Illustration

Course information

The Bachelor of Design in Illustration degree trains a student to become a professional illustrator. Illustrators tell their view of the world around them in pictures. The way they do so says something about their own vision of society and current affairs. The illustrator works on the basis of existing texts or within free, self-devised projects. Communication with the public always plays an important role. The illustrator’s interpretation is both content-related and visual.

At HKU, you will develop your artistic and conceptual skills within a range of contexts. You will combine craftsmanship with the latest techniques and you will research the cross-overs with other professional fields and HKU programmes, such as fine art and design. You will learn to adopt a viewpoint and to illustrate it as well as possible.

The exchange programme

During your exchange programme, you will take part in several professional illustration classes, particularly in the field of visual journalism and editorial work. You will experiment with some illustration methods (Point of view, Infographics) and work on image in motion. At the end of the semester, you will take part in an illustration event. The focus during this programme is on developing your own style and visual idiom and on sharpening your illustration- and design skills. At the end of the semester, you will produce a final assessment (Presentation).

Medialabs

Part of the exchange programme is also to choose 1 out of 3 electives. The first elective is the Medialabs module. This module has been developed for all first and second-year Media students. The aim of the skillslabs is to give you the opportunity to develop skills in the professional field of another Media pathway and to get to know the students on other pathways.

By skills, we mean not only artisanal or technical skills, but also research, conceptual and professional skills.
The skillslabs focus on doing, making and acting: discovery and experiment. You will meet one another through designing, making and activities. Based on your own interests, you get the opportunity to explore other professional fields in your own way and thus discover new interests.

Seminars

The other 2 electives to choose from are so called ’seminars’.

HKU Seminar

In week 9 and week 10 of the exchange semester you can participate in an intensive seminar program (SEM-MED-..-23). There are no regular classes during those weeks. In the seminars you look beyond the walls of your own professional field, traditions and working processes. Gain new experiences and discover new interests, experience different materials, experiments, disciplines, working methods, insights.

International seminar Imaginging Tomorrow

The international seminar Imagining Tomorrow is a two-week intensive international seminar in which students from different disciplines and nationalities will collaborate to address questions about future design thinking (MED-SEMINT-23). You will work for real clients from public and private organizations. In an international and multidisciplinary team you will delve into questions of sustainability, well being, technology, creative industries, science, mobility, transportation, urban space, education and art. The clients will direct these questions. You will use your creativity to expose social and commercial problems of clients in an original and visionary way and to propose interdisciplinary solutions.

Competencies

• You have a critical, investigative attitude and broad cultural and social interests.
• You have a personal vision and are able to develop strong concepts.
• You are capable of shaping, and communicating your illustration concepts in an authentic and communicative way.
• You possess good technical skills.
• You take initiative and work well both independently and in a group.

Programme for exchange students Illustration semester 1

Place in the curriculum and related courses

This programme is an obligatory regular part of the second year of the Bachelor of Design in Illustration.

Language

Please note that the Bachelor programme is mainly taught in Dutch and it is helpful for exchange students to be able to understand some Dutch. It is quite common that exchange students don't understand Dutch on a high level when they start an exchange at HKU Media and you will of course be supervised in English.