Course overview
You explore traditional and future-facing definitions of illustration, becoming a flexible practitioner ready to face the industry’s changing needs.
This is a highly practical course, utilising methods through which illustration can be created and applied by challenging making and thinking. This approach enables you to become competitive, recognisable and adaptable.
You work on illustration practices, processes and outcomes, including commercial, editorial, authorial, sequential, multiform or active/participatory. You produce work for print and publishing, international competitions, children's picture books, zines, graphic novels, digital and screen-based production including animation, motion or large-scale installation.
You study at MIMA School of Art & Design, an art school led by Teesside University and Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA), an international contemporary museum and gallery. You gain a full artistic experience, learning in a social space that inspires dynamic ideas, fuels collaboration and allows you to build local, national and international networks with industry professionals for your future illustration career.
How you learn
Research, theory and applied practice grounds your studies as you develop your own practice-based approach. Context of methodologies include individual, principles, research, historical or narrative. Whether you’re interested in creating a commercial body of work, an authorial-led practice or pushing territories of image-making, the course is uniquely structured to include space/s to enable, challenge and refine your practice.
How you are assessed
Various assessment methods are used throughout all of the modules and are specified in the module handbooks. These are primarily what we call in-course assessments, where you submit work during the delivery of the module, rather than sit timed examinations at the end. Arts modules are generally project based and primarily assessed through appraisal of a portfolio of work, often accompanied by a verbal presentation. Creative work is largely developmental and you are assessed on the process by which you achieve your solutions as well as the result, so it is essential that you provide clear evidence of your development work.
Career opportunities
You could work as a freelancer or as an in-house studio illustrator across print, publishing or digital/screen.
You are taught by tutors with strong industry backgrounds and excellent networks. You have access to international artists and cutting-edge practice through MIMA’s visiting speaker programme. Recent speakers include Jimmy Turrell, Charli Vince, Nosy Crow publishing house and the contemporary studio Visual Editions. The course is also affiliated to the Association of Illustrators, providing access to their professional advice and content.
