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design electives

Electives are additional courses you can choose alongside your core degree subjects to broaden your skills, interests, and knowledge. At the Cape Town Creative Academy, you select two electives in your second year and continue with one in your third year. These electives are tailored to complement your primary field of study and offer the opportunity to tackle complex problems creatively, fostering your ability to analyse, innovate, and apply solutions through experimentation.

choose your own adventure

Want to see where electives fit in to your study plan? Explore our degrees or use the degree builder (coming soon) to compose and save your ideal study plan at the Cape Town Creative Academy.
degrees overview
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animation

Elective options for Bachelor of Arts in Communication Design, Interaction Design
Animation skills are essential for digital designers to distinguish themselves in a visually saturated environment as they are able to transcend traditional language barriers. Armed with these invaluable skills, you’re able to offer dynamic ways to present engaging, informative, entertaining, and visually appealing information. This course guides students from concept to creation, incorporating image, motion, sound, and timing, using various contemporary tools and techniques. It emphasises both conceptual depth and technical skill, with projects that span from conceptual to commercial, including promotional, explainer, and emotive videos, aiming to prepare students for a career by turning creativity into a sustainable profession.

understanding and applying fundamental principles of animation and effective application of design and animation principles to enhance storytelling and communication

conceptualisation, planning, and presenting a pre-production pitch and the ideation and planning of animation sequences in accordance with creative briefs

understanding and applying fundamental principles of animation and effective application of design and animation principles to enhance storytelling and communication

software proficiency, specifically Adobe After Effects for compositing and animation

creation of audiovisual media that extend an existing visual identity for marketing and brand-building

production of unique animation projects that integrate skills in design, typography, layout, illustration, photography, sound production, filmmaking, and editing

stories

Tommaso Fiscaletti

/ meet our facultyElective Photography

Tommaso Fiscaletti (1981) is a visual artist and photographer based in Cape Town, South Africa. He was born in Cattolica, Italy, in 1981 and has been living in Cape Town since 2013. His work, includes photographs and installations, explore themes like human awareness of the universe, the passage of time, and interpersonal relationships. His art has been featured in public collections and exhibitions, including at the Santa Maria Della Scala Museum in Siena and the IZIKO South African Museum in Cape Town.

The attempt to be here now

/ Virtual ExhibitionElective Photography

The project, which investigates the relationship between man and the universe, with a complete presentation (consisting of three chapters) already scheduled, is now redefined due to the pandemic and presents the second chapter here in a virtual setting.

makers lab

Elective options for Bachelor of Arts in Communication Design, Motion Design and Interaction Design

In this multidisciplinary elective, you will engage in hands-on 3D ideation, exploring various media, tools, and techniques to create functional and purposeful 3D outcomes. The course covers traditional skills like woodworking, mould making and casting using silicones and resins, CAD software for design, planning and product rendering, the 3D printing process and post processing. Emphasising design thinking, iterative prototyping, user-centred design, and sustainability, this elective prepares you to transform your creative ideas into functional products in a variety of fields.

play video

creative problem-solving when creating aesthetic items and objects

formulation and implementation of creative ideas, products, processes, and methods for improving and adding value to new or existing products

ideation, implementation, and impacting productivity, sustainability and customer satisfaction

3D-illustration techniques and workflow, Rhino 3D

creating physical objects through interpretation and translation of concepts

stories

Designing with purpose

Elective Makers Lab

At Cape Town Creative Academy, students in the elective Makers Lab have taken their creative skills outside of the classroom, collaborating with the Orthocross Amputee Foundation to design prosthetic covers that go beyond functionality. Led by CTCA lecturer Phillip van der Walt, a product designer and artist specialising in CAD modelling and design for additive manufacturing, students designed and manufactured covers which allow amputees to express their individuality, their personal style, and feel confident, empowered, and proud of who they are.

illustration

Elective options for Bachelor of Arts in Communication Design, Interaction Design, Motion Design

Illustration is a visual exploration, interpretation, or visual explanation of a concept, process or written material. In this elective, you will blend traditional and digital methods to develop a unique illustration style, crafting a series of works that respond to given creative briefs. You experiment with various drawing media and digital tools like Procreate, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop and other drawing applications/software to create bespoke brand elements for both print and digital media. The course emphasises producing contemporary, professional-quality work and practitioners that contribute ethically to the creative industries across the globe.

developing engaging illustrative/stylised observational drawings using a variety of mediums, styles, and techniques

producing refined illustrations in which the selection of medium and technique supports the conceptual intention of the content of the illustration

developing engaging visual responses to a narrative that are informative, relevant, conceptual and in harmony with the editorial

working with contemporary approaches to illustration

layout and composition solutions to complement text with illustration

professional presentation of work in accordance with creative briefs

stories

Loeries Student Awards 2024

/ announcementcommunication designElective Illustration

We are thrilled to announce that Cape Town Creative Academy has once again solidified its place as one of the leading creative institutions on the continent following outstanding success at this year’s Loeries Student Awards.

Michael Beckurts

/ meet our alumniElective Illustration

Since graduating with a BA in Communication Design in 2021 from Cape Town Creative Academy, Michael Beckurts has carved a niche for himself as a full-time visual artist. His artistic repertoire spans oils, charcoal, watercolour, and digital media, each piece reflecting his profound connection to nature and people. Michael’s art is distinguished by rapid mark-making and meticulously crafted compositions.

Jané Louw’s ‘Pond Life’

/ industry collaborationElective Illustration

One of the winners of this competition is Jané Louw, whose ‘Pond Life’ collection beautifully encapsulates the essence of imaginative play. Jané shares her inspiration behind this enchanting collection

photography

Elective options for Bachelor of Arts in Communication Design, Interaction Design, Motion Design
Photography, as a discipline, is about far more than just the camera itself. In this elective, you will learn about DSLR camera use, studio and lighting equipment, pre- and post-production, the theories of light and space, and will explore studio and outdoor through photographic genres like architectural, product, fashion, portraiture, and commercial photography. The goal is to produce professional, ethically informed work which contributes to the growth of Africa’s creative industries.

understanding DSLR cameras, including its anatomy, functionality, and effective use

proficiency in the theory of light, in relation to natural lighting conditions as well as artificial lighting in a studio environment

implementation of photographic principles, including focus, depth of field, composition, and framing

producing technically proficient photographs in accordance with creative briefs

fluency in genres of photography, including exterior and interior architectural photography, commercial photography, product photography, portraiture, fashion photography and so on

technical proficiency in post-production and editing software like Adobe Photoshop

concept development, ideation, art-direction, and set styling skills

stories

Tommaso Fiscaletti

/ meet our facultyElective Photography

Tommaso Fiscaletti (1981) is a visual artist and photographer based in Cape Town, South Africa. He was born in Cattolica, Italy, in 1981 and has been living in Cape Town since 2013. His work, includes photographs and installations, explore themes like human awareness of the universe, the passage of time, and interpersonal relationships. His art has been featured in public collections and exhibitions, including at the Santa Maria Della Scala Museum in Siena and the IZIKO South African Museum in Cape Town.

The attempt to be here now

/ Virtual ExhibitionElective Photography

The project, which investigates the relationship between man and the universe, with a complete presentation (consisting of three chapters) already scheduled, is now redefined due to the pandemic and presents the second chapter here in a virtual setting.

creative coding

Elective options for Bachelor of Arts in Communication Design, Interaction Design, Motion Design

At the intersection of art and programming, Creative Coding facilitates the creation, design, and animation of visuals and text through coding, an approach that promotes the discovery of innovative techniques for generating new visuals. Suited for those intrigued by the fusion of motion graphics with coding, this elective revolves around a cycle of exploration, iteration, reflection, and discovery. It positions code as a primary tool for crafting diverse digital creations.

nuanced conceptualisation of the bridge between design and development in front-end development

understanding and application of foundational principles of HTML and CSS

proficiency in visual coding software such as Webflow for design functionality

aptitude for functional and aesthetic web design using UI design software such as Figma

consistent and purposefulness in design as well as organisational approaches to class names, type hierarchy, and design layout

construction of reusable components for efficient web development

enhancing user interaction and engagement through CSS and third party extensions for animation

responsive design principles ensuring effective rendering across viewport sizes

responsible approach to accessibility standards ensuring usability for users with disabilities

custom coding to enhance and extend functionality of pages generated by low-code/no-code design platforms

stories

Tommaso Fiscaletti

/ meet our facultyElective Photography

Tommaso Fiscaletti (1981) is a visual artist and photographer based in Cape Town, South Africa. He was born in Cattolica, Italy, in 1981 and has been living in Cape Town since 2013. His work, includes photographs and installations, explore themes like human awareness of the universe, the passage of time, and interpersonal relationships. His art has been featured in public collections and exhibitions, including at the Santa Maria Della Scala Museum in Siena and the IZIKO South African Museum in Cape Town.

The attempt to be here now

/ Virtual ExhibitionElective Photography

The project, which investigates the relationship between man and the universe, with a complete presentation (consisting of three chapters) already scheduled, is now redefined due to the pandemic and presents the second chapter here in a virtual setting.

3D visualisation

Elective options for Bachelor of Arts in Communication Design, Interaction Design, Motion Design

3D Visualisation is a technique for creating life-like images or animations from computer data, widely used across fields like design, entertainment, communication, education, and research. It allows for exploring complex or conceptual ideas in a tangible, visually engaging format, enhancing understanding and decision-making in various professional and creative endeavours. By incorporating visual storytelling, the audience’s connection to the content is deepened, making it a versatile tool in both professional and creative settings.

utilisation of Maya’s tools and procedures for polygonal modelling

proficiency in applying Materials and Textures, creating UV maps and using the UV editor and the effective use of the Hypershade editor

animation using Keyframe techniques, Motion Paths and Pathflow Objects and Maya’s Mash system to create versatile ‘motion design’ style animations

utilising the Arnold Renderer to create photo-realistic renders

skills necessary for effectively using Adobe After Effects in the compositing process

techniques and principles related to full body character rigging

stories

Motion Design

/ what isElective 3D Visualisation

Motion Design transforms static graphic designs and illustrations by giving them movement. It makes otherwise still objects or images shift, animate, or transform — like bars rising in a graph or text spinning on a screen

Eunice Pieterse

/ meet our alumniElective 3D VisualisationMotion Design

Our alumni have always been a diverse group, sharing a passion for design innovation and boldly shaping the future rather than just living in it. CTCA will help you

Charl Engelbrecht

/ meet our alumniElective 3D VisualisationMotion Design

am a Motion Designer and graduated from CTCA in 2019. I was always interested in a creative direction as I had been playing around with designing and video editing from a young age. CTCA attracted me as they offered courses that looked really interesting, which you could not really do anywhere else. I did enjoy my time at CTCA a lot.

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