Illustration Newsletter

Illustration Newsletter

Formative Assessment Week
​What You Need to Know

This week, Level 5 and 6 students will receive formative feedback on the first components of their modules.

What is Formative Assessment?

It’s your chance to get constructive feedback that helps you improve your current project and sharpen your overall approach to illustration. This isn’t about grades—it’s about growth.

The work reviewed this week will be assessed again at the end of the semester during summative assessment, when final grades are awarded and no further changes can be made.

Use this opportunity wisely.

​Reflect on your feedback, make improvements, and strengthen your project so it’s in the best possible shape for final submission. And, more importantly, bear feedback in mind as you begin your next project.
Picture
Norman Rockwell's 'The Holdout'. A tenuous link to assessment - at best.
Formative Assessment – Top Tips
​
  1. Constructive Criticism Isn’t Personal
    Feedback helps you grow. It’s not a judgment—it’s a tool. Focus on what needs work and use it to improve.

  2. Give Feedback to Each Other
    Sharing thoughtful critique builds your understanding of illustration and helps you learn to assess your own work more effectively.

  3. Pay Attention & Take Notes
    Formative feedback often includes key actions that can improve both current and future projects. Professionals don’t rely on memory—write it down and act on it.

  4. Show All Your Work – Even If It’s Incomplete
    If we can’t see it, we can’t discuss it. Don’t waste time describing work that isn’t visible. In the industry, if it’s not shown, it doesn’t exist.
    ​
  5. Avoid “If I Had More Time…”
    Deadlines are part of the challenge. Saying what you could have done isn’t useful. Focus on what you did do—and how you’ll improve next time.
The Week Ahead

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Yr1
VCOM4000 | am
UCIA4030 | 2-3 & 4-5 - pm 		Yr1
No Delivery
Studio | Independent Study
An Audience With...3-4pm		 Yr1
UCIA4030 | 10-12		 Yr1
No Delivery
Studio | Independent Study		 Yr1
VCOM4000 | I.T am
VCOM4000 | T.P pm
Yr2
ILLU5040 | Life Drawing - pm		 Yr2
ILLU5020 | Launch L.R - am
An Audience With...3-4pm		 Yr2
No Delivery | Independent Study		 Yr2
ILLU5020 | Studio - pm		 Yr2
No Delivery | Independent Study
Yr3
No Delivery | Independent Study		 Yr3
ILLU6040 | Studio - am
An Audience With...3-4pm		 Yr3
ARTD6000 | L.R - am		 Yr3
No Delivery | Independent Study		 Yr3
ILLU6040 | Studio - am
How the illustration industry is grappling with AI – a special report

How the illustration industry
is grappling with AI
– a special report



Picture
One of Charlotte Cripps' pieces for Digital Frontier
An Audience with...
Mr Tom Froese

Please note that this week's session will run from 3-4pm as Tom's joining us from Canada

Welcome to our 'An Audience with...' programme, a unique series of Q&A sessions featuring accomplished practitioners from the illustration industry. These sessions provide an invaluable opportunity to engage directly with industry professionals, ask questions, and gain insights into their work and creative processes.

The sessions usually take place on Tuesdays from 2 to 3pm but due to time differences, Mr Tom will be joining us from 3 to 4pm. Full details of the programme can be found within the top folder of every Blackboard module page and here.

To make the most of these sessions, you're required to research each guest artist in advance and prepare thoughtful questions to deepen your understanding and enrich the discussion.

​
TUESDAY 3 - 4PM
VIA TEAMS HERE

Mr TOM'S LINKS:
WEBSITE
INSTAGRAM
PODCAST
​YOUTUBE
Mr. Tom Froese is an award-winning illustrator, teacher, and speaker. He loves making images that make people smile. Tom’s is known for his lively maps, characters and scenes, created with expressive shapes, bright colours, and printmaking-inspired textures. Since 2013, Tom has worked for brands and businesses all over the world. Esteemed clients include Yahoo!, Airbnb, GQ France, and The Wall Street Journal. He graduated from NSCAD with a Bachelor of Design (honours) in 2009.


Teacher, Speaker and Podcaster
Tom is a Top Teacher on Skillshare, where over 120,000 students (and counting!) have learned his unique and accessible approach to commercial illustration. Tom has been invited to present workshops and talks to creative audiences across the US and Canada, including ICON, Skillshare, and DesignThinkers. In 2022, Tom launched Thoughts on Illustration, a podcast about showing up and growing up as a commercial illustrator.


TEAMS LINK FOR TOM'S SESSION
An Audience with... Nick Moffatt
Session Recording

Gossberry Fools™
Insta-Gratification™
Random eye candy from 'the gram', presented without context for your professional curiosity

For your viewing pleasure...