News Expert Illustrates Art and Design Careers 24.03.2025

First year Collyer’s students studying the BTEC Extended Diploma in Art and Design recently had the pleasure of working with Tom Walker, Programme Director of BA/MA Illustration at University College of the Creative Arts (UCA) Farnham.

After an insightful lecture on working in the Illustration Industry, Tom led a practical workshop on storytelling using found media, drawing and paint illustration techniques.

Sharon Porter, Head of the course, explained: “We first met Tom when we took students to visit the UCA degree shows back in June last year. His passion and knowledge for his subject was so inspiring and we thought it would be hugely beneficial to our students to link up. We gain so much interest from students wanting to pursue illustration as a career, so to be able to elevate their understanding from a professional level was inspiring.”

Tom said ‘It was a privilege to work with such an enthusiastic, intelligent, and humorous bunch of students. They were fantastic and were totally up for trying a new way of working. The work they made in the session was incredible”.

Abi Bruford, who also teaches the BTEC Extended Diploma in Art and Design, said: “It was so enjoyable and refreshing to discuss new creative teaching techniques.”

The students were also impressed. Hannah Butter was very enthusiastic: “It was great, really fun. I totally enjoyed it”, while Sofia Seferai said: “It made me realise that Illustration might be for me!”

Sharon Porter added: “The world of illustration in the graphic communication sector is such an exciting industry to work in. It offers so many varied jobs and the visit provided a real eye opener for our students.

“Huge thanks to UCA’s Tom Walker. He is an excellent communicator and led a session which was fantastic on so many levels. We are looking forward to working with him again next year.”