Brian won the “World Illustration Awards 2016” in the “Public Realm – Professional” category, for the piece he did for Cromford Mills/Derwent Valley Mills.
The Awards are organised by the Association of Illustrators & The Directory of Illustrators.
There were 2,200 entries from 66 countries this year, so a truly global competition.
His piece, commissioned by Interpretive Design company Tandem for Cromford Mills / Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Gateway Centre, depicts the global aspect of the 18th century cotton trade and shows the realities of the hard gruelling work faced by the people of the time.
In the illustration three international phases were merged:
- Slaves on a plantation in America pick the raw cotton
- Mill workers in England spin the thread
- Indian weavers at their looms then make the cloth.
Brian undertook research of costumes and the demanding working conditions endured at the time.
He worked with black Essdee Scraperboard and the sections of three separate images were pieced together in Photoshop, digitised and then blown up for the large scale wall.
The World Illustration Awards 2016 Exhibition is currently being held in Somerset House, London for August and then will tour for a year.
More info here: http://www.theaoi.com/awards/