Master in Creative Illustration

The professional field in which illustrators develop their careers comprises various areas of communication: advertising, press, literature, design, product application and new audiovisual formats.

The Master’s Degree in Creative Illustration will analyse the numerous fields, uses and applications of illustration demanded by the market, while developing both technical and conceptual issues as students seek their own voice and an understanding of illustration as a form of artistic expression. This programme will delve into the functions of illustration while examining its principal fields and applications in depth, along with illustrators and the role of their work as an information provider, trend generator, critic, historian and graphic chronicler.

The Master's Degree in Creative Illustration is worth 60 ECTS and can be earned by completing the two postgraduate courses worth 30 ECTS each. These postgraduate courses can be taken in the same or different academic years. Additionally, all the postgraduate courses that make up part of a master's degree can be completed independently. 

Postgraduate degree in illustration

Module 1 - Capsule collection: Textile application

Through a practical exercise, students design a product that explores the interrelationship between design and illustration. The module analyses the application of illustration in textiles and works on the conceptualisation of a collection, the creation of applicable illustrations, and the production of photographs and mock-ups of clothing and accessories. Special importance is given to the symbiosis between illustration and fashion, highlighting its impact on visual communication.

• Applications of illustration in textiles and products
• Application techniques and the technical specifications of production
• The design of a capsule collection
• The relationship between design and concept for the transmission of messages

Module 2 – Illustration in fashion: Publishing houses

Illustration in fashion focuses on the creation of images for publishing houses and commercial orders and covers accessories, cosmetics, and perfumery. The module explores current approaches and clothing design, facilitating the development of projects for specialist publications and collaborations. The module offers a practical vision of illustration in various editorial and commercial contexts.

• The creation of images for publishing houses and fashion orders
• The visual interpretation of collections and complementary products
• The whole creative process: order, development, and delivery
• The analysis of the professional practice of a fashion illustrator

Module 3 – Serial reproduction techniques

In this module we explore serial reproduction techniques in illustration, with a focus on risography. Through a practical exercise, students develop a series of interconnected illustrations that combine technical mastery and strategic design. The module aims to encourage a critical understanding of how these techniques influence the perception and impact of creations in the world of illustration.

• Serial printing methods
• Conceptual strategy for a visual corpus
• Technical preparation in the printing process
• Technical aspects of the presentation and exhibition of the product

Module 4 - Desktop publishing and independent publications

The study of various independent publications and fanzines allows students to investigate the creation and development of a collective narrative in the context of desktop publishing. Using points of reference from fanzines and alternative publications, a free format publication is formalised and unveiled at a desktop publishing and comics festival. The module develops critical thought in relation to the opportunities brought by the format, graphical narratives, and the cultural impact of desktop publishing.

• Points of reference from fanzines and desktop publishing
• The selection of themes and collective development and production
• The design and production of a publication
• Strategies for the presentation and exhibition of the publication

Module 5 – Visual narrative

Once a personal event or situation has been recorded, participant study how to create a visual narrative. The aim is to develop a piece that captures the essence of that experience, exploring how to tell a story without text through visual elements. The practical exercise consists of selecting and refining initial sketches to develop a piece that experiments with different formats and materials, creating a narrative that is rich in self-referential elements.

• Natural drawing and sketching techniques
• The development of a visual narrative, with or without text
• Representation of the figure and bodily expression
• Experimentation with formats and techniques

Module 6 - Concept art and digital art

Concept art is presented as an essential tool in the visual design of creative projects. Initial ideas for characters, settings, and objects are explored through digital illustration, analysing the techniques, formats, and the production of archives adapted to the standards of the industry. The experience culminates in the creation of a character model sheet, including crucial elements such as turnarounds and lineups.

• Concept art in the visual design of creative projects
• The analysis of applications and media in digital illustration
• Principles for the design of protagonists, scenarios, and objects
• The creation of a model sheet: turnarounds and lineups
• The preparation of final archives for their inclusion in visual projects

Module 7 – Advertising illustration and commercial collaborations

The analysis of real-life cases investigates strategies that allow illustrators to position themselves in the advertising market. Successful collaborations with brands that shares their values and visual identity are explored. The practical exercise focuses in the development of proposals for an illustration campaign applied to a product or brand, emphasising the creation of a personal style and their relationship with clients.

• Self-promotion and personal marketing strategies
• Workflows in collaboration with brands
• Project management and communication with agencies
• Budgets, rates, and legal aspects in commercial illustration projects

Module 8 – Postgraduate Final Project

The Final Project is conceived as an opportunity for students to apply the knowledge acquired over the course of the program in an integrated manner. In this module, we design a proposal for self-promotion that covers areas ranging from the formulation of objectives to the management of the project.

We will explore how to obtain the necessary resources and select the elements that best represent our ideas, as well as the most effective channels for dissemination and promotion. The process culminates in the presentation of the dissertation to a panel of experts.

Postgraduate Degree in Digital Illustration and New Media

Module 1 – Graphic editing

Based on the design and development of an online editorial front cover, technical content related to the industry-standard editing programs will be introduced. The aim is the acquisition of the planning and management fundamentals required for the proper use of tools and format types: vector graphics, rasterisation and layout.

To enable the exercises within the postgraduate diploma to be properly carried out, practical fundamentals will be covered alongside the use of the industry-standard graphic editing programs (Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign).

• Creation and modification from an analogue original.
• Colour application tools.
• Layout, typographic design and animation.
• Adaptation of interactive design to tablets and smartphones.
• Adaptation of images to packaging (mock-up).

Module 2 – Fundamentals and applications

The content of this module addresses the formats and platforms through which illustration and graphic production is applied. Knowledge of these is an important starting point for the future planning of the promotion and design of projects in relation to individual aims. Moreover, analysis of media will also provide an introduction to the study of multimedia elements, where techniques related to interaction, animation and other resources will be outlined.

• Adaptation of manual illustration to digital formats.
• Creation of draft animations.
• Design of interactive products, interfaces and usability.
• Sprites, Texture Atlas, Frame by Frame and other formats for developing digital applications.
• Interaction and animation tools for video games and apps.

Module 3 – Conceptualisation

Visual communication strategies and resources will be developed through a series of exercises and the presentation of content. The primary goal is the acquisition of skills related to creative processes and communicating messages.

The module is delivered as a workshop oriented towards conceptual development in which individual, cultural and social experience intervene. The practices and theoretical content applied provide an essential basis for the realisation and development of future proposals within the postgraduate diploma, while helping the students to familiarise themselves with common processes associated with artistic and advertising language.

• Image theory.
• Visual resources and means of representation.
• Plastic significance.
• Icon creation.
• Conceptualisation and perception.
• Formal and conceptual synthesis.

Module 4 – Illustration for eBooks

The image as a visual representation of a text or concept can be found in nearly all projects involving illustration. Through the creation of illustrations, the methodological processes for conveying messages and their adaptation to the languages of different audiences will be studied. Meanwhile, and following an in-depth study of the formats, the technical procedures for adapting animated illustrations to electronic devices will also be covered.

• Methodologies for the planning of graphic production process.
• Formats and media to which images are applied.
• Proposal of illustrations suitable for eBooks.
• Analysis of styles, genres and dissemination channels.
• Development and creation of elements and characters.
• Adaptation of illustration to digital formats.
• File and application formats.

Module 5 - Artificial Intelligence, Extended Realities and Web3

Through contents and exercises, this module deals with the study and application of new technologies that bring differential value and competitive advantages to our illustration projects. Extended technologies (virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed realities), Web3 and Artificial Intelligence.

• Extended Realities as new platforms for content creation and visualisation.
• Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR).
• Exploration of the creation of specific content for Extended Realities.
• Web3 and Blockchain: its present and future uses in the world of illustration.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Definition, origin, evolution and uses.
• Application of Artificial Intelligence in illustration projects.

Module 6 – Transmedia communication

Based on the proposal of a promotional campaign, some of the trends and tools applied in digital marketing will be analysed, along with the importance of the content and the interaction of the potential user, which are typically decisive elements for effective dissemination. The transmedia narrative is one of the most widely employed strategies in advertising applied to new media. During the module, practical exercises will be completed in multiple formats to enable the development of a project that studies planning processes and technical applications.

• Transmedia narratives.
• Planning and viability of graphic campaigns.
• Strategies and resources for the development of promotional campaigns.
• Narrative development in promotional campaigns.
• Multiplatform and crossmedia.
• Transmedia creativity and media planning.
• Analysis and use of interaction resources.
• Application of multimedia elements.

Module 7 – Illustration applied to the product

The image is a decisive element in branding and is essential to the process of attracting a specific audience, while also defining aspects related to the perception of and interaction with the product. Regarding its application, aspects related to functionality, identity, media, innovation and differentiation will be covered. Addressing specific and individual aims, the module analyses the adaptability and integration of digital illustration applied to products.

• Proposal of illustrations applied to the product.
• Creation of a Capsule Collection.
• Application to industrial design.
• Study and adaptation of images to products.
• Resources and production techniques.

Module 8 – Project methodology, Final Project development.

This module covers promotion and professional orientation, addressing planning processes for methodologies and strategies. The primary aim is to design a self-promotion proposal, taking into account the various stages that provide methodological support to the project through the formulation of general and specific goals, beginning with the research and analysis process and progressing to its application and presentation. The contents of this module will be applied to the Final Project development.

• Planning and project management.
• Promotion strategies.
• Resource acquisition.
• Content selection.
• Construction, planning, description and presentation.
• Analysis of dissemination and promotion channels.