illustration

Hawthorne & Heaney on the World Illustration Awards 2019

July 15, 2019 by Natasha Searls-Punter

The Association of Illustrators (AOI) have partnered with the Directory of Illustration to bring another year of the World Illustration Awards. With over 3,600 entries, the judges have whittled them down to the final shortlisted 200, showcasing some amazing and diverse up and coming talent. The show has been held annually, in various forms for over 40 years now. Categories range from children’s books to experimental designs.

Full of clever, quirky designs and powerful messages. Important and popular themes such feminism, gender equality, environmental change and the power of technology were all covered throughout the art shown. As well as a broad range of subject matter and mediums, with works in graphics, embroidery and even plasticine!

If These Walls Could Talk by Astrid Jaekel, 2019.

One of my favourite pieces, shown below, Karolina Miękisz has focused her work based on a New York Times article “CSI: Earth” by Gavin Schmidt, where the idea that fingerprints can be traced to find out who and what is responsible for climate change. In the small but effective little artwork, the image slowly moves to show the finger prints moving and spreading into the sky, like smoke out of a factory chimney. Hopefully this gets more of us thinking about our own environmental fingerprints and encourage us to do something to reduce them and help tackle the huge problem of climate change.

Who is to blame? By Emilia Karolina Miękisz, 2019.

Modified Man by Tim Easley, 2019.

Tim Easley’s brief was to design an album cover for the band Modified Man. Taking into account the bands electronic sound, his vision to create a circuit board visual has come to life. Using plasticine and hand techniques to create the intricate work, piece by piece of plasticine layers, the overall effect looks quite something. A really original way of creating this circuit board pattern, Easley shows there are other ways to take illustration.

(Left) Stand design for Freda at Stylist Live by Hazel Mead, 2019. (Right) Alphabets: Phenomenal Women by Elen Winata, 2019.

Gender equality and the promoting of female empowerment were other strong themes within this years exhibition. I was especially drawn to these two based on the bright colours, cool layout and little female icons covering both. In Stand for Freda, the message ‘Period products for all.’ as one of the many slogans within promoting a no shame policy when it comes down to the topic of periods and that free sanitary products should be a basic human right.

Alphabets: Phenomenal Women, show a different branch to female empowerment through capturing our most famous and treasured female icons through time in these fun, stylistic illustrations. The idea that this could educate and teach girls to look up to these kind of role models and inspire them to achieve greatness.

Under the Skin of Endangered Animals by Under the Skin (Duo, Ed and James Harrison), 2019.

Of course, in the current state of the world, issues of the environment, ocean plastics and our endangered species have been another strong topic I’ve seen. Duo Ed and James Harrison are brothers and have teamed as designers to make ‘Under The Skin’, who donate 20% of print sales to charities that specifically work to protect the animal within the print.

Under a UV light, the beautiful animal illustrations show the inner skeleton of the animal is seen, “all that remains if a species falls into the darkness of extinction”. This thought provoking and clever way of incorporating design, activism and unusual materials is a fun way of getting across a strong message and a lot of people stopped to have a go with the UV torch!

Overall, the finalists this year have impressed me. A range of entertaining, interesting and thoughtful works. An exciting exhibition and one to definitely have a visit too.

All images from:

Association of Illustrations, World Illustration Awards 2019: https://theaoi.com/world-illustration-awards/

By Abi Tominey-Smith

Hawthorne & Heaney for Luke Edward Hall

September 14, 2018 by Natasha Searls-Punter

This summer, we were lucky enough to be approach by the artist and interior designer; Luke Edward Hall in preparation for the opening of his summer shop in Belgravia.

Illustration by Luke Edward Hall

He wanted to have two chairs embroidered with one of his designs, so we took his illustration (above) and created it as an embroidery which he then had made into these two gorgeous pieces.

Stitched out on the green canvas, I think you will agree the chairs reflect the illustration very well and fit in with his ‘Greco-Disco’ style. The fabric was then made up by HOWE at 36 Bourne Street to result in the finished pieces. We just love it when a collaborative effort come out this strongly.

Hawthorne & Heaney on Embroidery in Illustration – Lica Tang

April 1, 2016 by Claire Sarah Barrett

Lica Tang‘s work is a clever combination of organic inspiration and digital media coming together to create an original and modern aesthetic. During her time studying an MA in textile design at Chelsea College of Art and Design, Tang produced a collection inspired by “Animals and Nature” but by using digital media and CAD production techniques, subverts this seemingly ordinary beginning point into a striking and visually subverted mini collection as the showpiece of her degree.

Hawthorne & Heaney and ‘The Tailor of Gloucester’ Waistcoat

November 26, 2015 by Natasha Searls-Punter

Most people will be familiar with the endearing Beatrix Potter story of ‘The Tailor of Gloucester’ but one man is taking his interest further and having his own version of the Mayor’s waistcoat made. Under the meticulous cutting skills of the Henry Poole tailors and with a little help from ourselves on the embroidery, his interest will soon be a reality.

‘One bitter cold day near Christmas-time the tailor began to make a coat- a coat of cherry-coloured corded silk embroidered pansies and roses, and a cream coloured satin waistcoat- trimmed with gauze and green worsted chenille- for the Mayor of Gloucester.’

Much like the mice in the story, we have been busily working away on this project, translating the illustrations from the book into a draft, to be read as embroidery.

Using a combination of silk and chenille, the pieces have been embroidered as per the drafts to create a acurate interpretation of the images in the story. The heavier flower motifs sit around the edge of the pattern, whilst the centre is filled with a trellis like design.

All the details have been taken into consideration, such is the level of commitment to the precision of this piece. For example the buttons which you can see being embroidered below, these unlike the buttonholes, are not described in the story or illustrations so we had to provide a little creative licence on what they might have looked like. They are all lined up so that they can all be worked on simulaniouly to ensure consistency. For each set of buttons, each colour is worked through that part of all the buttons before moving onto the next.

This has been a really exciting and challenging project to work on as it is so well know, and with that comes a big responsibility to do it justice, but we are really pleased with the results so far and can’t wait to see it all made up.

But upon the table- oh joy! the tailor gave a shout- there, where he had left plain cuttings of silk- there lay the most beautifullest coat and embroidered satin waistcoat that ever were worn by a Mayor of Gloucester. There were roses and pansies upon the facings of the coat; and the waistcoat was worked with poppies and cornflowers.

Everything was finished except just one single cherry-coloured button-hole, and where that button-hole was wanting there was pinned a scrap of paper with these words- in little teeny weeny writing- ”No more twist”.’