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Illustration graduate Jake Williams wins New Designer of the Year Award 2017

Illustrator Jake Williams, a recent graduate from Arts University Plymouth, has scooped the prestigious New Designer of the Year award at the 32nd edition of New Designers, an annual festival that recognises the best in emerging design talent.

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Three glass bottles with colourful labels displayed alongside Jake Williams' illustrated children's book and Colour Reef poster at New Designers exhibition

A panel of judges chose Jake for his fully-illustrated non-fiction children's book Resilient Reptiles, which focuses on how reptiles of the world have adapted to their environments to survive. They praised his "creative approach, style and ambition to tackle difficult subjects thoughtfully through the medium illustration".

Williams, originally from Christchurch in Dorset, now lives in central Plymouth, said: "Exhibiting at New Designers has been a really good experience in terms of showing my work to new people and making invaluable industry contacts. Winning the award, in particular, was mind-blowing and was unexpected. The level of interest in my children's book from publishers increased overnight after the award was announced.

Jake's shape-based vector illustration incorporates bold, vibrant colours in a balanced and considered manner. He draws inspiration from several different areas, from culture and nature to film, TV and science. His work focuses on a strong use of characters and concepts that come together to produce fresh and exciting work, often with multiple layers of communication. Here, we share snippets from his Resilient Reptiles book and some of his latest illustrations.

Jake Williams holds his illustrated children's book Resilient Reptiles, featuring turquoise foliage and a chameleon on the cover
A figure with raised arms holds a yellow shield decorated with black patterns, surrounded by layered green tropical leaves against a turquoise sky
Two spotted sea snakes swimming downwards through seagrass and coral in shades of teal, dark navy and coral red, illustrated in Jake Williams' distinctive vector style
Illustrated isometric map showing a winding river landscape with houses, trees, sports stadium, train and hot air balloon in muted greens and blues
Football teams in yellow and dark colours face off on a pitch with a ball and goal, illustrated in Jake Williams's bold vector style
Illustrated forest scene with bare trees, glowing string lights, a figure with a red bike, a cabin, and yellow robotic legs below, with Stranger Things logo in red neon text at bottom
Illustrated wetland scene with stylised crocodiles and alligators among lily pads, aquatic plants and reeds on a dark green background
Illustration of a farmer in a burgundy shirt and hat holding a pitchfork in a green field with a brown barn featuring solar panels on the roof in the distance
Two figures in red shirts stand either side of a globe enclosed in a glass cube, with one holding a smartphone and the other holding an "Out of Order" sign, illustrating the concept of Alien Economy
Person wearing a burgundy sleeveless top with a pendant necklace featuring an illustration of a figure sitting in a geometric glass shape
Two people seated at a table inside a large glass bottle, illustrated in muted mauve and peach tones with bold shapes and minimal details
Illustration featuring a bicycle surrounded by outdoor adventure items including a backpack, water bottle, binoculars, branches and foliage in muted tones
Colourful vector illustration featuring a man playing guitar, another man sitting on stacked books, hot air balloons, a red bicycle, pencils, binoculars and grass on a teal background
Illustrated Ice Age landscape with woolly mammoths, evergreen trees, snow-covered mountains and a human figure among frozen terrain and water
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