Bright Colour & Brighter Ideas
Ollie Hirst
Award-winning Conceptual Illustrator & Mentor / Bionic Man | Translating Sci/Health/Tech into vivid human stories | Repped worldwide by Making Pictures | Forbes 30U30 Europe 2024 Candidate | olliehirst.co.uk
Hey! Happy Friday! Longtime no see!
Life has been busy with everything but work recently, for a change, but I thought as I'm in recovery from surgery, now would be a good time to give you all a lil update and stave off the cabin fever!
Swapping my pencil for a scalpel
The last few weeks have been a bit chaotic, as I had to have my heart pacemaker replaced. To cut a long story short (sorry for the terrible pun), pre op tests discovered my single chamber pacemaker set up is no longer able to support my heart, so after further tests, chest CT scan and heart echo, we decided to rewire my heart with two new leads! Will this give me twice the superpower? I dunno… but it’s best for my heart health ???This is my fifth pacemaker & not my first rodeo ??
It was a more complex procedure with considerable risks, but my incredible cardiology team at LHCH who with surgery rearranging last minute and a chain of urgent appointments, have been nothing short of bloody brilliant. I’m very fortunate.
I have my fingers crossed for a smooth recovery and I’m looking forward to get back doing what I love very soon! ????
????Biventricular life! ????
Mentoring
It’s The #AOIMentorship 2024 time! We are worldwide again thanks to the hard work of the The Association of Illustrators team!
…So It’s my massive privilege once more to introduce my brilliant 2024 mentee Carlos Toro !
???? Carlos is a Latino illustrator based in Concepción, southern Chile, with a fascinating background - a degree in engineering & science, specialising in “computer vision” and the role technology plays in our society. Exploring photography, he discovered Illustration, developing his creative voice.
?? Carlos is the current Lancet HIV cover artist after a pitch win. Trust me when I say if there’s someone who gets what this demands of you, I’m your boy, after working on 36 Lancet cover briefs in a row!!
Sarah, Rachel & Natasha at the AOI approached me with Carlos as my proposed match and it was a complete no brainer. I feel like this will be a relationship where we both benefit greatly from each other. Carlos’ work has huuuuuge potential and I feel very fortunate to be the person trusted to help him on his journey ??
ADs, commissioners, producers, agents and fellow illustrators, please join Carlos as he grows his portfolio with me through speculative editorial and commercial briefs.
Awards
World Illustration Awards 2024
The Professional “Science & Technology” category Longlist at The World Illustration Awards is live and for the second year running, I’m beaming to share I’m on it!!
500 projects, selected from over 5000+ entries across the planet! Wow! ??
My Weill Cornell Medicine “Discovery” series shares 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 ????
As an illustrator and lifelong patient with a passion for making topics on the science, tech and health spectrum more accessible and engaging, I’m made up!! ?? Getting a Shortlist in this category last year and a Cross-category WIA Award was a real career milestone for me. I’m proud of this work and personally, I think it’s some of my strongest, combining concept, idea and craft on hot topics in health and medicine. So I’m hoping that this year, maybe I can go all the way… ????
We'll see!
领英推荐
Feeling stuck?
I've spoken to a lot of emerging illustrators recently who are feeling overwhelmed with the ongoing industry assault of AI integration as well as the constant alarming conversations happening across the creative industries, budget slashes and lay offs left, right and centre. While concerning, it's just noise that I'd recommend you try to not drown in. It's much more useful to focus on your own work and what you can offer that sets you apart.
One missing ingredient most emerging illustrators need (that usually comes from time and experience) is strategy.
A great way you can practise this is the next time you're making a portfolio project or a personal work, try and root it in the real world and reinterpret something else that already exists. This gives your work context and shows an art director you understand the qualities your own work has to identify where it will sing and make an impact!
The sky is the limit! ...but here are a few ideas to get you started:
If you do attempt some speculative work, please show me, and more importantly, share it with your network! This is crucial! Speculative work only becomes strategic when it has a purpose. Send it to an art director/producer/creative at the publication/agency/brand you've reinterpreted content from.
This is a highly competitive industry and proactive "balls" can be rewarded if you take the time to think things through a bit.
What have I been enjoying?
Life as a freelance illustrator can often be very busy, so as and when I do get some free time, I like to spend it doing things I enjoy.
TopSpin 2K25
Before drawing, one of my first loves was Tennis. Having a pacemaker forbids me from playing any kind of contact sport on health grounds, so as a kid, I naturally gravitated towards the yellow ball instead! 2K's latest Topspin 2K25 is a great way to dive back into the game for me, as more of a spectator these days.
Challenging but very fun!
Things to come...
Obviously my health takes priority at the moment and I'm focusing on recovery, but I'm hoping to be back at my desk in the next few weeks with some new work to share!
More from me
Cheers for reading!
As always, check out my website to see my latest work and my full online portfolio.????Get in touch: olliehirst.co.uk
See you sometime soon for the next one!
Ollie
? Ollie Hirst. All Rights Reserved.
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