Illustration

The BA (Hons) Illustration course is a progressive, innovative, technologically enhanced course that prepares students for professional practice. Employability is integrated into the curriculum through applied creative projects. These real-world challenges and work experiences are designed to build confidence, creativity and resilience.

Creative UK membership We are members of Creative UK, which means our art and design students are also members until they graduate. With 10,000 members in its network, Creative UK represents, champions and supports the UK’s creative industries, advocating on the issues that matter the most to creative communities.

How you learn All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

Based in our bespoke studios, workshops, and digital spaces, you’ll become part of a dynamic and collaborative learning community. Together, you’ll undertake creative adventures, explore possibilities, and challenge conventions.

Through our teaching, we help you unlock your potential to contribute as a creative thinker and doer – applying your knowledge to art practice, culture, society, and life systems.

You learn through:

Live projects We take a holistic and person-centred approach to assessment to support your creative growth while respecting the diverse ways people learn.

Key themes Year one lays the foundational principles of illustration practice. Drawing is at the heart of developing your conceptual, theoretical, and practical skills. You’ll learn the core methods used in illustration practice – research, process, and presentation.

As the course progresses, we’ll also explore the future role of illustrators and learn what it will mean to thrive as an illustrator of the future.

You’ll gain confidence with both analogue and digital tools, learning how to adopt new and emerging technologies as you define your own, unique visual language. You’ll also get to test your concepts on live industry projects with commissioners, agents, and future employers – not only developing professional skills, but also helping you build your profile and network.

In your final year, you’ll curate a portfolio of work that articulates your practice and moves you further towards your creative path.

Course support

The course develops strategies of attention, empathy, imagination, courage and resilience in the face of an uncertain future. Our course prioritises care as a critical activity – care for global human contexts and for the more-than-human world.

Applied learning Your course has been designed to embrace real-world challenges and provide you with the practical skills and knowledge to be successful.