Richard Johnson

  • University Teacher in Graphic Communication & Illustration
Publications

Richard is a practising illustrator and designer, his work has featured on various advertising campaigns, packaging designs and a multitude of editorial, magazine, newspaper and educational commissions. Clients include The BBC, Marks and Spencer, Cadbury, Harrods, The Times, Liberty of London, Aardman Animation and Scope.  

Specialising in narrative illustration with an emphasis on children’s book and sequential imagery, animation, story boarding and character design. He has illustrated over fifty-five publications, including commissions for Random House, Faber & Faber, Templar Publishing, Pan Macmillan, Bloomsbury, Usborne Publishing, Barefoot Books, Ladybird Books and Oxford University Press. 

Richard's latest wordless picture book, ‘Once Upon a Snowstorm' was shortlisted for the World Illustration Awards in 2018, exhibiting at Somerset House, London. The book has been nominated by IBBY for the 4th edition of The International Collection of Silent Books and has also shortlisted for the Bishop’s Stortford Picturebook Award. The work is currently being adapted for stage.

His work been internationally recognised, winning prestigious Gold and Silver Awards presented by The Association of Illustrators (U.K), including The Society of Illustrators (U.S), exhibiting at the Museum of Illustration, New York. Merits from 3x3 The Journal of Contemporary Illustration (U.S) and shortlisted for the Prize for Illustration in partnership with The London Transport Museum (U.K). Richard’s work has been nominated as a ‘Best of the Best’ winner for the Hiibrand Illustration Award (China). His work has earned him a British Book Design Award and has been selected numerous times over the last twenty years for AOI Images 'The Best of British Illustration' and The World Illustration Awards, exhibiting in galleries and Universities internationally.

Richard is currently working on a large experiential installation for the International Finance Centre in Hong Kong and on a number of children's books, including the development of his current solo project. Richard is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UKPSF, and a member of the Association of Illustrators.

Loughborough University Teacher in Graphics illustrates book authored by the Children’s Laureate

Richard Johnson, Teacher in Graphic Communication and Illustration has illustrated a children’s book which has been authored by Joseph Coelho, the Waterstones Children’s Laureate for 2022-2024.

Richard is a teacher on the Graphic Communication and Illustration programme, with interests in the application of experiential, interactive and non-linear narrative design, and story-telling within visual identity. Richard also is interested in entrepreneurial and interdisciplinary approaches to applied visual communication.

Richard teaches on the following modules and is Module Leader for SAC807 and SAC809:

  • SAA801 Visual Research in Practice
  • SAA802 Visual Methods in Practice
  • SAB803 Content and Context: Society, Culture and Economy
  • SAB804 Locating Practice: Interpreting Environments and Audiences
  • SAC807 Synergising Directions in Graphic Communication and Illustration Practice
  • SAC809 Focusing Directions in Graphic Communication and Illustration Practice
  • SAC806 Destinations in Graphic Communication and Illustration
  • SAP009 MA Graphic Design and Visualisation: Final Project

Recent exhibitions

  • Migrations Exhibition (2018): The International Centre for the Picture Book in Society (ICPBS) in collaboration with BIBIANA, The International House of Art for Children in Bratislava, Slovakia. ISBN13: 978-1910959800
  • World Illustration Awards (2018): Somerset House, London. “Annual survey of the best illustration globally, exploring where illustration is now, where it is heading in the future, and showcase the legends of the industry who continue to inspire new generations of artists.”
  • 3x3 Professional Show No.15 (2018)
  • 3x3 International Picture Book Show No.15 (2018) “Promotes in every way possible the importance, vitality, viability and uniqueness of using illustration.” ISBN13: 978-1-946750-08-2
  • Prize for Illustration – London Stories (2019): London Transport Museum, London. “Artists were invited to visually capture a familiar or lesser-known narrative in a single image - current or historical, real or fictional which feature London.”
  • Illustrators 61: Society of Illustrators (2019): Museum of Illustration, New York. “The Society of Illustrators is pleased to present the premier showcase for illustrators, featuring the most outstanding works created throughout each year. Open to artists worldwide, thousands of entries are considered by a jury of professionals, which include renowned illustrators, art directors and designers.”
  • Hiiibrand Illustration ‘Best of the Best’ (2019): Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.