- Senior Lecturer in Illustration and Animation, Adelaide University
- Conjoint Lecturer in Visual Communication Design, University of Newcastle
Dr Ari Chand is a Illustrator/Visual Designer/Art Director, Art/Design Educator and Senior Lecturer in Illustration and Animation at the School of Art and Design, College of Creative Arts, Design and Humanities, at Adelaide University.
His expertise encompasses Illustration, Design, Animation (Visual Communication Design), Art Education and Creative Industries. His research evaluates sociological frameworks for design and illustration practice. His illustration practice comprises both traditional and digital techniques.
In 2019 his work was selected as a finalist in the #21 Dobell Drawing Prize (National Art School). In 2022 he was awarded an Emerging Scholar Award at the 16th Conference on Design Practices and Principles.
Ari's qualifications include a PhD (Design), Bachelor of Natural History Illustration (Hons Class1), and Bachelor of Fine Art/Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary) from the University of Newcastle. His illustration work is mainly comprised of traditional drawing, watercolour, ink, acrylic or digital illustration.
As a Singer-Songwriter he also In 2018 released is Album 13 Track Album entitled‘ High Tide’ with Threebirds Records: https://open.spotify.com/album/0gNUOYnIaNi2kbw3OwIm23
In 2022 He has been funded alongside Dr Andrew Howells, Dr Chloe Killen, Luke O'Donnel Mr Alex Barnes-Keoghan to establish a an International illustration Research Network with Professor Alan Male and Prof Mario Minichiello, with over 20 partner institutions.
In 2023 He has been funded alongside Dr Andrew Howells and Dr Chloe Killen to undertake project: Activating Artifacts: Reviving, reintroducing and recontextualising the illustrated work of Margaret Senior.
He is just finished working on a short-film project called 'Run Koala Run' with Dr James Calvert (People's Republic of Animation) on AI and Animation Production. www.runkoalarunfilm.com > Officially selected for Flickerfest 2026; 9th Festival of Animation Berlin (FAB) 2026; Montreal International Animation Film Festival - ANIMAZE (2026), Adelaide Independent Film Festival (AIFF).
Experience
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2026–presentSenior Lecturer in Illustration and Animation, Adelaide University
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2022–presentConjoint Lecturer in Visual Communication Design, University of Newcastle
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2023–2025Lecturer in Illustration and Animation, University of South Australia
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2022–2022Lecturer in Visual Communication Design, School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences, University of Newcastle
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2018–2021Lecturer in Visual Communication Design, School of Creative Industries, University of Newcastle
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2017–2018Casual Academic, School of Creative Industries, University of Newcastle
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2017–2018Casual Academic, School of Education, University of Newcastle
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2017–2017Research Officer, Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle
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2015–2015Casual Academic, School of Design, Communication and Information Technology, University of Newcastle
Education
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2024Certificate in Arts and Management, University of Bocconi.
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2017University of Newcastle, Doctorate of Philosophy(Design)
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2012University of Newcastle, Bachelor of Natural History Illustration(Honours)
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2012Qantm College, Screen and Animation- Completed Courses
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2011University of Newcastle, Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Fine Art
Publications
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2026Margaret Senior OAM: Illustration as a tool for environmental communication and conservation, Australian Gardening History
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2026Running with the Machine: Gen AI use within the Animation Production of the Short-Film Run Koala Run, Animation Practice, Process and Production
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2025Visual Territories: Perspectives on Domain Knowledge Acquisition in Design for Health, ELEPHANT’S LEG II: CREATIVITY IN ACTION, Design Principles and Practice Imprint
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2025‘Illustrated and written by…’ The problems of peer review in illustration Research: exploring issues for non-tradition research ., The 12th International Conference on Illustration and Animation
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2025Not Just Art Therapy: A Case Study Embedding a Design Practitioner in Youth Violence Intervention Program “Name.Narrate.Navigate” (NNN), ELEPHANT’S LEG II: CREATIVITY IN ACTION, Design Principles and Practice Imprint
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2025ILLUSTRATED AND WRITTEN BY..., Curated by Ari Chand, Andrew Howells and Luke O'Donnell, International Association of Illustration Academics (IAIA), International Journal of Education through Art
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2025“All right, wise guy, where am I?” ...AI and Animation Production: A convivial and pragmatic exploration of pre-/production and collaboration. , The 12th International Conference on Illustration and Animation
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2024Illustration research: exploring the role of non-traditional research outcomes and exhibition, Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal Annual Review
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2024Illustration and Heritage, Rachel Emily Taylor (2024), Journal of Illustration
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2023Seeking Vision – Illustration: Showcasing + Reporting Creative Practice Research Outputs, NiTRO + Creative Matters 3
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2023Visual Accessibility: A Case Study Integrating Dyslexia in the Development of a Children s Book, Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal Annual Review
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2023Creative industries careers: shifting aspirations and pathways from high school to university-a NSW case study, AUSTRALIAN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCHER
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2021Visual borderlands: visuality, performance, fluidity and art-science learning, Educational Philosophy and Theory
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2021Developing a Designerly way of being, or at least trying, The Elephant's Leg: Adventures in the Creative Industries. Common Ground
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2020Creative Industries: Teacher perceptions of higher education study and job futures in regional and remote NSW, Australian Art Education
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2018Boundary Objects in the Visual Art-Science Learning Space, Australian Art Education
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2018Habitus, Tacit knowledge and Design practice: The context of the designer as Illustrator, University of Newcastle
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2017Creative Industries Careers: Re-imagining Regional and Remote Students opportunities, National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education
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2016Breathing life into Character: conceptual tools for understanding the relationship between illustrator and character design, The International Journal of Arts Theory and History: Arts in Society Conference/ Common Ground Publishing
Grants and Contracts
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2026Thriving Whyalla: Community Transitions and Storytelling
- Role:
- Researcher
- Funding Source:
- Whyalla City Council + Country Arts SA
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2025Run Koala Run - ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Educators Forum 2025-26 Faculty Grant
- Role:
- Researcher
- Funding Source:
- ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Educators Forum 2025-26 Faculty Grant
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2024Activating Artifacts: Reviving, reintroducing and recontextualising the illustrated work of Margaret Senior
- Role:
- Researcher
- Funding Source:
- University of Newcastle
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2023Visual Aids for Emergency Helicopter Rescue
- Role:
- Researcher
- Funding Source:
- HCISS Rapid Funding
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2022International Illustration Research Network
- Role:
- Lead
- Funding Source:
- University of Newcastle
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2020Singleton Laneways Activation
- Role:
- Researcher
- Funding Source:
- Singleton Council
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2020Drawing Education Network
- Role:
- Researcher
- Funding Source:
- University of Newcastle Australia
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2017Creative Industries Careers: Re-imagining Regional and Remote Students opportunities
- Role:
- Researcher
- Funding Source:
- Department of Education and Training
Professional Memberships
- Visual Arts and Design Educators Association
- Australasian Performing Right Association
- NSW Institute of Teachers
- Creativity in Higher Education Network
- National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA)
- Design Institute of Australia
- Australian and New Zealand Communication Association (ANZCA)
- Communication Design Educators Network (Aus.)
- Illustration Educators
- Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators
- Illustrators Australia
- Advance HE (Fellowship)
- Society of Animation Studies
Research Areas
- Design History And Theory (120301)
- Computer Gaming And Animation (190202)
- Visual Communication Design (Incl. Graphic Design) (120307)
- Visual Cultures (190104)
- Visual Arts And Crafts Not Elsewhere Classified (190599)
Honours
FHEA
Contact Ari for
- General
- Media request
- Speaking request
- Consulting / Advising
- Research collaboration
- Research supervision
- Location: Adelaide
- Website
- Instagram: arichand
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/arichand
- X (formerly Twitter): @byarichand
- Article Feed
- Joined
