Drawing with tape workshop

Drawing with tape - A workshop looking at different ways of drawing, creating line, simplification and capturing the essence of place.

Colour workshop

Colour workshop - A workshop designed to introduce colour theory.

Transforming objects workshop

Transforming objects - a workshop designed to introduce different design methodologies and extend drawing practice.

The Poundshop comes to NUCA!

The Poundshop, set up by RCA graduates, George Wu, Sarah Gottlieb and Sara Melin are working with Year 3 NUCA Illustration students to produce lots of wonderful design ideas. The aim of The Poundshop is to spread design to a wider audience by making it accessible through price and engagement and has worked with many cultural institutions such as Mother London, The Shoreditch Trust, Somerset House and The Architecture Foundation.

The Poundshop, Mother London, 2011

Neil Bousfield: Prize at The Society of Wood Engravers

Neil Bousfield, lecturer on the BA illustration course at NUCA was awarded the '75th Anniversary Prize' at the 2012 Society of Wood Engravers 75th Annual Exhibition for his print Where there was tea, now there is sea. Another of Neil's prints was also selected, titled Assessed to death: Glyn, Pete, Rachel and dead Neil (Guess who starred in that and what it was all about!). The works were shown at Art Jericho, Oxford.

Neil Bousfield, Where there was tea, now there is sea, 2012

Susan Aldworth: Reassembling the Self

Susan Aldworth lecturer on BA Illustration at NUCA has curated an exhibition titled ‘Reassembling the Self’ which looks at the condition of schizophrenia. The exhibition weaves together art, science, psychiatry and individual histories in an extraordinary exploration of self, perception and the fragility of human identity.  ‘Reassembling the Self’ is showing at two sites:  at Vane in Newcastle, till 20 October and at Hatton Gallery to 24 November. Read a review in the Guardian

Susan Aldworth, Dreaming Voices 5, 2012, lithograph on paper. Photo: Anna Arca

Michael Craig-Martin exhibition, 'Alphabet' at NUCA

The gallery at NUCA is showing an exhibition titled Alphabet by Michael Craig-Martin, which closes this Saturday - 13 October 2012. Craig-Martin taught many of the YBAs (Young British Artists - Damian Hirst, Sarah Lucas et al.) at Goldsmiths University, London. In Alphabet Craig-Martin plays with the idea of the ABC children's primer. Instead of a direct 'A is for Apple', 'B is for Ball', the relationship between the letter and image is more ambiguous and requires some guesswork. More information

Alphabet Michael Craig-Martin

AOI Images 36 London, October 3 - 28

The annual AOI Images (Association of Illustrators) show is taking place at Somerset House, London 3 - 28 October. Why not go down for a gander. You can book a portfolio review with The Enquiry Desk on Saturday 20 October as well if you feel ready! See how to prepare your illustration portfolio for potential clients and find out more about illustration as a career. Bookable slots available. £35

Image by Anuska Allepuz

Year 1 Trip to the Norfolk coast

The new Year 1 students took a trip to the coast at Wells-Next-The-Sea and Holkham Beach. Lots of drawing, chatting, beach combing and sandcastle making (and a bit of creative mapmaking!) A great day out and it didn't rain! Nice to meet everyone.

Welcome to new illustration students!

A big welcome to all the new BA Illustration students. Prepare for a great time and we all look forward to meeting you and getting to know you in the coming year.

Aristi Fournari, NUCA Illustration graduate 2012 

'Wish You Were Here, Where Are You?' Norwich Playhouse

'Wish You Were Here, Where Are You? is an exhibition of work by a group of 5 illustration students from Norwich University College of the Arts - Amanda Scott, Tom Richardson, Ollie Brock, Katie Jones-Barlow & Kimberley Fowler. It is a project involving the production of unique postcards, whereby each person in the group sent a description of 'where they are' from which recipients created imagery. Books & postcards of the resulting work will be on sale  at The Play Room, The Playhouse, Norwich, NR3 1AB. The exhibition runs: 30 July - 2 September 2012.

Launch Night is  Monday 6 August, 7pm. See you there.... 'Wish You Were Here'

Year 2 Student shortlisted for House of Illustration / Folio Awards 2012

Year 2 student Ceryn McCarthy has been shortlisted for the the House of Illustration / Folio Awards 2012 for her work on Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories.  Last night at the awards ceremony at Collyer Bristow Gallery in London, Ceryn received a cheque for £500 from judge, Marina Warner and also got to meet Quentin Blake! The overall winner was Igor Karesh. More about the shortlisted artists here 

Ceryn McCarthy, The Bloody Chamber, 2011

NUCA Illustration at D&AD New Blood 2012

Lots of industry praise (and awards!) for the NUCA BA (hons) Illustration stand at this year's D&AD New Blood at Spitalfields in London. A hot a sweaty time had by all!

Illustration Degree Show 2012

The 2012  Illustration Degree Show at Norwich University College of the Arts features the work of over 40 students and is in the Gallery and on the 2nd Floor,
 Guntons Building,
 St. Georges Street,
 Norwich
NR3 1BB. Have a look at the work online: 
www.norwichillustration.com

Student winner D&AD 2012

Congratulations to BA (Hons) Illustration Year 3 student Rupert Smissen, who won a D&AD Yellow Pencil at New Blood 2012 yesterday. Rupert entered the Little White Lies cover competition and chose to illustrate the film Black Swan.

Rupert Smissen

Installing BA (hons) Illustration Degree Show 2012

Year 3 students have been busy this week installing the 2012 BA (hons) Illustration Degree Show. This year there will also be a pop-up shop selling prints and limited edition works. Watch this space.... The show opens on Tuesday 26 June - come along, all welcome! The exhibitions is then open to the public from Wednesday 27 June - Tuesday 3 July, 10am-4pm. Extended opening is on Thursday 28 June 10am-9pm. Closed Sunday. More info on NUCA shows here

East London Comics and Arts Festival 2012

The first East London Comics and Arts Festival organised by Nobrow is happening on Sunday 17 June, 9.30am-9pm at The Village Underground. A great day of books, comics, prints, workshops, talks, portfolio surgeries (including surgeries with NUCA visiting tutor, Nick White), great food and music. More about ELCAF 2012

Nick White, 'People I've Never Met & Conversations I've Never Had'  Published by Nobrow Press

Susan Aldworth at Wellcome Collection

Susan Aldworth, Out of Body, 2009

Susan Aldworth, who teaches on the BA (Hons) Illustration course at NUCA is part of an intriguing exhibition, 'Brains: The Mind As Matter' (29 March - 17 June 2012) at the Wellcome Collection in London. The exhbition explores what humans have done to brains in the name of medical intervention, scientific enquiry, cultural meaning and technological change. Featuring more than 150 objects including real brains, artworks, manuscripts, artefacts, videos and photography.

Year 3 Illustration Student selected for Serco Prize for illustration 2012 exhibition

I'm pleased to announce that Chris King Year 3 Illustration has been selected to exhibit his entry for this years London Transport Museum Serco Illustration Prize.

Winners will be announced in November at the Transport Museum in Covent Garden. Here is Chris's entry. Chris said 'London has lots of secrets and Pigeons, so I decided to combine the two'. 

Well done Chris!

NUCA Illustration Students on D&AD shortlist

Year 3 students Stacey Knights and Rupert Smissen have been nominated for D&AD Yellow Pencil Awards for their work on the ‘The Little White Lies’ project. Here is Stacey's entry.

Stacey Knights, 'Little White Lies'

Gary Oldman's character George Smiley is represented by the queen chess piece and I noticed how the shape of that chess piece could be used to form the shape of the tie the character wears. 

Gary Hunt shortlisted in the RSA Student Design Awards

Gary Hunt, a Year 3 student, has made the shortlist for the RSA Student Design Awards competition to design a set of postage stamps that encourages the art of letter writing. 'My idea was to get people to develop their own unique characters on the envelope. Therefore not only is the letter inside a keepsake of memories and conversation, but also a container that bears this personal touch. A stipulation of the brief was to make the stamps so engaging that the customer felt compelled to purchase them to send a letter. I think one of the most engaging forms of communication is humour, so this is the angle I went for.' 

Gary Hunt, RSA stamp designs

R.I.P. Maurice Sendak

Maurice Sendak (1928-2012) revolutionized children's books by leaving in what so many before have left out. He is famed for his book Where the Wild Things Are' which describes anger and the darker things of childhood. Sendak also created costumes for theatre and collaborated with singer, Carole King on the musical, Really Rosie. There is more about his life and work on the Guardian website, which includes a tribute by Neil Gaiman.

'Where the Wild Things Are' by Maurice Sendak. Cover image published by HarperCollins.