Sneak Peek at Illustration degree students’ spectacular light project for Hartlepool Christmas Light Switch-on!
BA (Hons) Illustration for Commercial Application students Karol Wrzesinska and Sam Harrison have been busy preparing their work to contribute to a spectacular light projection for this year’s Hartlepool Christmas Light Switch-on event. Following on from last year’s successful presentation Hartlepool Council and Creative Hartlepool have joined forces with our students on this second instalment, which will light up Hartlepool Art Gallery tower with animated images inspired by the town and its cultural institutions. Visitors can watch the illuminating display on November 29th!
For the project, students have been working in groups to create stunning work that will be pieced together to tell an exciting visual story of the town. Students have had special access to the town’s archives such as the Robert Wood poster collection and cultural institutions in Hartlepool for inspiration. Each student has contributed something unique to the display.
Lecturer Alice Hair commented: “Second year students have developed a diverse range of illustrated, animated scenes which highlight and celebrate Hartlepool locations and events, past and present. Original, and recognisable illustrated characters can be seen interacting with local landmarks which should appeal to everyone in the family. The event audience should find the animations both vibrant and warming as they all feature a festive twist to reflect the time of year.”
Speaking of the brief student Sam Harrison commented; “The council brief centred on crafting animations to create visual excitement surrounding the light switch on, exemplifying the most interesting visuals associated with Hartlepool. The pitching process was integral to this project as it demonstrates how these ideas are designed with intention and purpose, client consideration was a vital part, both before and after pitching.”
Sam’s concept looks into aspects of community, visually he was inspired by “the folklore and festivals surrounding Hartlepool, emphasising the more expressive imagery that attempts to focus on the exciting parts of the town. I would want viewers to experience a warmth from the work, via expressive illustrations and vivid colours, and to feel the sense that the work was directly inspired by the rich history of folklore and general history surrounding the town.”
Student Karol Wrzesinska’s work is inspired by the “industrial prime of Hartlepool since that is what made Hartlepool, Hartlepool! I intended to do that in a very colourful way so that people can enjoy it visually whilst understanding that it represents the town’s industrial history.”
Speaking of how they hope their work will be received Karol said, “I would like visitors to simply enjoy looking at my illustrations. I want them to find them visually appealing and something they would like to see again, perhaps for the ones that live in Hartlepool, to feel pride for their town and to research its history for themselves.”
Speaking of the experience of working on the brief Karol reflected that they “enjoyed working on this live brief with the council; it was a bit nerve-wracking since this is something new for me. However, it was a valuable experience, and I enjoyed working collaboratively with other people.” Sam agreed he liked the brief and “enjoyed how wildly different the medium and structure of the project was.”
Speaking of their degree programme Sam said, “I find my course both rewarding and challenging, pushing me to explore ideas and avenues I wouldn’t have explored otherwise, such as projection. Challenge allows for a more useful experience, we are pushed to explore less typical means which then leads to more learning in ways I wouldn’t have considered myself.”
Karol reflected on working with like-minded creatives on the course commenting; “I really enjoy studying at the Northern School of Art. I have a lot of creative freedom and space to explore different mediums, and it’s nice to meet other illustrators who also want to be in the same creative industry.”
Hartlepool Light Switch-on will take place in Hartlepool’s Church Square on Friday 29th November. Visitors can join in the festivities from 5pm! Do not miss our student’s spectacular light display! Further details of the exciting free programme lined up for the evening are available here
If you are interested in studying Illustration at degree-level then look no further. Check out our BA (Hons) Illustration for Commercial Application Degree today! Students on this programme have excellent opportunities to work on live briefs like this one to help them carve out an exciting career in their chosen industry. Check out the programme details here. You can also book on an open day, find out dates here.
