Last term art and design students at Alton College attended a captivating talk by renowned paper image maker Nathan Ward.

Nathan studied art foundation and A-levels at Alton College, leaving the college in 2016, and has since used the skills he developed on these courses to build an incredibly successful career.

After leaving Alton College, Nathan studied illustration at Kingston University and currently runs his own company in London.

As his company and reputation continue to grow, Nathan has provided sets, props and models for companies such as Google, Links of London, John Lewis and Partners and Jo Malone.

During the talk Nathan gave Alton College students a valuable insight into the paper making industry and offered them a glimpse into some of the amazing projects on which he is currently working.

These include large-scale sets, window displays and installations, all of which are used by his clients in a number of different ways.

The talk highlighted the real diversity of the creative industry, with Nathan showing how the experience of art and design at Alton College can provide such a strong footing for aspiring young artists.

Recently Nathan worked alongside the creative director of Vintage Books to design the cover for Paper Boat, a new poetry anthology by Margaret Atwood, the author of The Handmaid’s Tale.

The cover is unique, as it can be removed from the book to be cut and built into a paper boat itself, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the art of paper making.

Speaking about his time at Alton College, Nathan said: “The staff and technicians were always there for support and advice.

“With small class sizes I enjoyed plenty of one-on-one time with my tutors and got to connect closely with my peers, making my experience feel like being part of a creative family.”

An Alton College spokesperson said everyone at the college was extremely proud of the “incredible artwork” that Nathan continued to produce as he traced the origins of his successful career back to his time at the college.

Nathan said: “Thanks to the portfolio support at Alton I was able to secure a spot in Kingston University's prestigious BA illustration animation course, which was a pivotal moment in launching my career as an agent-represented paper artist.

“I truly look back at my time at Alton with such fond memories.”

The college is looking forward to working with Nathan within other projects as he has offered work experience for some students within the art department in the near future.

To find out more about Nathan Ward’s work visit https://www.thisisnathanward.com/about

To find out more about studying art at Alton College visit the following links:

Art and design A-level - https://www.hsdc.ac.uk/courses/alton-campus/a-level/art-design-a-level-alton/

UAL level 3 extended diploma, creative practice: art, design and communication - https://www.hsdc.ac.uk/courses/alton-campus/vocational/creative-practice-art-design-communication-alton/

UAL level 3 foundation diploma, art and design - https://www.hsdc.ac.uk/courses/altoncampus/vocational/art-design-ual-foundation-diploma/