In your first year you'll study with our partner, ARU College. This module will provide you with the necessary skills to begin studying at level 4 in art, design and related courses. You'll be introduced to the core skills necessary to succeed in higher education, including researching and referencing appropriately, demonstrating appropriate ICT skills, and communicating effectively verbally and in writing. You will be introduced to practical art and design skills including developing skills of visual storytelling, image-making both in traditional and digital media, visual language and communication, formulating an independent creative response to a broad range of subject matter. You'll also be introduced to the fundamentals of design from a creative perspective, and to some of the key ideas/movements dominating art, design and culture, during the past few centuries. You will work extensively in groups and collaboratively, with students from art and design, architecture and engineering pathways. The module is made up of the following eight constituent elements: Interactive Learning Skills and Communication (ILSC); Information Communication Technology (ICT); Composition and Style; Creative Workshops 1; Approach to Design; Critical and Contextual Studies; Creative Workshops 2; Specialist Project.
This module will introduce you to a range of methods of image generation and manipulation in the context of the wider field of illustration. You will be encouraged to experiment with the deconstruction of the photographic image, arrangement and manipulation of found material and production of imagery through various combinations of traditional and contemporary media. The module aims to break down barriers and preconceptions about what constitutes creative 'ownership' of an image. Project briefs will invite you to respond with experimental approaches to image manipulation, both static and moving, while workshops on digital and photographic processes will support studio teaching that focuses on both technical and conceptual aspects of image manipulation. You may explore the possibilities of photography in illustration, the areas where photography and drawing collide or overlap. In Trimester one, you will explore the static, still image that may be commissioned for page or screen, and in Trimester 2, you will build on this experience and consider how your work can be developed in the form of moving illustration, currently an expanding marketplace. The potential liberation of image making from the static printed page offers new possibilities and challenges for the creative image maker. This module will show you the potential for digital, moving illustration and imagery, to prepare you for the rapidly evolving and changing professional environment. Digital means of production need to work hand-in-hand with idea generation, so while you will be introduced to industry-standard software, the "concept" and its communication will be at the core of the briefs you are set. You will work with industry standard software during this module, enhancing your employability.
View the full module definitionThe skills of observation, analysis and critical awareness are vital for any creative individual, and particularly so for Illustration students. This module will encourage you to develop and refine these skills through the process of drawing. You will be looking at line, tone, form and colour in the studio, on location and in structured taught life drawing sessions. We believe that drawing, whether observational, imaginative or experimental underpins everything that we do as illustrators, and this module encourages you to engage with the process of drawing in both formal and experimental approaches to the drawn image. You will experiment with materials, techniques and approaches to “drawing” as a broad concept and how these can be applied to illustrative contexts. During the module you will critically and actively examine the work of current and past practitioners, from the analogue to the digital, and how drawing is used as an important method of visual research, provision of roughs for clients and possible final artwork for clients. You will consider the role of the drawn image in relation to visual communication in its broadest terms and develop an increased confidence in the handling of the human form, architectural and spatial elements, primary and secondary sources of visual research, and how to combine them in convincing ways. This module, once successfully passed, will give you the confidence and knowledge to apply your drawing skills to other modules on the course. This is a dynamic, structured, knowledge and skills based module that forms the basis of and informs much of the other work you will do on the course.
View the full module definitionIn previous modules you will have explored analogue and digital ways of producing images. You will now get the opportunity to apply these skills to illustrative contexts and briefs, in a way that reflects the structure of “real life” briefs whilst allowing you to experiment broadly. This module will introduce you to, and ask you to examine, approaches, media and processes specific to illustrative image making. From a basis in observational drawing, you will begin to explore imaginative drawing, sequential and interpretative drawing through a range of set briefs. Processes of graphic reproduction will be introduced, including printmaking and letterpress. You will consider the interplay of text and image and explore elements of the narrative imagery and sequence, both in terms of the illustration as a designed form and the broader design contexts in which illustrations are used. You will examine these issues with reference to the ongoing development of your own visual language through studio and location-based project work that emphasises a balance between personal creative language and applied practice. You will also be introduced to the academic study of illustration. Through a series of practical 'workshop' style sessions you will examine the work of a selection of significant and influential illustrators, animators, games designers and other artists, both contemporary and historical, in order to gain an appreciation and knowledge of the historical, cultural and intellectual context within which they were working. You will be taught through weekly seminars, which will give you the opportunity to discuss the works, as well as the events and ideas underpinning them, and how they relate to your own studio practice and set briefs. As well as this subject-specific content, you will undertake a series of workshops and exercises that introduce the skills of library research, critical analysis of visual imagery, essay writing and academic referencing, providing a foundation for your studies later in the course, and giving you important transferrable skills in terms of your future employability. This module contains a written component, and also includes submission of a PDP (Personal Development Plan) component.
View the full module definitionThis module runs over two trimesters and will introduce you to the printmaking facilities in Cambridge School of Art. As well as learning new technical skills and processes, you will learn how to use equipment and technical equipment in a safe manner. This means that for future projects and modules, you will be able to work independently and securely in the printmaking area during open access sessions. This module deals with the relationship between print processes and the specialist area of illustration. You will explore the application of graphic processes and media both through your own creative practice and through exposure to contemporary and historical examples. Seminars on reprographic processes and possibilities will be augmented by studio projects and demonstrations, with a particular emphasis on the historical and contemporary relationships between print as a method of mass reproduction, and printmaking as a contemporary medium for illustration. The module will be delivered in the illustration studio and print workshops and you are encouraged to make use of open access time in the print workshops. A basic introduction to hand bookbinding is included.
View the full module definitionThis module runs over two trimesters and will focus on developing your skills in working sequentially and with narrative, considering composition and visual pacing as ways of visual storytelling. In the first trimester it will encourage you to explore printmaking materials and processes as a creative means of developing visual narrative or sequential imagery. You will be expected to treat printmaking processes experimentally rather than reproductively. You will develop a suite of images that explores sequential composition, the use of a coherent visual language, the relationship between printed text and image, the physical qualities of the materials used and the means by which the viewer interacts with the finished work. The briefs will cover a range of conceptual challenges including narrative/sequential contexts, visual interpretation for editorial design, type/ image relationships. You will apply the technical and conceptual skills attained in Trimester 1 in a more formal, industry-focused manner, paying particular attention to the world of publishing. In trimester 2, you will be introduced to 'The Book' as an object; a personal visual statement; and a fundamental vehicle for illustration. You will undertake a major practical project in trimester 2 to create your own 'book', which may be anything from an experimental 'artist's book' or graphic novel to a traditional children's picture book. This section of the module will include bookbinding workshops and demonstrations. You will be encouraged to explore a range of graphic media and processes, both traditional and digital, with particular emphasis on reprographic processes - printmaking, screen based and digital printing. Your self-initiated book project will prepare you for next year’s Launchpad module in terms of structuring your time effectively, developing and executing your own brief and increasing awareness of the demands of the professional illustration world. You will also gain insights into how publishers will expect book proposals to be submitted, which forms part of your professional practice and employability development. Where relevant, you will be encouraged to submit your finished or proposed book to national or international competitions such as the Macmillan Children’s Book Competition. There is a contextual, written element to this module, which will be delivered through a series of seminars and workshops. Materials covered have been selected to enhance your understanding of your own studio practice, through examination of current and historic practitioners within the areas of illustration, book design, printmaking and typography.
View the full module definitionAn ability to observe and comment on the world around us is a key skill for the professional illustrator, and this module will encourage you to develop keen observational and conceptual skills. This broad, experimental module runs across two trimesters and starts with an intensive one-week drawing trip. Previous locations have included Porto, Seville and Lisbon, but if you, for whatever reason, cannot join the international trip, you will undertake exactly the same observational exercises in Cambridge or other UK destinations. The week is highly structured and completing the set exercises will ensure you have the relevant visual information to complete the subsequent briefs. You are encouraged to build upon your experience of visual information gathering by applying personal research methods to visual communication project briefs. In the series of set studio briefs you will apply the visual research that you have collected during the week to illustrative contexts, making connections between primary and secondary research and considering the relationship between type and image. You will undertake a project over the winter vacation that currently takes the form of a competition and curated exhibition. This is considered part of your employability and professional practice development and exposes you to concepts of “client brief” and audience communication. In Trimester 2 we will build on the conceptual and visual problem solving aspects of illustration, with the emphasis on ideas, where they come from, how we can generate them under pressure. You will be encouraged to generate a wide range of ideas in response to set briefs. You will then need to demonstrate that you can select your strongest idea and develop it into fully resolved final artwork. Through group project briefs, seminars and presentations, you will look at the way complex concepts can be articulated visually, in the context of, for example, editorial illustration and design, and illustration and design for advertising, covering concepts such as the visual metaphor and 'closure' in visual sequence. The briefing for the summer placement will take place in Trimester 2 of this module, and you will think ahead to L6 research projects. This module includes personal development planning via a PDP Progress File.
View the full module definitionRuskin Modules are designed to prepare our students for a complex, challenging and changing future. These interdisciplinary modules provide the opportunity to further broaden your perspectives, develop your intellectual flexibility and creativity. You will work with others from different disciplines to enable you to reflect critically on the limitations of a single discipline to solve wider societal concerns. You will be supported to create meaningful connections across disciplines to apply new knowledge to tackle complex problems and key challenges. Ruskin Modules are designed to grow your confidence, seek and maximise opportunities to realise your potential to give you a distinctive edge and enhance your success in the workplace.
In this module, you will extend and deepen your personal creative practice, and therefore the range and breadth of visual work evident in your professional portfolio and website. A series of set briefs will allow you to become more autonomous and independent in your practice allowing the freedom to identify and research themes of personal interest and an increased confidence in your choice and use of media. You will engage with a series of illustration projects that aim to provide an appropriate balance between continued personal creative experimentation and ongoing skills in applied visual problem-solving and professional practice. Responses to set briefs are negotiated in consultation with staff and are arrived at through a review of portfolio work to date. These projects may aim to consolidate and/or expand areas of strength in your developing visual vocabulary.
As the title of this module suggests, this module is designed to prepare you for professional practice and employment, through a combination of self-initiated projects, participation in national competitions, and an increasing awareness of the “business” of Illustration as a professional discipline. Building on the practical, conceptual, and technical skills that you have identified in previous modules on the course and in conjunction with staff and peers, you will be encouraged to identify and develop your own unique individual “visual voice” within the broader context of contemporary illustration practice. You will be expected to propose a significant body of work, pitching single or multiple self-initiated projects which will feed into your personal and professional ambitions. You are encouraged to solve challenging illustrative problems utilising an enhanced awareness of contemporary illustration practice within modern visual culture. Projects may include individually commissioned work, live set briefs, and national competitions, as appropriate to individual students. Embedded within this module are a series of professional practice talks and speakers, which may include current practitioners, alumni, illustration agents, art directors who commission illustrations, and the Association of Illustrators Master class. This important strand will give you a clear understanding of how the business side of the illustration industry works and how you can capitalise on the skills that you have gained in the course. Subjects covered will include copyright, negotiating fees, basic tax and accounting, self-promotion, and alternative careers within the creative industries and beyond. Completion of this module will give you the skills to organise, edit and present a professional physical portfolio (if relevant), and provide you with content for a fully functional, publicly accessible website. You will also have an understanding of how the illustration industry operates allowing you to engage with social media, as appropriate, as a professional creative.
As an alternative to the Working in the Creative Industries module, this module is the written element of your third year (Level 6) studies on the Illustration Course. The module offers an opportunity to write about illustration and asks you to consider the ways in which illustrators contribute to society. You will think critically and contextually about broad cultural themes and consider how illustrators have responded to these in the past and how you as a practitioner might respond to them in the future. The focus is on developing your individual voice through the written word, and the goal is to develop your writing to meet the professional standards required for outlets such as journals, websites, and social media platforms. You will be encouraged to write in an easily accessible, public-facing way whilst using accepted academic reference, sourcing, and formatting methods. Your developing critical awareness and growing confidence in writing will be evidenced through research, and an ability to synthesis, edit, and appraise information from a variety of sources past and present. In conjunction with tutorial input, you will develop a coherent personal viewpoint expressed in writing.
View the full module definitionGaining work experience enhances employability, and work based learning offers you the chance to key gain industry knowledge, skills, contacts and networking opportunities. This module will give you the opportunity to explore a working environment in the industry that you have identified as relevant to your future career. The module will encourage self-managed learning, and serves to enhance your employability by developing communication, personal organisation, team-working, and networking skills and providing opportunities to apply those skills to real-world experiences thereby increasing self-reliance and confidence. The experience can be used as a basis for directing and focusing your career plans and can influence your final year projects. Lectures, group tutorials and seminars will explore skills analysis and reflective writing. You are required to identify, negotiate and agree with an employer (or employers) the terms of the placement or freelance work in association with a module tutor, to ensure that the module learning outcomes can be achieved. You will be given guidance and will be required to submit a placement/freelance registration form and risk assessments for approval by the module tutor. The work may be carried out in a variety of settings depending upon your requirements, areas of interest and availability of opportunities. The minimum period will be a minimum of 100 hours, and you can undertake more than one placement/freelance work for the module. You will also create a workplace diary that logs activity and supports an analysis of the learning achieved during your experience alongside evidence to support your application process. You are also asked to create a reflective report on your work experience. The report will include market and background information on the employer, market sector analysis, an outline your role(s) on the placement(s); academic and vocational analysis; transferable/employability and specialist skills analysis, knowledge and experience analysis; a final evaluation (impact on your final year and career aspirations); and will include copies of the submitted registration and risk assessments and other supporting appendices. Alongside contributing to module sessions and briefings, additional module support will be provided by the Anglia Ruskin University Employability Services through drop-in support and CV Surgery sessions and the Anglia Ruskin Enterprise Academy (AREA). You will also have access to a range of online employability information via the Careers and Employability Portal and AREA network.
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