New Blood Entry — Francesca Hotchin

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

As a result of George Smiley’s role in the film, the concept of secrecy and distorted perception gave a focal point to the illustration. This led to a decision to incorporate the theme of being ‘hidden in plain sight’. The smoke represents both the conceptual and visual styling of the film, and in conjunction with the typography, the idea of revealing information is reinforced. The hand-rendered style, using white pencil on black paper, was chosen to reflect the ‘old-school’ nature of Smiley’s investigative methods. The illustration’s composition ultimately aims to portray Smiley’s intense nature and determination.