A lover of all things crafty and illustrational, this free art fair was a welcoming rarity on a sunny day in central London.
If you’re anything like me, and need your daily fix of of all things illustration, graphic design and fine art, then you’re probably scouring the web at any chance you get.
But sometimes, you need to escape the daily grind of your Pinterest feed and explore what’s physically out there. And art fairs and galleries are the place to do it.
House of Illustration is a fantastic gallery that exhibits (you guessed it), illustrations!
House of Illustration is the UK’s only public gallery dedicated solely to illustration, with a creative programme of exhibitions, talks and events. Founded by Sir Quentin Blake and opened in July 2014 at the heart of the King’s Cross regeneration area, it is the place to see, learn about and enjoy illustration in all its forms; from advertisements to animation, picture books to political cartoons and scientific drawings to fashion design. A registered charity, House of Illustration identifies and promotes new illustration talent, commissions new work and has a pioneering illustrator-led education and outreach programme.
This year they played host to a one day only and free (yes FREE) illustration fair under the canopied yard next door to UAL. Full to the brim of talented, creative folk, there was a diverse range on offer including prints, ceramics, and hand-made books.
Teaming up with the London Artist Book Fair, there was an exciting and inspirational range of contemporary makers, and a stand-out for me was the micro library books. These, beyond cute, pocket-sized books are printed and handmade by the independent publishers. They have collaborated with writers, illustrators and photographers to create these beautiful miniature objects, and they have certainly given me a few ideas on how I can experiment with the sizing, printing and display of my books.
I’m looking forward to seeing what The London Illustration Fair has to offer at the end of the year at the Bargehouse on Southbank. But as that’s not for another few months, I will just have to savour every last drop of what I’ve seen from the Illustrators’ Summer fair, and continue the daily hunt for my next creative fix.
All images that feature in this post are copyright of the artists’.
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