A time to apply and share your knowledge. As you build confidence in your practice, you will work towards the application of your work, and communication to your audience and peers. Through clarity of intent and visual storytelling, you will gain compositional skills to implement your work, ready to present as a professional outcome.

- This module explores communication in its many forms, through a variety of techniques you will understand how imagery can be a vehicle for advocacy, communicating to a wide range of audiences.
- Informed by appropriate research in a wide range of sources and platforms, you will develop a body of work towards identifying a suitable visual solution.
- You will look at how a visual can be additional to written content.
- You will further develop skills in visual storytelling, understanding a narrative for a variety of audiences with investigation into visual language, tone and justified material, media and processes.
- Showing commitment to exploring a variety of mediums, including digital and analogue processes which can be professionally assembled to an appropriate format.
- You will investigate how illustration can provide added context for the audience, in assistance with a piece of text or concept, whether this narrative is factual or fiction.
- Understanding how colour, shape, tone and composition has influence over audience engagement.
- You will understand how to visualise comprehensive narratives and complex themes, making it digestible and accessible.
- You will address many aspects of the design process, including conceptual illustration, semiotics, and visual literacy.
- You will look at content which is both grounded in imagination and reality, interpretating fact and fiction for a range of audiences.
- You will explore paper based or screen-based solutions in an appropriate response to the brief.
- Your enquiry and development of ideas will be grounded in a growing understanding of the contemporary Illustration industry, with emphasis on ethical design and ethnographic principles.

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 critical 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 critically reflect on your solution, justifying design choices and understanding application.

This can be submitted as:

Option 1: Written reflection with supporting visuals – word count 1800
Option 2: Audio recording with image folder – 6-8 mins
Option 3: Video reflection with supporting visuals – 6-8 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.

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.

1. Apply knowledge and skills to produce a creative project that responds to contemporary issues within Illustration.

Knowledge & Understanding

2. Solve discipline-specific problems using evidence-based approaches, through visual analysis and appropriately communicate this to specialist and non- specialist audiences.

Application and Problem Solving, Communication

3. Apply digital tools to support professional-standard creative workflows in Illustration.

Digital Literacy

4. Reflect critically on your development as an emerging professional in contemporary Illustration.

Reflection

- 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.

Bryant, J. (2022) Art of the illustrated book. London: National Geographic Books.

McAlhone, B. and Stuart, D. (2016) A smile in the mind. London: Phaidon Press.

Rotor, E. (2016) Classic Penguin: Cover to cover. London: Penguin Books.

Salisbury, M. (2017) The illustrated book jacket. London: Thames & Hudson.

Salisbury, M. (2022) Illustrators’ sketchbooks. London: Thames & Hudson.

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

How can illustration communicate powerful ideas drawn from both fact and fiction?
At Level 5, this module asks you to apply and share your developing illustration practice through clear intent and audience-focused visual storytelling. You’ll explore how imagery can advocate, inform, and add meaning to written content, working across factual and fictional narratives. Through research-led experimentation using digital and analogue media, you’ll develop professional outcomes that demonstrate strong visual literacy, ethical awareness, and effective communication for diverse audiences, supporting your progression within contemporary illustration practice.