Learn in a creative and supportive studio environment with professional-standard facilities and a focus on helping you gain real-world skills for the workplace.
Why study illustration?
Studying illustration opens the door to diverse careers in the creative industries.
You will respond to ideas, explore narratives and work across a range of media, including 2D, 3D and moving image.
Self-directed projects could range from editorial to narrative, 3D model-making to film, animation to artists' books, providing excellent preparation for the commercial world.
Why UWE Bristol?
BA(Hons) Illustration encourages you to create and develop your own personal visual language. Problem-solving through drawing and making is core.
You'll be based at Bower Ashton Studios, part of the City Campus. Exceptional facilities and resources include industry-standard digital media studios and production and fabrication workshops.
Explore a range of media and deepen your awareness of the ideas, concepts and contexts of illustration through theoretical studies. Build an awareness of the professional world and develop core skills through individual experimentation.
Innovation and individualism are celebrated. Investigate potential contexts and audiences for your work and test yourself against industry expectations through live briefs, and national and international competitions.
City Campus is a creative powerhouse that spans the city of Bristol and is made up of Bower Ashton, Spike Island, Arnolfini and Watershed.
Our strong industry links with the thriving city of Bristol ensure input from illustrators and creatives. Visits from respected practitioners will keep you up to date with contemporary illustration practice.
Attend lectures and seminars at the Arnolfini and Watershed and work in our production and fabrication workshops, equipped with traditional tools and the latest technology.
Showcase your work to talent scouts and potential employers at the final year Degree Show and D&AD New Blood, London.
Hear from Illustration graduate, Maya Albagli, about their final year degree show project, Tongue Tied.
Focusing on the avenues that interest you, you'll graduate with an impressive portfolio of work, ready to make your mark as an illustrator.
Where can it take me?
This course prepares you for a sustainable and flexible career in illustration.
Alongside established freelance illustration career paths, our graduates work as film directors, set designers, art/creative directors, illustration agents, visualisers, designers, model-makers, animators, storyboard artists, puppeteers and theatrical/film costume and prop designers.
The image above shows the fantastic work from one of our students (Elsa Diez, 2023 Illustration graduate).