COURSE CURRICULUM

This Illustration course provides a structured and progressive pathway through creative development, beginning with a broad introduction in the first year and culminating in a professionally focused final year. In the first year, you are introduced to essential aspects of creative practice through six interconnected modules. In the Inspiration module, you will explore ideas and themes that underpin image-making, learning to shape your own creative outcomes through research. The Process module encourages hands-on experimentation with various techniques and materials, while Making focuses on responding to creative briefs and developing a personal voice through independent investigation. Play offers space for exploration and risk-taking across workshops and studios, helping you to expand your technical skills. Narrative develops your understanding of visual storytelling and reflective practice, and Audiences teaches you to consider how your work is received, shaping it for maximum impact and engagement. In the second year, your skills are refined and applied in more advanced contexts. Socially Engaged Illustration allows you to create work that reflects personal ideologies and responds to real-world issues. Material and Style supports the development of visual languages through mixed media, while Illustration in Context encourages a professional approach to brief-led work. Illustration Play builds on experimental methods, helping you develop new approaches and embrace creative risks. Narrative Illustration expands your ability to produce visual stories for different age groups and formats, such as picture books and comics. Professional Presentation helps you understand the industry landscape and produce work for exhibitions or commissions. In your final year, you focus on professional readiness. Entrepreneurial Illustrators guides you in researching the market and developing a post-graduation career plan. Illustration Specialism helps you refine your practice within a specific area, and Self-Promotion teaches you how to communicate your creative identity effectively. Online Presence ensures you build a digital portfolio and connect with global audiences, while the Professional Portfolio module allows you to produce a substantial, industry-ready body of work, consolidating everything you’ve learned into a confident, professional outcome.