World Illustration Awards 2017 announces winners

The winners for the World Illustration Awards 2017 have been announced, naming Italian illustrator Marco Palena as Overall New Talent winner.

The awards are organised by the Association of Illustrators (AOI), and held annually. It is currently in its 41st year.

Winning entries were revealed at London’s Somerset House this week, which is currently hosting an exhibition showcasing the full shortlist.

These were spread across eight categories including advertising, books, children’s books, design, editorial, research, self-initiated and site specific.

Palena wins for his piece Librerie in Fiore 2016 (Bookshops in Blossom 2016), which is an ode to Bookshops in Blossom, an annual celebration of books and culture in Italy.

According to the AOI, the illustration “captures the sensation of being completely immersed in a book”.

Dutch illustrator Aart-Jan Venema won Overall Professional Award with his illustration created to promote Green Man Festival, which features a series of imagined creatures and plants.

The AOI says his work “reflected the spirit of the festival and the inquisitive nature of the people attending the event”.

Other winners include Bethan Woollvin for her red, black and white illustrations for refined fairy tale book Little Red, Claudine O’Sullivan’s multi-coloured polar bear for an Apple campaign, and Tony Rodriquez’s interpretation of actor Bill Murray.

Winners were selected from a shortlist of 50 on show at the exhibition, which were picked from over 2,300 entries from 64 countries. The exhibition features work in the form of animations, posters, packaging, murals and book covers.

The World Illustration Awards 2017 Exhibition takes place until 28 August at Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA. Entry is free. For more info, head to Somerset House’s site.

Winners receive a trophy, a year’s membership to the AOI and a software package from Affinity Designer, which sponsored the Design category.

See the full list of winners below.