The London Illustration Fair

Over the weekend The London Illustration Fair held their 'Summer Festival: Tropicana' at the Hoxton Arches, and since I was free on Saturday I made a last minute decision to visit (with my mum accompanying me) and I'm so glad we made the effort to go! The atmosphere was fantastic; the artist-led event was full of like-minded people of all ages, not to mention some incredibly talented creatives from selected illustration agencies, collectives, and print studios such as Handsome Frank, Brothers of the Stripe, and East London Printmakers.

The venue was alive with creativity! We were totally immersed in a vast array of gorgeous contemporary artwork and prints displayed at the exhibitor stands, but in addition there were 1-2-1 portfolio reviews, live mural painting, and screen printing. The energy was infectious and really inspiring!

The Summer Festival also saw the addition of a new print shop located at the back of the venue. I spent a lot of time (and could have easily spent an awful lot of money) thumbing through signed prints, greetings cards, and printed t-shirts available, as well as admiring the framed prints displayed on the walls. It's just unfortunate that I couldn't afford all the pieces of artwork I had my eye on! But I was lucky enough to come away with a greetings card and signed A3 print from the wonderful Sandra Dieckmann, an illustrator I've admired for a while now.

The LIF are holding another event in December, which I'm already looking forward to attending, and I recommend anyone with an interest in illustration to check it out. It's a unique opportunity to chat with artists and discover new talent from the contemporary illustration scene, and it has further fuelled my passion to pursue a career in this fast-paced, thrilling industry!