Master of Arts - Illustration

Contemporary illustration practice has grown to encompass a broad range of ambitions and opportunities for image makers and storytellers. The growth of online digital cultures - and the impact of digital image creation on traditional image making - requires flexible and adaptable practitioners, and it provides unique opportunities for the entrepreneurial illustrator. 

This course offers students the chance to challenge the boundaries of illustration, both in its practice and its context, and is primarily concerned with the illustrated narrative. It offers students a creative and intellectual environment in which they can rigorously pursue a project of self-directed study, and produce a body of work on a topic of their interest within the field of illustration.

This course enjoys a long tradition of original narrative and storytelling through images, reflecting staff expertise and practice in these areas. Students will get to explore narrative storytelling, authorship, self-publishing, book production and visual narratives through the development of a personal project.

This MA course supports students in developing their own independent voice and to identify an audience. They are encouraged to take a self-directed entrepreneurial approach, developing and exploring creative opportunities and options for their work. This entrepreneurial emphasis will be supported by access to specialist facilities such as digital media suites, photography, printmaking and bookmaking.

This course also provides students with the opportunity for extended critical debate, a high degree of critical reflection and integration of theoretical and practical concerns as part of an ambitious body of work. It will also promote in-depth, rigorously conducted research, to ensure students are able to contextualise their own work in relation to the leading practices in illustration.

Visiting lecturers and practitioners inform and cultivate professional development, encouraging students to question and debate. Recent visiting lecturers have included Graham Rawle, Olivier Kugler, Nick White, Luke Best, Mathew Richardson and Posy Simmonds.