Information about my progression, degree shows I visited, career paths, and university course info.

1. PROGRESSION ASSIGNMENT
(UNITS 10 AND 85)
Martha Watton

2. KINGSTON UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE
ART DEGREE SHOW 2016
The Kingston University degree show showcased final pieces from
many different areas of art and design, such as fashion, illustration,
3D models, photography, and fine art. It was interesting to see the
variety in the work as no two pieces were exactly the same. I feel this
shows that the course offered at Kingston was broad enough to let
each student explore what interested them and to take their own
approach to the course. Much of the work was based around
illustration, graphic design and fashion.There were quite a few small projects/books which were
very simply made with just paper and staples or string.
Many of the final pieces didn’t look too complex at first
glance however the sketchbooks proved otherwise. Each
book initially started off with the same approach but they
then drifted from each other and began to focus on their
specific interest to result in many different outcomes.
From this I gathered that the final piece maybe wasn’t the
most important thing and that the build up to it and
development work is much more valued. It seemed as
though thinking outside of the box was encouraged as
many of the pieces had complex ideas behind them and

3. KINGSTON UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE
ART DEGREE SHOW 2016
There were no current students that I could speak to at the
exhibition however I did some research online and found
that the Student Room had a few threads about the art
course at Kingston. They said that the course lets you have
almost free reign to pursue what you’re interested in. The
studio and research work is left mainly up to the students
whilst tutors advise on mediums and artists. There are
hardly any briefs set except for in the workshops that you
can sign up to where you may be given one. Many of the
students doing Art & Design courses at Kingston already
did the Foundation course also offered by Kingston for one
year before carrying on there to study at degree level.The Fine Art course at Kingston is taught using independent study time, which
is around 65% of the course. The other 35% of time is taken up by lectures and
seminars. The students also said that tutors are always willing to help and the
interaction with them is very one-to-one. You can speak to a tutor whenever
they’re available so the contact time with staff is a lot better than at bigger
universities such as Central St Martins. An advantage of going to Kingston is
that it is close to central London meaning visiting and gaining inspiration from
gallery's and exhibitions is easily done.

4. GOLDSMITHS DEPARTMENT OF ART
UNDERGRADUATE EXHIBITION 2016
I attended the open day at Goldsmiths University which gave me an
insight into the university life as well as looking at the
undergraduate shows they were exhibiting. The campus has many
different buildings which act as studios and
exhibition/performance spaces. There were quite a few degree
shows on offer at the open day so I went to as many as possible in
order to get the best overview of the course. There was a wide
variety of pieces on display from all areas of the fine art spectrum.
One thing I did notice was that a lot of students chose to do video,
installation or performance pieces as their final outcome, which is
not necessarily what I personally am interested in; this could have
just been because many students were interested in those
particular areas that year. Despite this, there was also more
traditional fine art pieces such as paintings, embroidered textiles
and prints.
Some of the work was difficult to understand as it was more
conceptual installation pieces which had no explanation written
anywhere to go alongside the work. I feel I would have appreciated
those pieces more had I been able to see briefly how the artist got

5. GOLDSMITHS DEPARTMENT OF ART
UNDERGRADUATE EXHIBITION 2016
One of my favourite pieces of work at Goldsmiths was a
series of black and white lino prints all displayed in a
single white room across the walls. This showed how
diverse the students at Goldsmiths are with their ideas, as
some focused on printing and painting, whereas others
were more interested in textiles or conceptual art.
In many of the works materials were used which I
wouldn’t have thought to place in art, such as Vaseline or
other unusual materials. Students took these things like
tinfoil and made them into a piece which had a meaning,
something that looked different. Some students even
used themselves as the art in performance pieces such as
‘Drunk Girl Ruins Wedding’ where a girl was dressed up
as a wedding guest, drunk, and dancing to crazy music in
a lift. It was experiences like this that made me think how
broad art can be, and Goldsmiths really emphasised this
in the variety of their work.

6. ILLUSTRATION
Illustration is a graphic depiction of any concept or
subject in a drawing, sketch, painting, photograph,
cinema or other type of image. The aim of an illustration
is to interpret or decorate a story, poem or piece of
textual information by providing a visual representation
of something described in the text. Illustration is the art
of creating images which do not detract from the thing it
is illustrating by adding character and personality
without competing with the main focus e.g. Text.
Illustration is neither art nor design but a mixture of the
two as it combines the drawing element of art with
design for the layout of images on a book page for
example. Illustrative images can be made by hand or
digitally and using a range of mediums. Illustrators
create images for a variety of outlets such as children's
books, advertising campaigns, clothing, packaging and
store displays, video games, movies, animations and
comic books. The difference between illustration and art
Jobs linked with illustrating
• Art directors
• Graphic, package and web
designers
• Computer game developers
• Character designers
• Digital artists
• Animators
• Exhibit designers
• Storyboard, concept and
studio artists
Famous
Illustrators
• Quentin Blake
• Beatrix Potter
• Tim Burton
• Dr Seuss
• Roger
Hargreaves
• Maurice
Sendak
• Eric Carle

7. POSTER

8. CHILDREN'S BOOK ILLUSTRATOR
To be a children's book illustrator you first must
have a distinct style. Many illustrators are easily
recognisable because their style is unique and
personal to them. Characters for children's book
often work best when they are simply drawn with
minimal detail especially on the face as children
like to imagine the mood and expression of the
character themselves. As an illustrator you have to
be versatile, especially for children's books. You
have to be able to draw a wide variety of things
such as dinosaurs, pirates, jungles, space and
many more.
You will usually need to be part of an agency to
help get you work and to help you get recognised
by publishers and authors. You have to be prepared
to do many drafts before you are happy with a final

9. QUENTIN BLAKE
Born in London in 1932, Blake went to Downing College, Cambridge to study English, going on
to do a postgraduate teaching diploma at the University of London. He followed this with life-
classes at Chelsea Art School. Blake has always made a living as an illustrator and taught at the
Royal College of Art as head of the illustration department from 1978 to 1986.
He then adds the washes of colour using watercolours as
this is his preferred medium. Everything Blake draws
comes from his imagination so his studio is white
because he doesn’t want anything to influence the
illustrations as it is his ‘job to imagine whatever it is he
is drawing’.
From the age of 16 he has had his drawings published in many magazines
including Punch and The Spectator. He is perhaps most famous for his
collaborations from many writers for their children's books, the most well
known being Roald Dhal. As well as this he has illustrated classic books such
as A Christmas Carol.
Quentin Blake produces his initial illustrations just be quickly sketching out an
idea. He then uses a lightbox, watercolour paper, ink, and a dip pen to refine
the first sketch into a proper drawing.

10. QUENTIN BLAKE
The first thing to note about this illustration is that it tells as story
without the need to use words. Although it is part of the story of The
Twits by Roald Dahl and does have text accompanying it, it works
equally as well as a standalone drawing conveying a humorous scene.
The composition is interesting to the eye with the woman and
balloons being the main feature which is why they are placed in the
centre of the illustration. It is more or less equally balanced with
objects on either side of the centred drawing.
The artist used water proof black ink and watercolours to create this
illustration because these mediums contribute to his style and make
all his images uniformed in some way. The lines have a messy quality
to them which reflects the fact it is a children's book as it looks as
though it could've been done by a child. The spontaneous feel of the
illustration also mirrors children as we often associate childhood with
spontaneity and freedom. The black outlines of each shape contrast
with the slightly whimsical watercolours but give the piece a more
cartoon appearance.
The image depicted is of a woman being sent into the sky by a
bundle of balloons, and her husband is at the side presumably having

11. NICK SHARRAT
Born in 1962, Nick Sharrat has been drawing for as long as he can
remember. When he left school he did an art foundation course at
Manchester Polytechnic (Manchester Metropolitan University) and
then got a place at Central St Martins to study graphic design. When
he left St Martins in 1984 he went to various publishers with his
portfolio and was given small commissions right away and has been
a freelance illustrator ever since.Sharrat first drew pictures for educational textbooks and was soon asked to
illustrate his first picture book in 1987. He did more and more book illustration
and began writing his own books too. He has worked with authors including Julia
Donaldson, Jeremy Strong, Michael Rosen, Giles Andreae, Kaye Umansky, Kes
Gray and most notably Dame Jacqueline Wilson and has also written around 40 of
his own books.Most of Sharrats’ drawings begin on thin paper using a soft pencil
so he can easily trace over them and make improvements. He will
try out different hairstyles and face shapes and will often stand in
front of the mirror to get the characters positioning just right. He
tries out many different versions of characters only tweaking
small things each time to get them perfect and says that his job
requires a lot of patience.

12. NICK SHARRAT
The bright colours used in this illustration immediately draw the eye
towards it, particularly because the artist has used bigger blocks of
colour which make it bolder and stand out more. Patterns have also
been used to create interest in areas that may otherwise become lost
among the colour. Even the shadows are coloured purple instead of
black or grey to add even more colour.
This illustration is quite static as there is nothing to give the
impression of movement, however the colours and patterns make up
for the lack of this. Sharrat uses the computer to add colour which is
evident through the blocky look of the image. It is a very cartoon like
piece with simple imagery on the facial features and other details. This
coupled with the colour palette used makes it obvious that this
illustration is for children although that’s not to say that adults don’t
enjoy it too.
The image alone does not portray a huge story in itself. You can tell
that two friends are going shopping however there is no further details
that could be inferred from this.
Unlike the illustration I just looked at by Quentin Blake, Nick Sharret

13. FINE ART BA (HONS) - GOLDSMITHS
One of the courses I am interested in for when I leave Esher College is Fine Art at Goldsmiths University of
London. In order to get a place at Goldsmiths I must successfully complete my college courses and a
Foundation year, as well as having a portfolio of work to show them both online and in person if I get an
interview. I can apply for this course through UCAS by completing an application and writing a personal
statement. Completion of an art Foundation course is essential to this course however I was going to do one
anyway so this works in my favour. It also means I would have broader portfolio and another year of experience
before university. The facilities at Goldsmiths are one of the things that really stood out to me whilst at the
open day. There is space for art studios, performance work, installations, temporary projects and exhibitions,
and a range of research laboratories. The fact that you get your own studio space appeals to me as I feel this is
really important in order to stay organised and inspired. You are allowed to work in any medium you like and
determine the nature of your practice.
The freedom this course seems to offer draws me towards it as
at this time I am still undecided of which pathway I’d like to
take.
You get a tutor assigned to you who you receive individual
tutorials from as well as group presentations and discussions.
The course also involves critical studies, lectures and seminars
to help with your ability to discuss, analyse and write about
contemporary art. Goldsmiths say they prepare you for a
professional life whilst studying there and many of their
graduates have continued to be successful artists, winning
major prizes and exhibiting around the world. The course
prepares students to be able to work in a variety of fields and

14. FINE ART BA (HONS) - GOLDSMITHS
I also spoke to a student at the open day who told me that the career advisers at Goldsmiths are
available to students for three years after they graduate.
Goldsmiths is located in New Cross in East London and is less than 15 minutes away from central.
Living that close to gallery's and exhibitions would enhance my university experience tenfold as I would
never be far from inspiration.
Why study at Goldsmiths?
• You'll make and study contemporary art in a dynamic, critical and interdisciplinary environment
• We'll equip you with the skills that will help you develop independent thought and confidence in
your practice, as well as skills suitable for employment in the creative industries• You'll have your own studio space from day one, and will
have access to excellent facilities including specialist
research laboratories
• All staff on the programme are practising artists, curators
and writers, here to respond to the work that you make
and to help you understand how it contributes to, and
challenges, the critical debates that exist in the study
area and beyond
• Since 1990, former Goldsmiths students have been
nominated for the Turner Prize more than 30 times, and
have won the prize on seven occasions

15. ILLUSTRATION BA (HONS) - BRIGHTON
Study Illustration at Brighton will help to develop your understanding of the subject intellectually as well as
practically. You’ll get to learn how to communicate visually and develop your own visual language. You take
part on studio-based practice, critical and cultural studies, skills workshops, seminars and one-off live
projects. You will be able to develop work through analogue techniques as well as digital, print, web and
interactive mediums. This rich, instructive and creative course provides an excellent springboard for working
in the creative industries or forging a creative practice of your own.Why study at Brighton?
•Brighton is a vibrant city, packed with galleries and home to many creative and digital companies. It also
hosts England’s leading arts festival and an annual digital media festival.
•Benefits of dedicated studio space, small year groups and close links between Illustration and Graphic Design
disciplines, giving you the best platform for sharing knowledge and personal development.
•The course is taught by accomplished illustrators; they create a
stimulating learning environment while keeping up ambitious research,
professional practice and participating in major exhibitions.
•It is one of the few places in the country where you can study Illustration
and receive tuition in dedicated workshops for both letterpress and book
arts. You’ll also have access to one of the country’s best-stocked
specialist art and design libraries and our internationally significant
Design Archives.
•Students on recent optional study trips have visited New York, San
Francisco, Berlin and Amsterdam and enjoyed a full programme of studio
and gallery visits.

16. ILLUSTRATION BA (HONS) - BRIGHTON
From looking around the University of Brighton website and doing other research I really like the look of the
course offered at Brighton. The photos of work they have available on the website are hugely varied and it
seems as though you do have chances to choose which specifics you want to work in. Brighton also offers
many opportunities such as study trips abroad
To study at Brighton I can apply through UAS with an application and personal statement. I will also need to
gain good grades in my A Level and BTEC, as well as complete a foundation year. A strong portfolio is also
essential and I must be able to talk about it at an interview if I were to get one. The first year of this course
introduces you to the basic concepts of visual communication in illustration and helps you to develop your
own visual language. Year 2 focuses on self-initiated, collaborative, experimental and independent ways of
working. The final year builds on the creative and analytical abilities you have developed and works on
personal development as you move towards a more self-directed programme of study.
Facilities
•Dedicated studio space
•Central media center with computing facilities specific to the needs of
designers and illustrators
•Specialist equipment including materials for sound, film and
photography
•One of the country's best-stocked specialist art and design libraries
•Internationally important Design Archives include a wealth of work in
graphic design and illustration
•Dedicated technical workshops in Letterpress Printing and Book Arts

17. ILLUSTRATION & VISUAL MEDIA BA (HONS)
– LONDON COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION
From looking around the LCC website and doing other research I really like the look of the course offered.
‘Illustration and Visual Media is not defined by a medium, material or style, but fuelled by a desire to
communicate by whatever means are appropriate, be they sculptural, typographic, photographic, filmic,
print-based or a combination of all of these. As the course philosophy suggests: Nothing is off limits.’
Facilities
• 3D Workshop
• Animation
• Design and Media Photography
• Letterpress
• Printmaking
• Print Production, Finishing and Book
Binding
• Surface Design
To study at LCC I would not have to do a Foundation year and would need 64
new UCAS points to secure my place. However grades are low as they focus on
the personal statement and portfolio when looking at applicants so I would
need to ensure these are strong and fulfil all requirements. What draws me
most towards this course is the freedom it appears to offer through their
‘nothing is off limits’ approach, meaning any medium is relevant and
experimenting is encouraged. This still gives me space to try new things and
not tie myself down to solely traditional illustration like some other courses
suggest.
LCC also offer a ‘Diploma in
Professional Studies’ which is an
optional placement year in
industry. This would be really
beneficial to me for building up
my work experience and getting
a job after university. Candidates
are selected on a competitive
basis so I would need to work

18. ILLUSTRATION BA (HONS) - BOURNEMOUTH
I’d heard a lot about Arts University Bournemouth from friends and others so decided to have a look at their
Illustration course. They describe Illustration as: ‘Illustration is a way of seeing and understanding the world.
Through a variety of techniques, traditional and digital, you’ll discover how to connect and communicate with
different audiences across a range of contemporary platforms’ The course has a focus on exploring different
areas of the discipline and connecting with other students whilst working together to collaborate and exhibit
as groups. Study time is split across taught hours, studio and/or work environment time, and independent
study. Students are encouraged to experiment and work collaboratively on self initiated projects, with the
expectation of 40 hours per week being spent on studies.
Facilities
• iMacs
• Digital Printers
• GoPros
• Risograph Printer
• Digital Recording Devices
• Silkscreen Printing
• Relief Presses for Lino and
Woodcut
• Lithography Printing Bed
• Acid Etching and Aquatint
Facilities
Year 1 is about
experimentation as you are
introduced to the notion of
illustration and all its
diversity.
Year 2 has an emphasis on
exploring illustrative
concepts, contexts and
audiences.
Year 3 is about innovation,
application, and experience
in the real world.