Tuesday 1 April 2014

Bologna Children's Book Fair 2014

This year, Bologna Children's Book Fair was special for me. I got to experience this huge event a year ago, but it was this year that I participated in the Cambridge School of Art stand. It took a lot of time to prepare for it, which included submitting two A2 portfolio sheets, an individual A3 portfolio, three dummy books for "Mysterious Book", business cards and the online portfolio. It was an extra work on top of the MA Diploma Project, but I'm glad I pushed myself as I'll know what to expect next year. I did some volunteering in the stand too, although it wasn't so busy on Wednesday morning. On the other three days, it was full of visitors, publishers and agents.

Dummy books of 78 current and graduate CSA students (you can see mine in the first photo)




Digital printmaking discussion with our three graduate students and the course leader


Bologna Ragazzi awards 




Brazilian illustration display




Exhibition of Italian illustrator Ugo Fontana




Illustrators Exhibition (you can find the selected artists here)




Promotion wall with one of my A3 posters (made four different designs)


Meeting with celebrated picture book artist Oliver Jeffers


The new bookstore in the fair



It was exhausting to stay for all four days in the fair, but I spent some lovely time in Bologna with my course-mates and my sister, brought back some beautiful books and memories.