Katharine Nicholls
Senior Lecturer
As a Senior Lecturer on BA(Hons) Animation at Falmouth University, Katharine’s professional background has led her through many aspects of animation, illustration and design, with a strong interest in storytelling always underpinning the work.
As a freelance illustrator, Katharine fell by happy accident into the animation industry when a job came in from her agent to paint a background on a title sequence. She enjoyed the collaborative way of working in animation studios and went on to work at TV Cartoons as a background artist on the film, ‘Father Christmas’. At TVC there followed, ‘The Tailor of Gloucester’, ‘The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies’, ‘Oi! Get off our Train’, ‘T.R.A.N.S.I.T.’, 'Poky and Friends', ‘The Wind in the Willows’ and ‘The Willows in Winter’. She also painted backgrounds for Grand Slamm Childrens Films on the 2D TV series, 'Angelina Ballerina' and worked in the art department for other studios on characters and backgrounds on many commercials and title sequences.
Katharine is currently one of the creative practitioners on the exciting new interdisciplinary project ATTUNE, which brings together diverse creative-arts, digital and health experts to investigate how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can affect adolescents' mental health.
Katharine still draws and paints herself, both traditionally and digitally and enjoys helping Animation students to collaborate in realising their film-making ambitions.
External Links
Qualifications
Qualifications
| Year | Qualification | Awarding body |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | MA | Falmouth University |
| 2017 | PGDip | Falmouth University |
| 2015 | PGCHE | Falmouth University |
Honors and awards
| Year | Description |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Staff excellence award in the category of best international collaboration for work on the Cross Channel Film Lab |
Membership of external committees
HEA FellowResearch Interests
Research interests and expertise
Katharine is currently one of the creative practitioners on the exciting new interdisciplinary project ATTUNE, which brings together diverse creative-arts, digital and health experts to investigate how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can affect adolescents' mental health.
In tandem with a panel of young people, ATTUNE will explore how creative practices such as music, art, dance and storytelling can play a role in tackling trauma and multiple adversity. The study hopes to spark a change in the way mental health is understood and then addressed by community services.
Through a series of Animation workshops, Katharine's role will be to help young people tell their stories and outline their preferences for treatment, leading to them co-designing new ways of providing help and care.
Research Topics
- Practice based Research
Research Outputs
Publications and research outputs
-
Nicholls, Katharine
(2016), ‘The Cross Channel Film Lab’ case study., In: HEA Conference Inspire – sharing great practice in Arts and Humanities teaching and learning, Thursday, 3 March, 2016, The Waterfront Hotel, Brighton, BN1 2GS, Item availability may be restricted. -
Nicholls, Katharine
(2015), ‘The Cross Channel Film Lab’ case study., In: Society of Animation Studies, Beyond the Frame, Canterbury, 2015, 13th - 16th July 2015, Canterbury, (Unpublished) -
Nicholls, Katharine
(2014), Deep Presentation, In: Creative Animation Knowledge Exchange - C.A.K.E., 14th - 18th July 2014, Edge hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L39 4QP, (Unpublished), Item availability may be restricted.
Events
BA Drawing Forum 2018, presentation on the use of VR to aid spatial awareness in drawing.
Events
Cilect Congress, 'Step across the Border: Transmedia Strategies & Interdisciplinary Approaches'. Zurich
Events
The Cross Channel Film Lab workshops, Brittany, France and Falmouth, Cornwall.
Events
HEA conference, Brighton
Teaching
Areas of teaching
- digital painting
- Drawing for animation
- Life drawing
- production design and film supervision
Courses taught
- BA(Hons) Animation
Business Engagement
Business engagement case studies
Worked with The Cross Channel Film Lab, 2014 - 2016.
Professional Engagement
Independent professional practice
Visiting practitioner at the 'Outback Film-making Bootcamp', in Queensland, Australia, 2018.
Social, community and cultural engagement
Co-curator of 'The Art of Animation', 29 January to 26 March 2022
From Scribble to Screen: an exhibition hosted by Falmouth Art Gallery, curated by staff from the animation department of Falmouth University. During the exhibition, guests, as well as schoolchildren were able to get involved in animation workshops and learned how to make their own animated film. They also got to view some previously unseen footage from the companies behind The Gruffalo and The Tiger Who Came to Tea!
Publicity:
- cornwall365.com/events/the-art-of-animation-exhibition
- falmouth.nub.news/whats-on/uncategorised/the-art-of-animation-exhibition
- falmouthartgallery.com/Exhibitions/2022/1761
- falmouthanimationvfx.wordpress.com/2022/02/16/the-art-of-animation-exhibition
Engagement with professional associations and societies
External examiner for BDes Animation at Duncan of Jordanstone, also for BA Visual Media at The Irish School of Animation, Dublin on behalf of The University of Dundee.
CILECT conference: 'Transmedia and Interdisciplinary approaches' Zurich
Currently involved in a Film collaboration with FAMU in the Czech Republic and the National Maritime Museum, Cornwall.
Professional esteem indicators
| Year | Description |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Received a staff excellence award in the category of ‘Best International Collaboration’ for our work as a team with The Cross Channel Film Lab. And newly nominated for 2019 Staff excellence in the category of collaboration... |
