Illustration | Full-time BA (Hons) Degree

You are taught to effectively work through the phases of the creative cycle, to develop ideas, engage with problem solving and to explore presentation methods of these ideas. 

Emphasis in this unit is on exploration - research, ideas development, mark making, and evaluation. You will be bringing ideas, image and text together in a creative way as a response to a set brief.

From induction, onwards at Level 4 you will develop a wide range of study skills, and be introduced to methods of researching, capturing and presenting information and ideas. This includes the use of blogs, research journals, verbal, visual and computer presentations, alongside more conventional methods of recording and annotating research.

In the first part of this unit study skills are developed through the use of blogs, where you will respond to a series of tasks that require you to reflect on and further contextualise key historical and theoretical perspectives outlined in lectures and seminars.

The aim of this unit is to introduce you to a range of materials and methods associated with Illustration. A series of technical and production workshops that will form the basis of your understanding of your subject. 

You will be involved in production processes, equipment and studio inductions, introductions to risk assessment and health & safety protocols. Material & Methods is concerned with providing you with a range of skills and knowledge, both technical and conceptual that will allow you to attain a professional level of practice as the course progresses. Through a series of workshops you will become familiar with the production processes and the technical skills that are inherent with becoming a professional Illustrator.

This unit involves knowledge and understanding of fundamental principles of digital practice and the ability to bring image and text together in a creative way for the purpose of communicating ideas.

You will be introduced to industry standard software packages that enable you to present your work on digital platforms to a professional level. This will include Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, plus presentation software for this purpose. 

You will be exploring ideas of your own creativity within a time-frame, allowing you to work on your own motivation, time keeping and self-directed study. This is structured around an initial series of discussions that will enable you to present proposals and schedules for the work to include project planning, and time-management.

There will be workshops on time management and planning of a project which will include stage-posting and goal setting.

This unit introduces you to the key areas of illustration and asks you to respond to a series of project briefs utilising skills and applying working processes acquired in earlier units.

Responding to a set brief, you will be expected to generate visual and textual research, to create and develop ideas and concepts and to experiment with materials, techniques and processes to formulate practical outcomes.

This module consists of two consecutive projects. Each project is an industry focused ‘live’ brief.

The project can be led by a visiting professional or be an industry facing ‘live’ brief. This brief will have detailed instructions on how the work needs to be presented to the ‘client’ with the same protocols and procedures that you would find in industry.

Through a series of lecture inputs, seminar discussions, activities and presentations, this module develops your awareness of how to apply critical and theoretical analyses to instances of historical and contemporary art, design, media and visual culture appropriate to your studio practice.

This module differentiates itself from Applied Illustration 1 by building on your experience and knowledge developed in the previous module by introducing two more advanced and challenging projects.

You will be consolidating your understanding of working on ‘live’ briefs and/or with a professional client experienced in the previous module.

This unit involves knowledge and understanding of fundamental principles of digital practice and the ability to bring image and text together in a creative way for the purpose of communicating ideas.

You will be introduced to industry standard software packages that enable you to present your work on digital platforms to a professional level. This will include Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, plus presentation software for this purpose.

This module enables you to develop an in-depth and significant body of work for both exhibition and portfolio promotion. The subject and nature of the work, together with a detailed outline proposal of research, reference, planning and outcomes is presented and discussed at the commencement of the project. 

This allows you to prepare a proposal for a body of work which will reference proposed areas of study and is aligned to the learning outcomes of the module.

The aim of this unit is to balance your personal development as an illustrator with the creative challenge of working to an external brief.

Over the course of fifteen weeks, you will work on 3 x five-week projects. The briefs may be selected from the RSA (Royal Society of Arts’ Student Design) Awards, YCN (Young Creatives Network), D&AD (Designers and Art Directors) Student Awards, Penguin Book Awards or any other current competition deemed suitable.

The Creative Research project provides an opportunity for you to develop a sustained critical and analytical investigation of an agreed subject area. It should demonstrate an awareness of issues and debates relevant to your studio practice and may develop ideas already raised in the Creative Research modules at Level 4 and Level 5.

Final Major Project discussions and individual tutorials will take place at the end of the first semester. You will give a short slideshow presentation of your proposed Final Major Project and will receive feedback on this from the course team and your peers. Areas for research, development of ideas and market awareness will be identified with reference to your interests, strengths and future potential.

The focus of this module is to prepare you for the working environment. It aims to provide a context and opportunity for original research into the business environment, and your place within it.

You will produce a range of material – print and digital – for the purposes of self-promotion. This will include a portfolio website and traditional, print-based material such as business cards, letterheads etc.