Course summary

BA Illustration at Camberwell College of Arts takes an innovative, experimental and critical approach to the broad practice of illustration. The course will help you develop and explore your creative identity as an illustrator. The course takes an innovative and expansive approach to illustration, while also investigating the future of the discipline. Through making, you’ll explore the interrelationships between images and words. The course also encourages reflection on the roles and responsibilities of illustrators. You’ll learn how to construct narratives and communicate ideas using a range of creative techniques. You’ll experiment and question the foundation and boundaries of the discipline. You’ll also explore how to communicate to audiences, orally, visually and in writing. Looking at different practitioners’ work, you’ll examine how illustration can be used to critique social, political and cultural issues. Workshops and discussion seminars will cover critical theory, histories and ideas. BA Illustration includes content that is shared across our design courses. These units emphasise visual communication, design skills and emergent media common to all design disciplines. Through these you’ll be exposed to different ideas and perspectives, as well as experience the benefits of collaborative approaches. What to expect • Cultivate your practice: Establish your identity through the expanded field of illustration. • Contextual knowledge: Explore key principles, themes and debates in illustration and wider practices. • Subject application: Look at how illustration is used across a variety of industries and identify how you would like to use your skills in your professional career. • Live projects: You and your fellow students will be partnered organisations with to produce public-facing outcomes to develop portfolio and exposure to business. • Personal development: Self-assessment and joint evaluations with your tutors will help you strengthen your insight into your work and understand your positioning within the global creative sector. • In-person and online workshop access: Use Camberwell’s shared studio-based and online workshops that include facilities for printmaking, photography, moving image, ceramics, 3D printing, virtual reality (VR), wood and metalwork. 

 Industry experience and opportunities Gain first-hand industry experience through live projects with leading organisations and businesses. You can also choose to study part of your course at a partnering institution through UAL’s Turing and international exchange programme. Recent Camberwell students have studied in Japan, Netherlands, Canada and Switzerland. There are also opportunities to study in Norway, Sweden, Germany and Australia. About Camberwell College of Arts Camberwell College of Arts is a renowned art and design college. Our courses will make you think about your social responsibility, as well as develop your critical and making skills. We give students the space to explore their creativity. Staff will support and challenge you to rethink current practices. Our facilities embrace both traditional craftsmanship and digital technology. Our south east London location is also home to a thriving arts scene. The area hosts a variety of galleries, project spaces and studios that our students, staff and graduates work and exhibit in. These include on-site gallery Camberwell Space, Work Form, Garudio Studiage and DKUK.

Our international partnerships, projects and exchanges provide opportunities for our students and staff to broaden perspectives and knowledge. They also explore how art and design can support communities in a global context. Our alumni include:
 Matt Clark - Creative Director, United Visual Artists Matthew Stone - Artist Aries Moross - Art Director, Studio Moross Emily Druiff - Consultant, researcher and coach Errol Donald - Creative Director, curator and educator Alice Hawkins - Photographer Jody Barton - Illustrator