Understanding (detail) by Samantha Briggs, Camberwell College of Art

Following on from my post on some of the best photography we'd seen at the recent graduate degree shows, we've now picked some of our favourite pieces of work shown by illustrators. As you'll see, there were a huge range of techniques and styles on show, not to mention big differences in scale: from Sawa Tanaka's delicate rice paper prints, to Samantha Briggs' enormous drawn installation at Camberwell College of Arts. Shown above is a detail from Briggs' piece, Understanding, an axonometric drawing examining the atmosphere and familiarity of structured space (a supermarket), which took up an entire wall at the college.

Understanding by Samantha Briggs (artist pictured), Camberwell College of Art

Dean Yongwattananun, a graphic design BA graduate from Central Saint Martins based these illustrations on personal experiences. The Rake series apparently illustrates "feelings of surprise, happiness, greed and obstruction" with the symbolic value of the "blue box" open to interpretation.

From Rake by Dean Yongwattananun, Central Saint Martins

From Rake by Dean Yongwattananun, Central Saint Martins

Dream by Dean Yongwattananun, Central Saint Martins

Caspar Williamson's comic book sensibilities helped inform his striking poster and album sleeve work for band Prego's release Cause & Resolve. "The idea behind the imagery for the project comes from a song of the same name and its lyrical content and theme," says Williamson. "When briefed by the band to produce a full band identity to support their debut single – spanning from t-shirts and stickers through to vinyl 7" records and digipak CDs – they told me they wanted a feeling of continuity that reflected the songs meaning: that of rectifying life's mistakes in your dreams, only to wake up and in reality your problems are still there..."

Church poster by Caspar Williamson, Camberwell College of Art

Ladder poster by Caspar Williamson, Camberwell College of Art

"...This led me to look into themes of twilight, nightmare and escapism, through which I developed the imagery used for the bands apparel, records and posters. Strong and focused colour palletes and handmade techniques, such as relief press embossing, traditional letterpress and silkscreen printing where all key in the process of my final pieces."

Stilts poster by Caspar Williamson, Camberwell College of Art

Stilts poster (detail) by Caspar Williamson, Camberwell College of Art

Nick Mott, a graduate from University College Falmouth, employs an unusual working method in producing his illustrations. "About nine months ago I stumbled upon my current way of rendering images," he explains. "These images may look more digital than they actually are: I construct my illustrations manually by way of cutting up and collaging manipulated photocopies. These photocopies are derived from drawings and textures which I produce and assemble, which I then drag, twist and turn manually through the photocopier.

Then when I am searching for a particular texture or collection of marks for a section of an illustration I am working on, I look through my stash of manipulated photocopies for the piece that will fit. I then cut out and collage these various pieces and build up by hand and with glue, the illustration."

Narrative illustration accompanying the Grimm's fairy tale, Rapunzel, (one of four
images) by Nick Mott, University College Falmouth

Book cover for William Golding's Lord of the Flies by Nick Mott, University
College Falmouth

"Each successive cut out piece is then drawn upon with black pencil," Mott continues. "These collage drawings are then scanned into a computer where I can subtly change areas of colour, or add text if applicable. This method still feels that it is in its infancy, and I look forward to seeing where it leads me. I feel that a world is being built up, created and added to with each successive illustration. I see no reason why commercialy viable illustration cannot also be intensly unique and authorial." Mott's work is now up on agency Eastwing's website at www.eastwing.co.uk.

Poster for Tom Thumb by Nick Mott, University College Falmouth

Editorial illustration for the Guardian Weekend magazine (Mind section) by Nick Mott,
University College Falmouth

Sawa Tanaka's charming screenprint illustrations of food on edible rice paper were exhibited at Central Saint Martins graphic design degree show. Yum.

Strawberry Daiquiri by Sawa Tanaka, Central Saint Martins

Soba by Sawa Tanaka, Central Saint Martins

Fish and Chips by Sawa Tanaka, Central Saint Martins

Lotte Bristow graduates from the illustration course at Camberwell College of Art. The following images, she says, "were part of an investigation into the omnipresent structure residing in worldwide mythologies. I was heavily influenced by the writings of Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung and the work takes a surrealist slant on the subject, exploring links between storytelling and psychology. These works are digital collages of hand painted elements, photography and computer rendering."

The Mentor by Lotte Bristow, Camberwell College of Art

Return with Elixir by Lotte Bristow, Camberwell College of Art

Call to Adventure by Lotte Bristow, Camberwell College of Art

Hamamah Hanifiah's deconstructed newspaper front pages really stood out at the London College of Communication degree show. Each page takes elements from a range of tabloid and broadsheet papers took create interesting, often more salacious, stories.

Tuesday by Hamamah Hanifiah, London College of Communication

Thursday by Hamamah Hanifiah, London College of Communication

Friday by Hamamah Hanifiah, London College of Communication

Elena Kalorkoti studied illlustration at Edinburgh College of Art and produced these book covers (two shown, below) for Nikolai Gogol's play, The Government Inspector. More of her work is at www.elenikalorkoti.com.

Illustration for The Government Inspector by Elena Kalorkoti, Edinburgh College of Art

Book cover for The Government Inspector by Elena Kalorkoti, Edinburgh College of Art

Book cover for The Government Inspector by Elena Kalorkoti, Edinburgh College of Art

Astrid Atihuta worked on a series of illustrations to Mick Jackson's book, Ten Sorry Tales, and exhibited the work (three shown, below) as part of her degree show at the London College of Communication.

From Ten Sorry Tales by Astrid Atihuta, London College of Communication

From Ten Sorry Tales by Astrid Atihuta, London College of Communication

From Ten Sorry Tales by Astrid Atihuta, London College of Communication

Check out the September issue of CR for the rest of our picks of the best degree show work (including a page of illustrators not featured here). Next up on the blog, some of our favourite pieces from the graphic design students.