University of Brighton marks National Illustration Day with celebration of creative students past and present

The exhibition, in the university School of Art and Media, is a celebration of the incredible legacy of the university’s Illustration BA(Hons) course.

The university has a strong reputation in the illustration world with alumni including author and illustrator Emily Gravett, graphic novelist Isabel Greenberg, Emmy-Award winners The Peepshow Illustration Collective, Finnish artist Riitta Ikonen, artist Sanna Annukka, Children’s Laureate’s Chris Riddell and Cressida Cowell, filmmaker Morgan Faverty and artists Jason Ford and Pia Bramley among many names. Several alumni have either won or have been shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal for illustration.

As well as students and alumni, it also features work by ex-lecturers Quentin Blake, John Vernon Lord, Lawrence Zeegan and Raymond Briggs, alongside the work of alumni and current students.

National Illustration Day artwork

Booth by Charlie Turton

National Illustration Day, on November 24, was launched by the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration to celebrate the pictures that are part of our lives and the people that make them.

The idea to celebrate the course past and present came to course leader Roderick Mills when he was thinking how to mark the day. He said: “It is great to acknowledge the legacy of illustration that has emerged from the University of Brighton. As the second oldest Illustration course in the UK, it has been a place for innovative and experimental image makers for over 40 years.”

Alumni of the course have also used the occasion to celebrate the course. Award-winning author and illustrator Emily Gravett said: ‘I’m privileged to be part of a long tradition of Brighton illustration alumni who showcase just how varied, exciting and innovative illustration can be.’

Finnish artist Sanna Annuka said: ’The Illustration course at Brighton is where I discovered my love for printmaking which has been the foundation of my practice ever since.’

‘Brighton gave me the space to discover the joy of seeing a print organically grow.’

Last year producers from The Great British Menu were so impressed with work by students on the course that they chose animations from three of them to be featured as part of the programme’s final, filmed at Brighton Pavilion, in honour of Paddington Bear’s 65th birthday screened in March this year.

And in May this year third year student on the course Abby French, had her illustrations chosen to cover 26 benches at Brighton Marina.

In July illustrations by three graduating students were chosen by award-winning investigative news agency Bellingcat to use in their annual report following a project with the course. Bellingcat also used some of these images in their social media accounts at the time of the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Current course leader Roderick Mills is the artist behind the original artwork for the latest hit podcast from The New York Times, ‘The Coldest Case in Laramie’ by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kim Barker.

Hove Museum by Misha Sofil