BA (Hons) Illustration
Duration
3 years
Institution code
L28
UCAS Code
W220
Duration
3 years
Institution code
L28
UCAS Code
W220
Enrol on a creative journey that explores communication, image-making, and conceptual thinking. You will have opportunities to refine your talent and carve out your niche as an exceptional illustrator while gaining the professional skills needed to meet the demands of the creative industries.
This course aims to help you develop into an independent, creative thinker with the ability to deliver critically and visually engaging work. You will do this within the professional context of contemporary illustration and the wider creative industries. This is a growing industry with demand in, for example, music and sports design, fashion, and comic and children’s book illustration.
Central to the course is your development, understanding, and use of traditional and new media, theory, and production methods. There are fantastic opportunities for you to grow as a creative practitioner with access to new technologies and industry-standard software such as Photoshop and Illustrator.
You will have opportunities to apply your skills across a range of illustrative applications, including, but not limited to, editorial, publishing, packaging, product, print, music design, advertising, character, and animation. We support you to generate networking and exhibition opportunities, collaborating on multi-disciplinary projects with other students in our large workshops and breakout spaces.
You will benefit from excellent links with professional illustrators and creatives, agencies, and experts across the arts industries. Live projects, competition briefs, and industrial experience will enhance your awareness of the professional opportunities available to you.
Explore a range of approaches to the communication of ideas through image-making, with an emphasis on experimentation and reflection. You’ll develop your practical, theoretical, and contextual understanding of the discipline through projects and seminars alongside workshops. There is an ongoing focus on discovery through making, supported by a lively programme of studio briefs.
BA (Hons) Illustration students are based in large, purpose-built studios. Students will have access to a wide range of resources with a drop-in facility so work can be undertaken, provided resource inductions have been completed.
For Illustration students this will include print resources which provide excellent facilities for bookmaking and paper-based printmaking using a range of processes; access to industry standard laser cutters; professional-standard, large-format digital printing and print finishing and a vinyl cutter enabling designs to be cut from many types of vinyl.
Computer suites house networks of Apple Mac computers featuring regularly updated, industry-standard software for a wide range of creative applications that support all our courses and a purpose-built specialist library which includes including special collections of artists’ books, photobooks and illustrated books as well as the University archive. Self service facilities are available throughout, supported by a dedicated and experienced team of library staff.
BA (Hons) Illustration
Recent student successes include:
World Illustration Awards – Shortlist 2021
Penguin Student Design Award – 2nd Place winner
Carmelite Prize – special mention 2020
D&AD New Blood One To Watch Award 2018 and 2019
YCN Award Winners - 2016 and 2018
Commendation for book illustrations submitted for Pan Macmillan’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ 150th birthday
Illustrated book ‘Charley’s Kidney Transplant’ published by Leeds NHS Trust
‘Warhorse’ book illustration - House of Illustration (Shortlisted & Exhibited)
Digital Art Story Telling - Winner of the International Creative Contest
Graduates can work as freelancers, as employed illustrators or as part of a creative collective/studio. Careers include illustration for commercial, alternative and children’s publishing, editorial, site specific works, advertising, entertainment, packaging, product and retail. They may also work for illustration agencies as Studio Managers or Creative Directors. Graduates may also continue to postgraduate study.
Join our mailing list