A year-long course, designed to prepare students for art, design & media courses in higher education.

The aim of the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design is to provide students with the opportunity to explore a wide range of art, design and media-based activities and prepare them for progression into higher education art, design and media courses. The course will not only help you improve your existing skills, but will also offer you new experiences, both practical and theoretical, which may assist you in making an informed choice for your future. 

The course is College-wide and draws on the expertise of staff from different subject specialisms including the following:

• Graphic design
• Interior and spatial design
• Film
• Animation and video
• Photography
• 3D Design
• Surface design
• Book arts 

This course is taught within the Faculty of Design.

Who teaches the course

David Sowerby is a principal lecturer at the University of the Arts London. He originally trained at the Central School of Art and Design and is now Head of Foundation Studies at LCC. He has over 25 years of experience in the creative industries and education, and has managed a highly successful Foundation course team at LCC for the past eight years.

Leigh Clarke is a key tutor and has curated an exhibition at Contemporary Art Projects in Shoreditch. The exhibition can be viewed at:
www.commentart.com/exhibitions/Oh_Deborah! His work was also at the Frieze Art Fair with Bob and Roberta Smith at the Resonance FM booth and he took part in the Art Car Boot Fair on 8 July 2007, selling spoof Hackney Gazette posters on the P.I.E stall. For further details view www.artcarbootfair.com

Other tutors include Felipe Alçada, Salvatore Arancio, Ian Barraclough, Andrew Craig, Matthew Boyle, Bea Denton, Graham Diprose, Elizabeth Doherty, Tim Donaghy, Lynda Doyle, Stephen A Hall, Stephen P Hall, Danny Holliday, Melodie Holliday, Veronica Hendry, Katrina Koall, Ellie Land, Greg Messiah, Howard Milrose, Ima Abasi Okon and Chisato Tamabayashi.

What students say about the course

"I really enjoyed my time on foundation. It is a time to experiment and explore what it is about design that interests you. You are encouraged to work through your visual and conceptual ideas using a very broad range of techniques, which stands you in very good stead for work on your BA and beyond...I went straight onto the BA in Typo/Graphic design at LCC, after becoming interested in typography on foundation. I then went onto the MA Communication Art & Design course at the Royal College of Art." (Paul Tisdell, now co-running Europa, a graphic design company)

I was planning a radical career change and the LCC course gave me what I needed...before I started Foundation I had a lot (30 years) of work experience but I knew next to nothing about design. I couldn't have contemplated starting out on a degree course without the Foundation studies." (Jack Hardie, Freelance Designer)

• Part 1 allows you to experiment with a variety of materials, media and ideas, encouraging you to develop research skills through practical assignments and projects
• Part 2 will build on the techniques and skills introduced in Part 1 and integrate these through further exploration and problem-solving activities
• Part 3 enables you to initiate your own research. You will propose and undertake a project which reflects your skills, abilities and interests, as well as your future career or progression route.
  

The course is supported by lectures that aim to increase your awareness and understanding of the visual arts. From these you will produce a number of written pieces of work during your period of study with us.

During the year you will also have a unique opportunity to enrich your studies to complement your future career aims

The Foundation Diploma is more than a qualification; it provides you with the experience, confidence and opportunity to apply direct to all leading art colleges. Most students progress to BA (Hons) Degree courses, Foundation Degrees or other higher level qualifications. Others look for work in the art and design sector. Former students, on occasions, return to support the course, having gone on to complete their MA studies. Some students complete the course successfully before going on to study non-art related subjects. The world is your oyster.

One A level (or equivalent) plus three GCSEs (A-C) plus a portfolio of work, or relevant professional experience, or exceptional aptitude or interest.

Portfolio advice

All candidates called for interview are required to submit a portfolio of creative work. Ideally your portfolio will contain a range of recent work. This work should be generated by you whilst following an A level programme or perhaps an NVQ Advanced Art and Design vocational course or similar. You may be a mature student returning to education.

We look very closely at your sketchbook activity, searching for indications that you are able to work independently and have a keen personal interest in the subject. So think about how you organise your sketchbooks. Ask yourself a number of questions. Are they visually interesting? Have you used and experimented with a range of media and mark-making techniques to express your ideas? What does your work say about you, rather than the course you have been following?

There should be evidence that you have researched the work of other artists, designers and creative practitioners and that your research skills are well developed. Look at the work generated by contemporary artists, film makers, photographers and designers etc. and be aware of current exhibitions that are taking place (include references to these in your sketchbooks).

The course at LCC is interested in people who have a wide creative base, who are capable and enthusiastic about creating their own work. We are looking for people with an enquiring mind and a desire to engage in creative problem solving. Does your portfolio reflect this ethos? Have you explored an extensive range of image and ideas generation possibilities? Does it include examples of photography, typography or printmaking for instance? If not, it should!

In essence . We are looking for interesting and interested people who are prepared to challenge expected norms, to explore ideas, take risks and be creative and inventive. Remember that this is a very popular and successful course, which attracts students from all over the world who are interested in developing their understanding in a variety of creative disciplines. We are looking for dedicated, hard working and highly motivated individuals. We offer places to people, not portfolios, so find a way of putting yourself in there!

Completed application forms (PDF 160KB) should be sent to:

FE Office
Information Centre
London College of Communication
Elephant & Castle
London
SE1 6SB

International students should apply direct to the International Office.