Course description

Become an innovative, unique, diverse, and professionally distinctive illustrator.

Through a voyage of discovery and experimentation you will apply yourself to challenging projects and activities, become increasingly self-motivated and confident to strive beyond the constraints of delivering a brief. We aim to foster a confidence to discover, re-map, re-imagine and challenge traditional interpretations of the subject.

You will be encouraged to experiment and challenge what illustration is, with the opportunity to take part in live projects and high-profile competitions that will challenge you to explore problem solving, sequential image-making, characterisation, reportage and editorial illustration.

Located in a dedicated and inspiring illustration studio you will network with your peers and forge lifelong connections. You will gain opportunities to specialise in a specific field or area of expertise in illustration and flexibility to discover and create self-authored projects.

You'll make use of our drawing room, printmaking studio and Digital Design Hub where you will be immersed in traditional and contemporary techniques such as drawing, screen-print, lino, mono-printing, drypoint, risograph, solar etching, photography, digital image making, 3D model making, painting and multi-media collage.

An art-school experience will introduce you to exploration of craft and design skills, drawing, communicating ideas and visual concepts, developing a unique personal voice in producing illustrative outcomes for various outputs, such as, publishing, editorial, educational design, graphic novels, narrative, printmaking, moving image, children's books, and packaging.

Studio study will be complemented with history and theory modules which will enhance your intellectual development, graduate and academic skills, whilst providing an awareness of wider contexts pertinent to illustration.

How you will learn

Facilities 

The Illustration Studio provides you with an excellent environment to be curious, experimental and independently motivated. It is a location for both individual and group tuition, a creative space for the practice of sharing ideas and peer-learning, exercising creative skills, imagination, vision, innovation and ambition. This environment will be used to explore and undertake group work, peer evaluation, critiques and seminars as a means of complementing more individualistic and autonomous work. You will learn the importance of this creative space and utilise it to build networks, be open to new influences, and become part of a creative community, which encourages you to work both independently and cooperatively.

You will also benefit from using our dedicated drawing studio, printmaking studio and creative workshops spaces where you will create collographs, screenprint, drypoint, risograph, mono print, letterpress and lino& cut.

Through drawing workshops, you’ll explore experimental and traditional observation and refine your visual skills. You will explore using software appropriate to your subject, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, In-Design, After Effects.

You’ll also develop your skills in the Digital Design Hub which provides a variety of print finishing processes such as laser cutting, and book binding giving you the opportunity to create editions of books which you can promote at bookfairs and events run by the programme team.

Teaching Methods

We use a variety of teaching and learning methods including project work, workshop practice, lectures, demonstrations, seminars, group critiques, work checks, individual tutorials, reports and assignments.

• The main focus is on practical project work which equips you with a broad range of technical, analytical, intellectual and organisational skills. This includes live briefs set by employers, workshops led by design companies and regular commissions for arts organisations such as QUAD in Derby or Derby Book Festival.  
• The course also features cultural study trips to museums, galleries, exhibitions, conferences and book fairs.
• We offer exciting opportunities for you to showcase your talent in prestigious competitions and exhibitions, including the annual New Designers showcase in London. Our students have celebrated success in challenges set by organisations such as Macmillan, Penguin Books, the Royal Mail, London Transport and the Association of Illustrators.  

Our students are expected to attend on a daily basis, with periods of time allocated to self-directed study. You’ll be assessed by 100% coursework relevant to each module, which may include artwork portfolios, exhibitions, sketchbooks, research, essays, reports and presentations