BA (Hons) Illustration

"Illustrators make sense of the world, they challenge, question, tell stories and entertain. This course will equip you with the breadth of skills a contemporary illustrator requires in order to become a creatively diverse, professionally distinct and unique illustrator in an increasingly visual world.
You'll explore the various roles of the illustrator as visual interpreter, storyteller, promoter, reporter, author, artist and educator, combining creative, theoretical and technical aspects of the discipline. You'll be encouraged to question and challenge ideas, working methods and solutions to problems developing a personal voice and innovative approaches to the subject.
Drawing is fundamental to developing practice in illustration and this underpins the programme. You'll explore sequential image-making, characterisation, respond to literature, arts, culture, fashion, creating books and illustrating for design, developing a cross fertilisation of ideas whilst experimenting with digital technology and our dedicated printmaking facilities. You'll graduate with a professional portfolio and self-promotional material to launch your career as an illustrator.
During the course you will meet innovative speakers from the illustration industry. Recent visitors have included international illustrators Russell Cobb and Mark Wigan. You will have study trips to museums, galleries and exhibitions plus opportunities to visit exciting locations. Our students have had success in competitions such as the Macmillan Children's Book Prize, Cheltenham Illustration Awards, Penguin Illustrated Book Cover, Lloyds/TSB 'Art of Nurture' and The Association of Illustrators 'Images - Best of British Illustration' competition, which was hosted in Derby in December 2011 and featured six Derby graduates."