Dan Eccleston

School of Creative Industries / Creative Futures / Student Case Studies 

I am a pretty laid back 35 year old with a love of all things Looney Tunes. I have lived in Wolverhampton all my life so was a no brainer attending this uni. I was a late bloomer becoming a student as I was well into my 20's when I started but it was the perfect move for me to get some motivation to enhance my hobbies and talents such as drawing and writing.

I thought the lecturers were fantastic, each one different but all friendly, it was clear that they were all experts in their fields. I didn't really have an experience in Animation, but I was soon clued up through helpful lectures that had the perfect balance of hands on work and Auditory learning.

I cannot put my finger on a favourite memory as I have too many - I really enjoyed the trip to Paris as well as the many events held by the university. I loved all of the lectures, even ones I didn't think I would and found a new love for Art History, as an avid fan of early animations such as Looney Tunes etc. I gained a new love for them through the history of the animators / characters.

Since completing my course, I started to use many aspects of my learning into my job at West Midlands Police. My drawing skills are known force wide and I am often asked to create images for use in presentations and most recently in e-Learning.

I feel that through the types of lectures and interactions with lecturers I have gained excellent interpersonal skills as well as the ability to speak in front of a crowd and properly manage a project from start to finish.

Learning about colours and different art styles has really helped me excel in web design as well as other graphic design areas. I must admit I don't draw as much as I would like to but I know the skills are there when needed.

If you have an interest in cartoons (new and old) and a have an interest in drawing and learning new styles of art then this course is for you. I was really surprised at how much knowledge in different areas I gained by the time I had completed the course such as

- SFX (recording / editing)
- Video Editing
- Filming
- Creative Writing
- Art History
- 3D Modelling / Clay Modelling / Stop Motion

…and that is just to name a few, this is a well balanced course with fantastic equipment from the get go. A great experience enhanced by knowledgeable lecturers and a well planned learning journey. Take your drawings and make them MOVE!