Become a skilled and versatile animator, illustrator or interactive comic artist at Cambridge School of Art, and turn your creative ideas into a rewarding career as visual storyteller.
Develop your distinctive visual language in our supportive and vibrant studio culture.
Our BA (Hons) Illustration and Animation course explores the connections between illustration and animation, helping you to create sequential narratives using a variety of methods – from observational drawing and traditional handmade image-making, to the latest specialist digital animation software and cutting-edge interactive techniques.
You’ll become an experienced creator of innovative, engaging visual content with training in both traditional processes and the latest digital technologies. Perhaps most importantly, you’ll get time, guidance and support from a team of illustrators, animators and visiting professionals who are dedicated to your creative development.
At Cambridge School of Art, you’ll experiment and discover, make mistakes and find solutions, develop and create. Our Design & Crafts courses ranked 8th in the UK for 'Satisfied with Course' and 3rd for 'Satisfied with Teaching' in The Guardian University Guide 2020, reflecting how our students’ value their experience with us.
Illustration and Animation student Beeny talks about the highlights of her course.
ANNA HUGHES
CLAUDIA MELTON
NICA PETROVA
OLENA KALININA AND KARINA ALIMOVA
OLENA KALININA AND KARINA ALIMOVA
KAT THOMAS
WILL ROCHIRA
TARA WOOD
PHOENIX HALL
FRAN LUISI
JO LINGARD
BRIDIE SMITH
ELLISE ANDERSON
NICA PETROVA
WILL ROCHIRA AND THOMAS LINGARD
SUGHANDA BANSAL
BEN ARROWSUCH
IMOGEN ALLEN
TEREN LARGE
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As well as our dedicated animation base rooms with workstations for stop motion and digital animation, you’ll have use of the following facilities:
All our Illustration and Animation students have access to:
Our team of technical officers will be on hand to offer training and support.
Course Leader, BA (Hons) Illustration & Animation
Lecturer, Illustration and Animation
Email: rachel.larkum@aru.ac.uk
With an understanding of traditional animation and illustration, combined with expertise in cutting-edge digital design technology, our graduates have found success with leading animation studios and broadcasters, including Channel 4 and the BBC.
As an Illustration and Animation student at ARU, you can be sure you’ll graduate with the knowledge, skills and abilities that industry needs. We work with artists, creative agencies and production studios – and they offer hands-on, practical opportunities to learn through work-based projects, internships or placements.
Cambridge is the perfect place to gain experience – a creative hotspot that’s home to thousands of established businesses and start-ups. And, at the end of your final year, you’ll take part in our degree show in London – the perfect launchpad for your career.
Graduation doesn’t need to be the end of your time with us, of course. You might decide to stay at ARU and study for a Masters, such as our renowned MA Children’s Book Illustration. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.
“We asked students to create an animation ident. What amazed us most was the quality of the thinking, and the variety of ideas and execution. We’re very much looking forward to working with them next year."
LEE CARNIHAN
As Marketing Manager at Curveball Media, Lee helps to set live briefs for our Illustration and Animation students
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