1. Demonstrate foundational knowledge, concepts, and skills within mark making and materials Knowledge and Understanding

2. Apply technical and creative methods to produce a coherent and experimental portfolio of work for Illustration. Application and Problem Solving

3. Use digital tools relevant to illustration and image making to support creative production. Digital Literacy

4. Reflect on your technical, creative, and professional development to enable your future development. Reflection, Personal Development & Entrepreneurship

Assessment 1: Portfolio

An individual portfolio of work comprising:

Research of concept and design development in the form of sketchbooks or digital journals that will provide evidence of your ability to work through the design process including:
- Visual research and reference to industry practitioners and sector practice
- Idea development and iterations
- Creative visual thinking and communication of an appropriate solution
- Final outcomes / artefact / prototype

Assessment 2: Reflection

Reflective commentary with analysis

You will produce a verbal presentation, written or multimedia commentary that defines your project focus, aims and intended outcomes in relation to your creative brief.

Informed by research, you should reflect on your solution, justifying design choices and understanding application

Option 1: Written reflection with supporting visuals – word count 1200
Option 2: Audio recording with image folder – 5-6 mins
Option 3: Video reflection with supporting visuals – 5-6 mins

Formative Assessment:
Midway formative feedback will be embedded within practical sessions, providing structured opportunities for feedback on work-in-progress to support student development and progression.

A time to discover and explore the realms of Illustration and its context in the creative industry. You will undertake a series of Illustration briefs to introduce practices and methods of image making through experimentation.
- You will be introduced to a wide range of approaches to image making.
- You will explore drawing techniques, mark making, print making, life drawing, and experimentation in both traditional and digital platforms.
- The module will prepare you to research and experiment through visual problem solving to arrive at appropriate solutions.
- You will build observation and documentation in drawing skills, building confidence in your unique visual language as an Illustrator
- You will bridge existing and new knowledge / skills by identifying a solid foundation to further develop visual communication theory.
- You will investigate a range of tools to help extend and develop methods of curiosity and further analysis from personal experience.
- Introduction to collective and community practice, sustainable working methods and development of an individual approach to image making.
- You will develop an understanding of the stages in the creative process, image making and methods of presenting information.
- You will be introduced to use University facilities such as the Library Creative, online resources, technical workshops including traditional and digital crafting skills, as well as understanding the fundamentals of exploration in contemporary Illustration.

Ready to discover your visual voice as an illustrator?
This Level 4 module introduces you to the foundations of illustration and its place within the creative industries. Through a series of practical briefs, you’ll experiment with drawing, mark making, printmaking, life drawing, and both traditional and digital image-making. You’ll develop observation, research, and visual problem-solving skills while building confidence in your own visual language. The module supports your progression into visual communication study and creative practice.

Project work will integrate practical (technical, aesthetic) and theoretical aspects of visual communication. You will be required to participate in:
Introductory lectures
Seminars & Lectures
Technical workshops/ Academic workshops (formal technical instruction sessions and library, design
collection and design museum/exhibition-based activities).
Group tutorials
Critique and feedback sessions
Group work
Formative assessments
Independent study in support of your practical work.

Brazell, D. and Davies, J. (2017) Becoming a successful illustrator. 2nd edn. London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts.

Gregory, D. H. (2008) An illustrated life: Drawing inspiration from the private sketchbooks of artists, illustrators and designers. Cincinnati, OH: HOW Books.

Hughes, J. (2023) The illustrator’s guide. Birmingham: Packt Publishing.

Salisbury, M. (2022) Drawing for illustration. London: Laurence King Publishing.

Zeegen, L. (2012) The fundamentals of illustration. London: Bloomsbury.

Where older texts are included, they are retained as foundational texts within the discipline, remaining relevant where no more recent equivalent texts are available.

Student Life https://www.youtube.com/@uniofstaffsstudentlife/videos
University Careers https://staffs.careercentre.me/Members
University Library https://libguides.staffs.ac.uk/library Library Creative

Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment will support this module where relevant
Specialist Spaces and studio workspace
Smart Zone
3D Workshops
CAD Labs & Digital Design workshops
Print Bureau & Experimental Print
Betty Smithers Design collection
Microsoft 360 and Teams platforms.