Art and Design (Foundation Year) highlights

Semester 1 highlights

Drawing with Scissors

Wow! We are blown away by the incredible collage outcomes from today's Drawing with Scissors workshop! Special thank you to the amazing Fiona Wilson for today's session! Pure joy to see the studio full of colour, shapes and patterns!

Drawing Week

We ended our drawing week on Blob Beasts and Hidden Worlds! Workshop by the amazing Dawn Critchley! Diving into blobs of ink to transform into strange creatures and imaginary landscapes, students were encouraged to just let go and see what emerges with a little chaos and imagination! Very fitting for Halloween 🎃 It’s been a great day, such amazing results…

Team Challenge 

More amazing zines to add to our collection from last week's Team Challenge project 2 Zine. We had some exciting workshops to inspire zine content and layouts including Dada Collage, Exquisite Corpse drawing and many more!! Well done team! @zinestaffs 

Team Challenge  

Project 4 Transcriptions, students were asked to interpret art works thinking about what might of happened a moment after the image, what a great conclusion to the Team Challenge projects all! Very proud of all your team work, creativity and studentship throughout this module! 

Module Ideas Generation in Art Semester 1

This exploratory module helps students banish that creative block! It gave the students an opportunity to exploring materials, processes and rapid ideas generation in response to 4 two-week briefs. The emphasis was on providing multiple possibilities for each project brief, rather than focusing on a final outcome. Students were encouraged to analyse the work they have produced and reflect on their successes.

Briefs included Half Life, Atmospheric Narratives and Multiversion.

Students explored the production of multiples, working in series and will develop strategies to avoid creative blocks. They focussed on the expressive, aesthetic qualities of processes and materials and their potential to represent narrative.
Working in a continuously experimental way, exploring the variety that exists within the art pathway, as well as the potential for generating multiple ideas and possibilities. The focus for this module will be on self-expression, story-telling and creative risk taking.

Looking ahead to Semester 2

Semester starts with a progression week which are taster sessions with each of the 10 art & design courses that foundation students can progress onto. (List of courses).

It will be followed by another stimulating drawing week with specialist lecturers, where students will expereince innovative techniques and new ways of thinking, to help them visualise and draw with confidence.

There will be an interim show in march showing the great work on the art project rituals, and a pop-up shop selling designer hand crafted items by the design students.

A trip to Manchester to explore the diverse art and design throughout the northern quarter and city centre.

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2025

for Social Inclusion

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026

for First Generation Students

The Mail University Guide 2026

in the UK for Games Education

Rookies Games Design and Development 2023, 2025

TIGA Best Games Institution 2024, 2025

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021