Sherlock Holmes book illustration for the House of Illustration and Folio Society Competition

Every year House of Illustration in the U.K. and The Folio Society arrange an illustration competition to illustrate a book cover and three interior illustrations.

This year I was delighted to hear that the book to illustrate was a new edition of three selected works by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – Sherlock Holmes.

Today 24 entries were selected to the longlist and although my illustrations were not selected I really enjoyed reading Sir illustrative texts, interpret them and translating the words into illustrations. You can see the longlisted entries here: 

Here is one of my illustrations and the text I had to work with was: ” Upper Swandam Lane is a vile alley lurking behind the high wharves which line the north side of the river to the east of London Bridge.”