BA (Hons) Illustration alumnus, Tom Hovey, graduated from AUB in 2006, and has achieved a tremendous amount since! We caught up with Tom about his time at AUB and illustrating one of the UK's most popular television shows.
"I loved my time at AUB on the BA (Hons) Illustration course. I had just finished a Sequential Illustration HND which was quite focused, so I really relished the chance to experiment with new media, styles and techniques. I really enjoyed my time in Bournemouth.
AUB was such a creative place where people from all courses and disciplines mixed, hung out and collaborated.
After graduating in 2006, I lived in Bristol for a few years, but I found most of the work I was getting was putting on live drawing and mural shows in London. So in 2010 I made the move to London, with no real work to speak of.
Luckily a mate who worked in TV suggested that I apply for a job in the edit of a new cookery show. So with no TV experience, or idea about how edits worked I blagged my way in and started 2 days later! It turned out that I was in an edit suite of the first series of the Great British Bake Off with the series director and editor.
Within a couple of days I had told them my lack of ambition for a career in TV, and that I was really an aspiring illustrator. This led to the director approaching me in the second week saying that he felt there was a visual element missing from the show, and maybe I could come up with some ideas!
I pitched a few ideas and got the gig.
Eight years, three channels, several awards and a couple of thousand cakes later and I'm still here!"
See more about Tom and his work on his website.
