Academics

School of Illustration

At the Academy, creativity doesn’t pause at graduation; it accelerates. Our students leave with portfolios that speak louder than résumés, catapulting them into creative careers.

Through rigorous studio courses, you’ll master the fundamentals of visual communication—line, form, perspective, composition, and rendering—while working with a wide variety of tools, including brush, pencil, stylus, and screen. Guided by professional illustrators, you’ll refine your craft, build a competitive portfolio, and gain the business savvy to succeed. Your work won’t just tell stories, it will inspire the world.

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Fast Facts

    More To Know

    In the School of Illustration, you will master the evolving world of digital media, including motion vectors for apps and web. In our Comic focus, you will explore the full graphic novel production pipeline, from story development to layout and inking. In our Illustration focus, you will develop professional portfolio samples for children’s books, editorial, advertising, and surface art. When you graduate in Comic or Illustration, you will have a portfolio that demonstrates your career readiness in bringing ideas to life through visual storytelling.

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    Undergraduate
    AA
    BFA
    Certificate
    Graduate
    MA
    MFA
    Other
    Upskill Classes
    Pre-College

    Student Experience

    Academy Award winners. Tech founders. Creative directors. CEOs. They join us live and on Zoom from around the world. They speak from experience. About the work. The risk. The path forward. No theory. Just real stories from people who’ve done it.

    Every student is welcome. On campus or online. To listen. To ask questions. To make connections. These are conversations, not lectures.

    Student Clubs

    Whether you are an on-campus or online student you are welcome to join our student clubs. You’ll meet up, share ideas, and create art together. Sometimes it’s a quick sketch. Sometimes it turns into something big, a collaboration that lasts a lifetime. It’s always fun.

    Careers

    From concept to composition, you’ll graduate with a full arsenal of marketable skills—ready to create, collaborate, and lead in today’s fast-moving illustration industry.

    Possible career paths:

    Editorial illustrator
    Children’s book illustrator
    Packaging and advertising illustrator
    Surface art licensing artist
    Mainstream comic artist
    Graphic novelist

    Student Work

    See More Student Work

    Study with Industry Professionals

    View Faculty

    Areas You'll Explore

      Person using a tablet to draw digital characters

      Digital Media

      From digital painting for print to vector motion for apps and web, you will learn to skillfully use the tools that power today’s—and tomorrow’s—visuals.

      Digital drawing of undead musicians

      Graphic Novels & Comic Books

      From layout to inking, from color to lettering—every frame will tell your story, executed by your hands. You will learn the complete production pipeline and step into the industry prepared for a career as a comics artist.

      Illustration

      Illustrators don’t just create images, they move culture. You’ll master the principles of visual storytelling and create work that stays in the mind long after it’s been viewed on the page.

      Editorial & Advertising

      From editorial spreads to ad campaigns to magazines to product packaging, illustrators craft the visuals that grab attention and make ideas unforgettable.

      Digital drawing of 2 characters observing fish flying through the sky

      Children’s Books

      From first sketch to final ink, you’ll design characters that linger, craft worlds that invite wonder, and bring stories to life.

      ONLINE LEARNING

      At the Academy, creativity doesn’t pause at graduation; it accelerates. Our students leave with portfolios that speak louder than résumés, catapulting them into creative careers. Your courses are taught by the same industry professionals with the same curriculum as on campus courses. Through Brightspace, our custom platform, you’ll work with original videos, interactive slideshows, and peer forums that keep you connected to both faculty and fellow artists. Critiques are visual, oral and personal. Zoom office hours provide you with a live in-person connection to your professors wherever you are. Whether you’re on-site or across the globe, you’ll sharpen your craft, build a competitive portfolio, and be part of a creative community designed to push your work forward.

      Online Learning Program

      Students & Alumni

      Always Creating. Always Moving Forward.

      At the Academy, creativity doesn’t pause at graduation; it accelerates. Our students leave with portfolios that speak louder than résumés, catapulting them into creative careers.

      This is where passion meets purpose—on campus, in studios, and on global stages.

      Our alumni are out there now winning awards, leading teams, and shaping culture.

      Read More Success Stories
      Brenda Amerind

      Brenda Amerind

      “The instruction at Academy of Art was incredibly helpful — I learned so much from both the reading and the critique assignments, and that feedback really helped me grow as an artist. The support, structure, and community here gave me the space to experiment, strengthen my skills, and push my work further than I ever expected.”

      MFA Illustration Student

      Joyce Cox

      Joyce Cox

      “I’ve really enjoyed my experience at the Academy. Each illustration class focuses on something different, with assignments designed to push you outside your comfort zone, like when I got to design an album cover. I’ve loved the flexibility, the variety of classes, and all the opportunities for growth, like the Spring Show. It’s been such a rewarding experience.”

      BFA Online Illustration Student

      Peili Huang

      Peili Huang

      “The instructors helped me tremendously, especially since I started with almost no knowledge of art or the industry. They taught me both the craft and how to navigate the professional world—how to connect with people, build my career, and find the right direction for my goals. I benefited greatly from every class and every teacher I had.”

      MFA Illustration Alumni, Children’s book Illustrator represented by Illustration Online / Content and Marketing Curator at Pink Light Studio

      Tyler Jacobson

      Tyler Jacobson

      “I learned everything I know from such greats as Bill Maughan, Lisa Berrett, Stephen Player, Randy Berrett, Chuck Pyle, Tim Evatt, Zhaoming Wu, and many more great instructors and professional artists. I owe them all a huge debt of gratitude. Soon after I graduated, I began working for Wizards of the Coast and was honored to be approached by Richard Solomon in New York City for representation.”

      http://www.tylerjacobsonart.com/about

      MFA Illustration Alumni, Award-winning Illustrator of Fantasy and Science Fiction

      COMPANIES THAT EMPLOY OUR STUDENTS

      Penguin Publishing, The New York Times, National Geographic, and Marvel logos

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