Our next Open Event is on Thursday 15 May.
Our next Open Event is on Thursday 15 May.
The Art and Digital Design department at Nescot offers an interdisciplinary programme which concludes in a specialism as students develop and expand their knowledge and skill set.
Department informationAvailable courses
We prepare our young people for progression into the Creative Industries by delivering an engaging and inspiring experience.
View a gallery of our students work here or follow us on Instagram @art.and.design.nescot
Our students have progressed to top creative universities:
The department has purpose-built, naturally lit studios and specialist workshops for printmaking, 3D & digital work. Students also have access to photography and film equipment, darkrooms, photography studios and facilities for working with sound. Tutor demonstrators and technicians are available to help learners to get the most from the equipment and facilities available. The department has an open studio policy and students often work in the department outside normal class hours on their portfolios and projects. Industry-standard processing, digital imaging and photography studios with Broncolor lighting, complete range of film cameras and monochrome darkroom.
There are a large number of creative arts students at Nescot and students help each other with projects frequently. We have a programme of visiting artists and designers to give students experience of working with a wide range of talents and temperaments and each year we stage a major end of year public exhibition. There are also opportunities to work on live design briefs, exhibit work outside of the college and collaborate with the performing arts department on costume, set and prop design. Not all work takes place in studios and classrooms – we visit places relevant to the areas we are covering in the curriculum, as well as visits to galleries and museums.
Careers within art and design can include: Animator, Graphic designer, Brand identity developer, Buyer, Curator, Digital print designer, Fashion designer, Fine artist, Garment technologist, Illustrator, Photographer, Set designer, Sculptor, Textiles designer, Trend forecaster and Visual merchandiser.
At Nescot we encourage our students to think ahead, so that they can choose the right courses to fit them and their future. We also use an innovative online platform called Start, which is a free and comprehensive digital platform, offering students a single starting point to help simplify careers guidance. Students can build a personal profile aimed at guiding them throughout their career. Find out more here.
This chart shows some details about employment trends in the sector, and companies Nescot works with.
Skills you will gain
Students work on project briefs reflecting the 'real life' practices and standards of arts industries. The industry-focused skills you will develop include:
- Idea conception
- Audience understanding
- Constructive criticism
- Collaboration
- Portfolio development
- Passion and self-motivation
- Digital and technical skills
- Flexibility and working to deadlines
I chose this course because I wanted a combination of traditional art and digital art. It’s been a really good choice for me, and I definitely recommend it. I’m going to university next year to study a degree in Comic and Concept Art, and studying at Nescot has been a really good foundation for it. In the first year we studied different disciplines, including fine art, sculpture, digital art and fashion. It was really useful to get a foundation in a range of areas and to experience different options.
Lewis
Level 3 Art & Design
So far this year we’ve been building up our skills, and I can see I’ve made progress. We’ve been working on different techniques and with different materials, including print-making, textiles and sculpture. We’ve also been doing some research into other artists, and taking inspiration from them for our own projects. The Level 1 course feels like a really good foundation to studying Art and Design, and I’m really enjoying it. The teachers are really approachable and they’re good at explaining things, and the college campus is accessible.
Millie
Level 1 Art & Design
We do a Final Major Project at the end of each year, and it’s a really good experience. You have a set brief, but then within that you have total freedom to do whatever you want. There’s a strong emphasis on research and development, and that will be useful at university next year. In the first year we learnt the basics and got a really good foundation, and then we developed from there. For example, we learnt about sculpturing by using modelling clay before we did it digitally. I’m going to university next year to study Graphic and Media Design. I’ve learnt a lot at Nescot that will help me, from the focus on research and working on major projects to the technical skills I’ve got now.
Dean
Level 3 Digital Design
I joined Nescot at Level 1, and now I’m at Level 3. I’ve learnt a lot of different techniques, from print to sculpture, and I’ve also learnt how to research ideas and how to take inspiration from different places. Studying at Nescot has really increased my self-confidence, and I’m looking forward to a career in the industry.
Junnie
Level 3 Art & Design
Other subjects
