Illustration

Illustration is the art of making images that tell stories, communicate ideas, and create meaning in visual form. It is one of the oldest and most versatile forms of visual communication, and in the contemporary creative economy it encompasses editorial illustration, picture books, graphic novels, animation, character design, surface pattern, and visual journalism, as well as the expanding world of digital and interactive illustration. A degree in illustration develops your ability to generate original visual ideas, to work across different techniques and media, and to respond to briefs with both craft skill and conceptual intelligence.

At Teesside University, this part-time programme allows you to study illustration flexibly, combining your studies with other professional or personal commitments. You will develop your practice through a combination of individual projects and collaborative work, including projects with fellow students that develop your team-working, communication, project management, and negotiation skills alongside your creative practice. These professional capabilities are as important as technical skill in a career that typically involves working to briefs, managing client relationships, and collaborating with art directors, editors, and other creatives.

The programme develops your visual language, your understanding of illustration as a commercial and cultural practice, and your ability to present your work professionally.

Graduates go on to careers as editorial illustrators, children's book illustrators, concept artists, storyboard artists, character designers, surface pattern designers, and visual communicators across publishing, advertising, animation, games, and the cultural sector. Many build freelance practices, while others work in studios, agencies, or in-house creative teams. The illustration market is global, and the combination of strong visual craft and professional project skills the degree develops supports a variety of career models, from commercial commissions to self-initiated artistic projects.