Bright Colour & Brighter Ideas

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I wanted to use this first newsletter as a way of sharing some of my favourite work I've been a part of across this year. It's been one of my best creatively, but not without its challenges of course. Thankyou so much to everyone who continues to support me! I never take it for granted and it's a pleasure to contribute my voice to your projects.

Best of 2023

The Lancet

Cover illustrations for world-leading medical journal The Lancet.

Following my time illustrating for Diabetes & Endocrinology, I was offered the role of cover artist at Haematology, pairing idea-led illustration with leading research in haematology (the study of blood). This was a real challenge with way more clinical briefs than previously, but another great opportunity to showcase how my approach can help dilute complex scientific research into engaging, communicative illustration with a human touch.

A real highlight of this series for me was being asked to illustrate a special global issue on Sickle Cell Disease. My illustration helped the Lancet connect with patient advocates and health professionals in the Sickle Cell Disease community across Western Africa and Latin America, championing strategies to improve treatment outcomes and giving people access to the care they need. Those are special experiences that mainstream illustration just will never give you. Incredibly proud to be a part of that.

Huge thanks to Lan-Lan, Yaiza and Emma for our collaboration this year.

See the full project

BBC Science Focus

Cover illustration for the Dec 2023 issue of BBC Science Focus for a lead feature by scientist, writer and presenter Andrew Steele.

“A Blueprint for Anti-Ageing”

The simple science-backed changes that could help slow, stop and maybe even reverse the sands of time. Playing with an upside down hourglass moving in the wrong direction. The feature touches on biological age, hygiene, year-round UV exposure risk, diet, sleep, super drugs vs supplements & more.

Thanks to Sam at Immediate Media Co!

See the full project

Weill Cornell Medicine

Commissioned as part of Weill Cornell Medicine's "Discovery" series, sharing cutting-edge developments in health and medicine. Subjects included a new breakthrough male contraceptive pill, targeting stomach cells to treat diabetes and how a fluorescent protein in jellyfish has helped us understand human DNA.

Thanks to the team at Skelton Sprouls and WCM

See the full project

Awards

I've been fortunate enough to see my work recognised across the industry this year too which has been really rewarding. Thanks to all the juries and competitions that recognised my work. Here's some personal highlights.

World Illustration Awards 2023

My 2022 Diabetes & Endocrinology series picked up a 2023 Cross-Category World Illustration Award!! My entry was named the best AOI Member entry across 5000+ submissions in 10 categories, worldwide! Wow!

Northern Enterprise Awards 2023

I have been named "Best Conceptual Illustrator" in the Northern Enterprise Awards 2023, celebrating small to medium businesses in the North!! As a small town working class boy, this means a lot to me!

Shortlists

Alongside wins, I also saw a number of projects shortlisted across professional shows like Art Directors Club and Communication Arts in the US and D&AD here in the UK!

Mentoring

As you may have seen and heard, this year I've had the pleasure of being a pro mentor on?The Association of Illustrators mentorship programme?and I'd love to introduce you to my mentee I have been working closely with over the Spring/Summer...

So please meet the brilliant?Simbie Yau, based in Malaysia!

You can read a bit more about our time together?here

Simbie has a really engaging visual style, paired with solid metaphors and ideas. During our mentorship, I challenged Simbie to work speculatively using real-world content and she absolutely knocked it out of the park.

Take a look for yourself below!

Lecture & Workshop

I also had the pleasure of being invited back to my old uni course at Norwich University of the Arts, where I too began studying ten years ago now!

Following on from my visit last year, we started with a lecture on my work, moving into a conceptual ideation workshop triggered by live client briefs across the science, health & tech spectrum that I brought with me to use as the basis for the workshop - biology, medicine, climate change and space - and all real briefs I have been commissioned for myself. The focus being on coming up with great ideas you can review and develop a final concept from (and quickly)??

Round of applause for these students for diving in head first (and understanding my northern accent for 3 hours) in what is quite frankly a daunting ask ???? I know first hand how when you’re a student it’s much easier to stay in your comfort zone and get wrapped up in your own projects, but I believe having commercial awareness and experience of live briefs at this stage in your journey can be really pivotal. I’ve already had some feedback from students saying how much they have enjoyed tackling something challenging and having the opportunity to have a safe space to ask questions ???

Massive thankyou to Gill, Glyn and the rest of the illustration course team for giving me the opportunity to come back again, now for the second year in a row.

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??Click here for a mini 2023 roundup reel I made??

Thanks for reading!

If your business/brand/publication needs a regular illustration contribution in 2024, please let me know! I will now have availability and would love to help. Bonus points for those in science, health, medicine or social good ??

????Get in touch: olliehirst.co.uk

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and see you in 2024 with another instalment soon!

Ollie

? Ollie Hirst. All Rights Reserved.

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