Create illustrations that inspire
Get in touch to explore your progression pathway with a course bundle designed to suit your personal or professional goals.
Featured courses
Book Illustration Short Course
£880
Hone your drawing skills and develop your visual language. Understand how to develop your abilities as an illustrator and present a portfolio to a publisher.
- Dates - 3 August 2026 to 7 August 2026
- Schedule - Monday to Friday
Character Design Short Course
£540
Design engaging characters. Learn the fundamentals of character design and bring your creations to life.
- Dates - 18 August 2026 to 22 September 2026
- Schedule - Tuesdays
Illustration Short Course
£430
Be introduced to the wide-ranging discipline of illustration and gain an improved understanding of the possibilities of image-making. From book illustration and publishing to animation and motion graphics.
- Dates - 29 September 2026 to 20 October 2026
- Schedule - Tuesday
Graphic Novels and Comic Book Art Short Course
£800
Introduction to creating graphic novel-style sequential art. Topics include story development, storyboarding, page layout design, inking, lettering and colouring.
- Dates - 5 April 2027 to 9 April 2027
- Schedule - Monday to Friday
Who are these courses for?
Whether you're exploring illustration for the first time, developing a portfolio for further study, or looking to strengthen your professional practice, you'll build the technical and creative skills needed to create engaging visual work for a range of audiences and platforms.
What will I learn?
Depending on the course you choose, you’ll gain a foundation in key areas of the illustration, including:
- Visual communication
- Illustration techniques and design principles
- Developing your voice and storytelling
- Animation and storyboarding
- Concept development
- Working from a brief
Do I need any prior experience?
How long are the courses?
Depending on the type or format of the course you choose, it could typically run for a few consecutive days or weeks, or once per week for a few weeks.
Which course format is right for me?
- Choose an in-person, campus-based short course for immersive learning and the art college experience
- Choose a live online short course for structured teaching you can do anywhere
- Choose a self-paced short course for flexible, independent study in your own time
Where can this lead?
After completing their course students go on to:
- BA and MA courses at UAL or other institutions
- Use their practical skills to develop their own creative practice or business
- UAL Online postgraduate study
- Creative careers and freelance practice
Discover more...
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Illustration for 11 to 15 Year Olds Chelsea Short Course | On campusNerijus Malinauskas, 2023 BA Illustration, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Alys Tomlinson
Discover more about illustration short courses
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Image: Sean Hawkey | UAL Short Courses Student Story: Alexander Steenhorst, Graphic Novels and Comic Book Art Short Course
We caught up with one of our Short Course students Alexander Steenhorst, an Amsterdam based Visual Storyteller. Alexander took our Graphic Novels and Comic Book Art course at Chelsea College of Arts.
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Artwork by Michelle Freeman Discover the art of book illustration with a short course
We caught up with illustrator, Michelle Freeman, to hear about her experience on the Book Illustration Online Short Course.
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Image: Student drawing an ink illustration, 2024 | Photo: Sean Hawkey What to expect from an Illustration Short Course
Unlock your creativity with UAL’s Illustration Short Courses, perfect for artists of any skill level. These courses offer hands-on studio time, online options, and flexible scheduling.
