrators and has already been commissioned to do another by the same publisher; Emma Parkin at Barefoot books. It’s a collection of 7 traditional tales such as 'The Gingerbread Man' and designed to be read by very young children

Anne Wilson's Scrapbook

Anne Wilson shares her passion for children's books and the influences that shape her special style of illustration.
Anne Wilson's Scrapbook
Anne Wilson's non-kids portfolio

Jungle Fever

Bringing the rainforest alive with these delightfully friendly illustrations is Anne Wilson’s latest children’s book entitled “We’re Roaming in the Rainforest: An Amazon Adventure”.

Illustrated for Barefoot Books the story introduces children to the wonderful creatures of the rainforest, starting at sun rise we follow the journey of three children through the forest and the creatures they encounter. The adventure doesn’t stop there with an abundance of additional easy to digest information at the back.

Anne Wilson Illustrates Campaign Appeal

Anne Wilson's delightful illustration work has been put to worthwhile use in a mailer for Save The Children's newest appeal. The Liberian Children Appeal aims to raise funds to help provide for healthcare for a number of easily-treatable diseases like dysentery, measles and pneumonia. Anne's illustrations bring the perfect visual element to the campaign.