The Illustration Program is a three year program and is one of the most powerful and versatile mediums to communicate artistically.
Many industries including publishing, literature, books, newspapers, TV, advertising, websites, packaging, merchandising, movies, and video games all employ Illustrators as a medium of visual communication through diverse artistic techniques and adopting multiple graphic solutions.
The illustration program helps form a professional artist profile, an illustrator capable to translate concepts into images and ideas, able to create new languages creatively and conceptually, to design innovative styles of visual expressions.
Students analyze and apply the creative process and its expressive graphic communication, using the most innovative and technological practices of contemporary media, including visual problem solving and critical thinking. Evolving curriculum in anticipation of changing values, economics and technology.
The illustration is a three year program. Theory and lab covers drawing, painting, surface design, printmaking, photography, text and typography, book arts, digital and print-based publishing.
The course will train students to draw, illustrate and develop an in-depth knowledge of languages exploring the traditional fine arts methods and the most current digital software programs.
Students will be guided through theoretical and practicing demonstrations to achieve an individual communicative artistic voice and handle difference styles in specifics areas.
First Year
After an introduction to illustration styles and techniques, this first year show students how to approach the creative process of illustrated artwork with basic techniques application. Focus on Fundamentals of Drawing, Anatomy, Drawing from Live Models, Perspective, Visual Communication, Color Theory and Psychology of Color, Black and White Balance, Halftone, Shading Theory, Chiaroscuro, Pencil and Ink Techniques, Color Pencil and first level of Water-based media. Then students improve their skills on Fiction and Non-Fiction Illustration.
Second Year
The goal for the second year in Illustration is to strengthen the anatomical and perspective skills and make students comfortable working with different ink techniques and water painting techniques: Watercolor and Tempera, and Liquid Acrylic painting. Students will create a series of Illustrations, Fiction and Non-Fiction, challenging their creativity in different areas such as Children’s Stories, Historical Themes ranging from the 1200’s up to Futuristic (year 3000), and Fantasy themes. Upon the conclusion of this course students are left with an appreciation of illustration for specific age groups (pre-school, Elementary, Middle-school, Adolescent ,Young Adults, Adults).
Third Year
This year builds on the Watercolor and Tempera techniques and adds Oil, it consolidates the structure of Fiction and Non-fiction and the range of applications of Fiction and Non-fiction. Students will also be introduced to Digital Illustration and be able to manage the most current digital software programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator. The course promotes creativity, encouraging the use of extensive research into the use of mixed-media, in order to expose the students to many materials, textures and styles. The course will investigate various topics, such us, Visual Communication, Socio-Cultural analysis, Visual Problems Solving, Marketing Strategies and Market Research, Promoting and Publishing, Career Opportunities, etc.. The students finish with a personal artistic portfolio, complete with the best artworks created during this educational process. This Portfolio will be examined at the final test and will introduce students to the job market. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to evolve and improve their competencies in order to acquire a broad range of skill sets that will make them marketable in the job market. Most importantly they will demonstrate a highly individual, distinctive style that is indicative of a mature and confident artist.
Classes will be held four times a week for three hours per day. Two days will be devoted to lectures, while the other two days will be spent in the lab.