ART MAJOR: ILLUSTRATION
Illustration is a unique world; it opens minds, colors the reality, and gives life to amazing creations! It changes the way we perceive things and offers new perspectives. Illustration is the right profession for people who want to change the world using their creativity and giving their bright colors and ideas to the world, who think positively, critically and innovatively and have talent in the visual arts.
Illustration is a key form of visual communication. Illustration art major students take a variety of studio courses such as painting and drawing. There are such courses as illustration concepts, history of illustration, business of illustration, and portfolio classes. They also take digital courses that develop familiarity with various media and important tools, functional knowledge of commercial applications of illustration, basic business practices and history of art.
The program specifies the importance of imagination, conceptual creativity and individual expression. The techniques, processes, and tools used in illustration are both unique and interesting. It includes traditional drawing and painting techniques, trainings for entering the commercial illustration field, it combines traditional fine art and illustration with modern computer graphic techniques, drawing, design, color studies, art history, figure drawing, digital illustration, drawing composition, color composition, oil painting, printmaking, screen-printing, advanced illustration, 3D modeling and animation. It gives opportunity to develop work from concept to finished product working with current technologies related to illustration.
Track Systems
The track systems for illustration vary from university to university. The entertainment track (visual and character development), the editorial track (magazine, newspaper and book cover publishing), the sequential track (serial form; comics, graphic novels, children’s books), the graphic track (graphic design, typography, layout, products and packaging, various combinations of design and illustration).
Internships and Portfolios
Internship programs are an important and inseparable part of this major. They give chance to understand the industry better, to get acquainted with the latest trends and techniques, to develop new skills, to enter this amazing field of imagination and colors and become an indispensable part of it. An internship in a graphic design or animation studio will be a good path to your future career. The students that have already mastered in the field begin building a professional portfolio, and present their works during their senior year at the senior portfolio show. They are provided with an exclusive opportunity to present their portfolios to top-level industry professionals for critical feedback and professional networking.
A good and interesting portfolio of works that demonstrates your evolving skills and creativity to present to potential employers will be just a great chance for your career development! Student works are often entered into various professional venues. Students can receive visibility, honors and awards from various professional competitions.
Job Opportunities for Illustration Professionals
If we compare this major to interior or fashion design, job opportunities may be less and finding a really profitable job will be slightly more difficult, however there are still great opportunities for illustration professionals. These professionals can do illustration for children's books, illustration for comic books, courtroom illustrations, storyboarding illustrations, medical illustrations, fashion illustrations, fine art illustrations, graphic novels, newspaper and magazine publishing, licensing, advertising, as well as visual development in animated films, television, and the video game industry.
