Art Degrees Online

Course Overview

The first half of the course leads you progressively through the basics of drawn and digital creative approaches to animation and illustration. The second half offers increasing levels of module choice in both subjects so that if you wish to specialise, perhaps in pursuit of a specific career destination such as digital animation or children’s book illustration, you can do so. Most modules involve simulated live briefs taken from the professional experience of staff, and there are opportunities to work on paid commissions for clients.

Duration

3 years full-time.
4 to 6 years part-time.
Pathways available

Single/Joint Honours.
This discipline can be combined with other subjects – see Combined Honours page.
Start dates

September

About the course

The University of Bolton’s Animation & Illustration degree programme encourages you to explore the potential of moving and still image-making within the creative industries including TV and film, the web, publishing and advertising.

BA (Hons) Animation & Illustration is one of a group of art and design based degrees within the School of Arts, Media and Education at the university. The course is built around a diverse series of challenging practical assignments which will provide you with the wide range of skills and knowledge you’ll need to pursue your chosen career.
What you will learn

You will learn about character design, storyboarding and narrative techniques, traditional and digital animation, and traditional and digital illustration for screen and print.

The course introduces you to the basics of both disciplines from a technical and creative perspective, and progressively allows you the freedom to pursue one area in depth or to continue to explore a wide range of outcomes.

Much of the coursework involves the creative use of graphics software, but we’re also strongly committed to ideas generation and visual problem solving using traditional media and techniques.
What you will study

1 General graphics, aesthetics and computer use.
2 Basics of both disciplines.
3 Advanced study of both or either specialism.

The creative possibilities of commercial image making dominate our teaching. However, you will also explore theory and history, and to develop your ability to organise and evaluate information. By the end of your degree you’ll be able to demonstrate a high level of practical knowledge, skills and creativity in your portfolio as well as an in-depth knowledge of specialist areas of illustration and animation, and a critical understanding of the principles involved. You’ll also have an understanding of contemporary illustration and animation, and the social, economic and ethical factors which influence these art forms.

After completing this course you will have developed a valuable range of transferable skills such as visual problem solving, working with others, planning and time management, oral and written presentation, and computer skills. In addition, you will have learned how to research, evaluate and apply information and ideas in your work, and take a high level of responsibility for your own learning.
Special features
Live and simulated live briefs, teaching by active professionals, competition work and degree show.
The ability to select modules from related degrees such as Graphic Design.
Vocational flavour of the degree.
High levels of contact time with staff.
Access to computers and facilities.
Staff professional experience.
In addition to the modules, most of which consist of simulated live briefs, there are opportunities to work on live projects for clients from inside and outside the university.
We encourage our students to enter national competitions to showcase their work.
The university offers well-equipped teaching and learning spaces as well as excellent library facilities, 24/7 IT suites and campus-wide WiFi.
Careers and professional development

This course will help you to progress in your career by providing you with the industry standard qualification and specialised education to develop your skills and knowledge to a professional level.

You can go on to work as an illustrator, an animator or a combination of both in a studio environment or as a freelance artist in areas such as TV, film, multimedia, all forms of print and games.

On completion of your degree you will also become a member of the university’s Alumni Association. You can be a lifelong member of the university community, able to access careers information and guidance, as well as the university library, and other facilities.

Computer Animation is a growth industry, seeing greater use on the Web, on TV, and in multimedia in general. The market for computer animation is a complex and dynamic one covering such areas as computer games (where income levels now exceed those generated by Hollywood box-office receipts), film and TV, product and architectural visualisation and the digital arts. Among the products of this sector is the rich,interactive content now available via the World Wide Web, the creation of special effects and computer generated imagery for film and advertising and the delivery of audio and video content tomobile telephones and similar devices. For individuals who wish to contribute and make an impact on this industry, there is a fundamental requirement of being able to use and adapt modern software applications for artistic purposes and to use highly creative approaches to problem solving. The Computer Animation course has been designed to meet these objectives.

Computer Animation students can concentrate on animation by following a Single subject degree route or supplement their animation knowledge by combining animation with Digital Art or Multimedia. The Single subject Honours degree investigates a wider range of practical animation skills. The Computer Animation with Digital Art course incorporates a theme including video, drawing for animation and art. The Computer Animation with Multimedia degree includes a theme on design, creating content and authoring for multimedia and techniques for delivering this content.

A range of project-led themes to establish the importance of Computer Animation and its role within its related disciplines is covered. Considerable time is spent on examining how visual images, first created on paper (2D), can be manipulated and enhanced using computer technology so that the final result (2D or 3D) can be delivered in an animated and potentially interactive form using digital media such as CDs and websites. Animation skills within the courses are developed using industry-standard software such as Autodesk Maya and Newtek Lightwave.

Work is carried out individually as well as in groups, so that students are able to develop important team-working skills from an early stage. Fundamental to the animation theme is the requirement for students to develop end products which are innovative and visually exciting, or that effectively tell stories that can captivate and maintain audience interest.

Why Study animation?

Our degree course will offer you a formally taught course that will encourage the development of your own skills and give you the chance to work with others and compare your work with theirs. A degree in animation will be an indication to an employer that you have the self-discipline required to see projects through from beginning to end and be able to meet deadlines. These are skills that are of great importance, no matter what branch of the media industry you go into from your degree