Honours Degree
Illustration today is all about drawing stories.
Narrative is at the heart of this course, so you learn the skills to professionally develop, create and promote original work to connect with new and traditional audiences.
Visual story telling is given special emphasis because it links to so many aspects of illustration production, e.g. the graphic novel, children’s books and animation.
With a full foundation in drawing skills, the first year centres on life and location drawing, printmaking, software workshops and animation skills.
At the core of each year is the development of a self-authored project, which students may promote at events such as the Angoulême Bandes Dessinées Festival and the London Book Fair.
This course owes its strong reputation to its energetic participation in major publishing events and its innovative production schedule. Professionally produced magazine and book projects showcasing student work are published annually under the imprint of the Pittville Press and we also organise the Cheltenham Illustration Awards.
Our Erasmus exchange programme provides exciting opportunities for students to study abroad. Currently we have students attending Saint Luc Institut in Brussels and IPAC-Design in Geneva.
Olio, the Cheltenham Illustration BA magazine, is published with the Degree Show and showcases work by final year students, who create their own personal websites which can be viewed via our home site www.pittvillepress.co.uk and see also www.cheltenham-illustration-awards.com
Some of our modules
- Animation Principles
- Observational and Drawing
- Narrative Illustration
- Authorship
- Illustration for Children
Benefits
- emphasis on visual storytelling and authorship
- publishing students’ work under own imprint, Pittville Press
- international promotional opportunities
Career paths
- animator
- freelance editorial illustrator
- self-published author of graphic novels or children’s books
Are there any placements for this course?
Compulsory in second year, optional in third year.
How will the course be assessed?
Coursework, final major project and degree show.
Entry requirements
- points for degree: 280 using the UCAS tariff system
- applicants will normally have completed a BTEC National Diploma in a relevant subject, or A-levels with at least one in art design or media subjects, or a foundation course in art and design
- selection is normally by interview and portfolio of work
Study options
Full-time and part-time
Location
Francis Close Hall