Illustration with Animation

If you’re a creative thinker who loves drawing, storytelling and bringing ideas to life, BA (Hons) Illustration with Animation at Manchester Met gives you the opportunity to explore both illustration and the moving image. This hybrid course reflects the way today’s illustrators and animators work, combining hand‑crafted techniques with digital tools, and developing ideas that can live on paper, on screen, or in 3D spaces.

Throughout your degree, you’ll experiment with a huge range of processes, from printmaking, book arts and sketchbook work to animation, 3D‑making, and digital design. You’ll work on projects co‑created with museums, libraries, archives and other cultural institutions, gaining real‑world experience and building confidence in responding to different communities and contexts. This hands‑on approach encourages individuality, curiosity, and the development of your own creative voice.

You’ll be taught by professional illustrators and animators with diverse backgrounds, supported by specialist workshops in printmaking, bookbinding, letterpress, ceramics, 3D printing and digital software including Adobe Creative Suite, TV Paint and Dragonframe. You’ll also be inspired by industry experts, award‑winning competitions, and the course’s connection to the Association of Illustrators. These experiences help you understand the broad range of careers you can pursue, from freelance illustration and animation to film, publishing, design and creative enterprise.

At Manchester School of Art, our design courses are taught in vibrant, open studio spaces alive with energy and creativity. These dynamic environments foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, encouraging students to engage, experiment, and learn from one another within a culture of shared practice and innovation. Our studio environment provides the ideal setting to develop new ideas, refine skills, and push the boundaries of contemporary craft practice.

By the end of the course, you’ll have developed a distinctive creative identity and the practical skills to shape a meaningful, sustainable future in the creative industries.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

• Globally recognised - We are ranked in the top 100 schools for art and design in the world (QS World Rankings 2026).

• Combine illustration with animation - Become a versatile visual designer and communicator by integrating illustration with animation. Learn to apply your creative skills across a wide range of professional contexts—from screen-based media to publishing and site-specific installations.

• Award-winning competitions - Boost your portfolio and visibility through industry-recognised competitions such as the Penguin Design Awards, World Illustration Awards, and Creative Conscience Awards.

• Inspiration from Industry Experts - Learn from internationally renowned guest speakers and leading industry professionals and gain career insights from course alumni working across illustration, animation, and creative enterprise.

• Professional membership - Benefit from the course’s affiliation with the Association of Illustrators, enabling access to industry informed best practice and career-launching guidance.

• Diverse skillset development - Build expertise in both traditional and digital techniques, including drawing, reportage, printmaking, bookbinding, 3D making, Adobe Creative Suite, and animation.

• Cultural study trips - Experience creative cultures first-hand with optional study trips to iconic design cities. Previous trips have included New York, Berlin, Venice, and Copenhagen.

• Live briefs and real-world projects - Work on live projects with cultural institutions, industry collaborators, and partners such as NHS Christie, Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester Museum, and Manchester Poetry Library.