Illustration

Illustration is the art of making images that communicate, interpret, inform, or embellish, whether in books and magazines, on packaging, in editorial contexts, on screen, or in public spaces. It is a discipline that occupies a distinctive position in the visual arts, combining the demands of craft and imagination with the communicative purpose that distinguishes it from fine art. The illustrator must understand visual language deeply, have command of their chosen media and techniques, and be able to develop ideas that serve the purpose of the work while giving them expressive and visual life.

At the University of the West of England, Bristol, the illustration programme is taught in a creative and supportive studio environment with professional-standard facilities, focused on helping you develop the real-world skills and professional awareness needed for a career in the field. You will develop your drawing skills and explore a range of media, both traditional and digital, experimenting with visual approaches and developing a personal practice that reflects your own creative interests and strengths. Critical and contextual studies run alongside the practical work, developing your understanding of the history of illustration, its cultural contexts, and the critical frameworks through which visual work is understood and evaluated.

The programme is offered part time, making it accessible to students who are managing other commitments.

Graduates from illustration programmes work as editorial illustrators, book illustrators, graphic novelists, character designers, concept artists, surface pattern designers, and visual communicators across publishing, advertising, animation, games, and independent creative practice. Further study at postgraduate level in illustration, visual communication, or animation is available for those who wish to develop their practice or move into specialist areas.