Illustration (BFA)

Statement of Purpose

Illustration is expressive visual communication, a pictorial commentary that stimulates the viewer to reflect and react. It is the mission of the Department of Illustration to encourage creative vision and prepare students for the challenges of professional practice.

Through a curriculum that emphasizes the fundamentals of drawing, painting, design, visual concepts and professionalism, the Department of Illustration’s aim is to offer an education that will be applicable to a variety of disciplines in the visual arts, as well as new and emerging communication fields.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Process-Ideation and Visualization. Students will demonstrate the ability to develop solutions through analytical and intuitive approaches to problem solving.
   1. Ability to conceptualize and problem-solve.
   2. Understanding and application of principles of design
2. Drawing and Painting in Traditional and Digital Media. Students will demonstrate competence and facility in a variety of media relevant to the field of Illustration.
   1. Command of drawing.
   2. Opportunities to work with current technologies related to Illustration.
3. Professionalism. Students will demonstrate the ability to function within the profession of Illustration effectively.
   1. Professional presentation of a professional quality body of work.
   2. Experience working in creative collaboration.
   3. Flexibility in adapting to career opportunities.
   4. Understanding of professional standards and responsibilities
   5. Demonstrate individual responsibility for self-directed learning and perseverance towards goal attainment.
4. Communication. Students will demonstrate the ability to create pictures that communicate to a mass audience with impact and style.
   1. Understanding of relationship between graphic design and typography to Illustration.
   2. Demonstrate an individual voice and visual vocabulary.
   3. Verbalizing and writing about aspects of visual communication.
5. Industry Knowledge. Students will demonstrate a functional knowledge of the history of illustration, including its origins in the fine arts, and its relationship to written communication.
   1. Awareness of historical and contemporary trends in illustration and the visual arts
   2. Knowledge of professional/business practices.