Joel Lardner

Senior LecturerBA, MA, PGCE, FHEA

Overview

Joel Lardner is an Illustrator and Senior Lecturer at AUB. He is constantly seeking ways to develop a curriculum that responds to the rapidly transforming landscape that illustrators inhabit. His aim is to inspire a passion for the subject of Illustration and promote advancement of knowledge within the field.

Joel has presented academic papers on subjects such as the origins of skateboarding iconography, the relationship between accidents and creativity, and glitch practice. He is currently a part-time PhD student at London College of Communication investigating skateboard deck artwork and the distinct visual aura the skateboarder conjures within popular culture. His practice-led research asserts that skateboard deck graphics are exceptional cultural artefacts.

Qualifications

MA Illustration (Kingston University)
BA (Hons) Illustration (Leeds Metropolitan University)

Teaching Qualification

PGCE (University for the Creative Arts)

Teaching

BA (Hons) Illustration – AUB

Courses

BA (Hons) Illustration

Research

Research Interests and Projects

Joel Lardner's practice-led research delves into the skateboard deck as both a performance object and a dynamic illustrated canvas. His process-driven methodology embraces the aesthetics of decay, where scratches and scuffs map a history of motion, reflecting the thrilling unpredictability of skateboarding. This interplay between control and unpredictability mirrors the tension inherent in skate culture, positioning the skateboard as a medium of personal expression and dissent. Lardner's work critiques mainstream governance of civic space, reclaiming the skateboard's expressive potential as a subcultural emblem.

Joel has presented international academic papers on subjects such as digital illustration, the origins of skateboarding iconography, and the relationship between accidents and creativity.

Current research activity have included:

Reconceptualising the skateboard graphic as ‘artform’, using eighties skate culture as a case study. A practice-based approach. Keynote address at Confia 2024: 11th International Conference on Illustration and Animation. Barcelos, Portugal. 5 July 2024.
Presentation of practice within the UAL Fashion Frequencies exhibition. Held at LCF East Bank Gallery. April – June 2025.
What are Illustration Research Methods? Presentation at UAL Illustration Studies Hub (ISH). London College of Communication. 19 June 2025.