The World Illustration Awards, organized by the Association of Illustrators (AOI) and the Directory of Illustration (DI), announced the entries shortlisted for the 2019 awards earlier this week. Among the shortlisted works are two by graphic designer Mike Karolos, who entered with covers he designed for Greece Is magazine in 2018: Greece Is Athens Summer 2018 and Greece Is Dodecanese 2018.
“I wanted to make a composition, in my style, that tells the story and paints the big picture of what each place is about,” said Karolos, who has worked for 10 years in the graphic design field, and is known for his particular geometric pop-art style.
“I first decided on what those aspects would be, consulting with the people over at Greece Is, and then started illustrating and putting the pieces together so that there would be a flow and harmony to the illustration as a whole. This way, everything is connected throughout the illustration, even though realistically the sizes and positioning of many elements are not accurate. In a way it’s like a collage.”
Presented in eight categories (Advertising, Books, Children’s Books, Design, Editorial, Experimental, Research & Site Specific), the World Illustration Awards are one of the most prestigious illustration awards worldwide, and the winners receive international recognition along with their cash prizes. Karolos has been nominated in the Editorial category.
Nominees are also eligible for the “Overall Professional Winner” title which comes with a £2000 prize. In order to win it, Karolos has to beat out the other 36 shortlisted artists in his category, as well as the final winners in the other categories. Other prizes include marketing packages from the AOI, the DI and the Society of Artists Agents.
The judges in the Editorial category are the former Daily Telegraph Art Director Simon Khalil, illustrator Leyla Reynolds, and Pictoline media company founder Eduardo Salles.
An exhibition featuring all of the shortlisted entries will be on display at Somerset House in London on July 11-28. The shortlisted entries will also be printed in a full colour catalogue, distributed to over 1,300 commissioners worldwide.
