Visiting Lecturer - Harriet Russell

The new term has just started and the course already enjoyed the first visiting lecturer, the excellent Harriet Russell! Harriet's talk covered important areas such as diverse illustration outlets and professional practice with clients, but also more personal quirky details such as origins of ideas and influences.

Creative review picks 2014

Creative review has picked three pieces of work at the New Designers graduate show as some of the favourite of 2014.
Well done to Melissa Sinclair, Roshny Patel and Emily Richards!

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2014/july/crs-pick-of-new-designers-2014

Absolut at New Designers Winner - Matthew Alker

Congratulations to Matthew Alker, who has just graduated, for winning the Absolut@New Designers competition. An exciting, playful entry!

http://www.newdesigners.com/Content/ABSOLUT-New-Designers-2013/9_26/

Year 3 Illustration Show 2014

Well done to all 3rd year students for a very successful show at Free Range this year. Some real highlights in the books section with a range of whimsical, humorous, contemplative and poetic narratives. There's been 3d work, as well as illustrated textiles, animation, reportage and some really fun illustrated products. A great end to a very rewarding year!

V&A Illustration awards- Shortlisted entry Melissa Sinclair

Very well done to our third year student Melissa Sinclair for her shortlisted entry at this year's V&A Illustration awards! Melissa's entry was one of the three shortlisted student entries and her book 'Lars and the Real Girl' was based on the film with the same name as well as "research into real life examples of people who have emotional relationships with 'Real Dolls'." 

Some of the judges comments: "Melissa's depiction of a relationship that exists outside the norm is poignant and, at times, darkly humorous. Closely observed body language makes way for unsettling compositions and her sensitive use of watercolour seems appropriate in depicting the fragility of the mental state of the main characters."

All winning and shortlisted entries are available to see here. 

A Slow Commute 2014

photo by Thijs (Sint-Lucas, Gent)

drawings by Peth Peters (UCA Illustration, Farnham)

The spring term saw the second installation of The Slow Commute. The idea for the project began as a conversation between U.C.A Illustration and Belgian Institute St-Lucas Beeldende Kunst, Gent about the mutual concern with reportage illustration, the process of travel and the role of the illustrator as interpreter and documenter. The idea grew into an international student exchange incorporating Burg Giebichstein, Halle (D), VSUP, Prague (CZ), Academy of Fine Arts, Warsaw (PL). The project would most importantly bring together students from varied and diverse cultural backgrounds who would be joined in kinships through the sharing of experiences and ideas about illustration and the potential of the medium.

This year the Slow Commute was hosted by the Burg Giebichenstein university of Art and Design. Beginning their journey at the former Berlin wall crossing Checkpoint Charlie the students spent 10 days journeying from Berlin South West to Halle.

 http://aslowcommute.blogspot.co.uk 

'Origins' Year 2 Show

A student-led group exhibition marks the end of year 2 and the culmination of months of planning and working on a wide range of self-initiated projects. 

This year ‘Origins’ was the chosen exhibition theme and the selected venue was the Farnham Scout Hut.  The students responded with very diverse and individual projects, which included short narratives, pop-up books, printmaking, oversized wooden coins and stories about beards among others! 

The 2^nd year exhibition takes place in venues outside of the college environment, which allows for imaginative curation and gives students the chance to think about their work as part of a group show. The process is exciting, often challenging and it offers valuable experience in many different areas, from designing and curating to promoting and fundraising. Above all it is a real opportunity for the students to ‘test the water’ prior to the Final Show in year 3 and aim for even more successes!

www.ucaorigins.com