Coleg Llandrillo’s art and design students have produced a series of graphic illustrations for two charities that support a hospital’s eye unit, which cares for 40,000 patients, and undertakes 6,000 surgical procedures a year!

Twenty pre-degree Foundation art and design students at the college’s Rhos-on-Sea campus have recently created a range of large posters for the charities, which support Abergele Hospital’s Stanley Eye Unit.

The two charities are Eyesight, which was originally set up to collect money to support the eye unit, and the Opthalmic Laser Fund, which supports surgeons by equipping them with up-to-date apparatus.

Arthur Airey, who supports both charities and is one of the chief fundraisers at the hospital, dropped into the college to thank the students and to see their finished artwork.

He said: “The board and myself were surprised and delighted when we heard what the students were producing for us. The posters are extremely impressive, highlighting a variety of artistic techniques. We look forward to seeing the full range on display at the hospital.”

Tutor Dewi Hughes said: “The students used traditional illustration techniques, before scanning everything on to Apple Macs and digitising the project using Photoshop. The hospital will use the posters on a rotational basis.”

Student Autumn Backshall, 21, from Colwyn Bay, said: “We all really enjoyed producing these illustrations for the hospital: it was such a worthwhile project.”

The Foundation Studies art and design course leader, Amanda Hamilton-Williams, said: “The students enjoyed working to the brief and were happy to support the charities which do a wonderful job supporting the hospital’s eye unit.”

Robin Williams, Creative Arts programme manager at Coleg Llandrillo said: “We were delighted to work with Arthur and his charities and we also welcomed the opportunity for our students to work positively with the community in a professional creative context.”

The Foundation Studies art and design pathway is a one-year course that is recognised as the prerequisite qualification - post-A level - for the best universities offering creative art degrees.

For more information on courses in art and design at Coleg Llandrillo, contact the Learner Services team on 01492 542 338.