Year 1 (national level 4):
- Design Theories, Practitioners and Context (20 credits)
Develop a knowledge and understanding of the important theoretical and historical contexts which have shaped modern design, opening up creative possibilities in your work. Gain a broad view of design disciplines, through lectures and seminars intended to provoke wider debate. Develop analytical and research skills by exploring subjects in design theory and history through assignments. Finish the module with an understanding of various historical and theoretical ideas, intended to encourage you to challenge conventional thinking.
Develop your visual experience and knowledge through the practice of traditional media and life drawing. Work with a wide range of traditional media and techniques through various set projects, culminating in a body of work that reflects your emerging skills as an illustrator. Support your creative practice through visual research by exploring the subject of Art and Design. Gain an introduction to the principles of communication as well as an understanding of contemporary illustration and design. Build a strong foundation for further development by producing images from concept to final illustration and creatively explore various methods both in taught sessions and independently.
- Digital Illustration (20 credits)
Gain a solid foundation in digital illustration, whether you are beginner or already use digital applications within your workflow. Discover the artistic potential of the three core programs used in contemporary illustration practice: Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Bring your ideas to life with industry inspired assignments tailored to suit the unique capabilities of each piece of software while learning key design skills.
- Creative Printmaking (20 credits)
Develop the fundamental methods required for professional printmaking by learning a range of skills through the use and application of Collagraph, Reduction Linocut and Drypoint printing. Discover how printmaking can spark and enhance your creative process through the study and reflection of historical and contemporary printmakers within the creative industry. Explore the possibilities of printmaking and its ability to create vibrant physical artwork that can be replicated multiple times through a wide range of methods in a unique form beyond the capabilities of digital format.
- Narrative and Sequential Illustration (20 credits)
Learn to tell stories that inform, entertain, and enthral through the use of narrative and sequential illustration. This module encompasses all the key methods of visual storytelling from children’s books to graphic novels and storyboards for film and animation. Develop the fundamental skills and understanding of the use of line, value, colour and composition in relation to visual narrative and learn ways to depict imaginary worlds and the characters and environments that inhabit them. Learn the about the enormous influence the illustrator has on the story they tell.
