Illustration (Major)

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Illustrators bring ideas to life.

Illustration's unique ability to quickly convey information, concepts, and even emotions is why its practitioners a in demand across fields—including print media, education, entertainment, science, medicine, and beyond.

As an Illustration major at MICA, you will prepare for these opportunities by exploring various traditional and digital approaches, fostering technical proficiency as well as creative problem-solving and entrepreneurial thinking skills.

WHY ILLUSTRATION AT MICA?

The Illustration Department is incredibly active, with a full slate of visiting artists and guest speakers, as well as shows in our student space gallery in Fox Building.

For a look at the full array of happenings in Illustration at MICA, visit the Illustration Blog.

Dolphin Press & Print, which offers students the opportunity to work in collaboration with established artists, writers and printers, is closely tied to the Illustration and Printmaking departments.

The Press was designed to promote collaboration in order to produce limited-edition letterpress books and broadsides. Throughout its history, the Press has produced more than 40 such projects in addition to in-house posters and announcements.

Learn more about Dolphin Press and Print.

The Illustration Department offers three minors for students who wish to tailor their undergraduate experience.

The Book Arts minor is an interdisciplinary area within the context of book studies.

The Sequential Art minor, open to students across programs, teaches the art of sequence for graphic storytelling or to convey information.

Students outside of the program can minor in the Illustration Studio minor.

Learn More

Illustration alumni are thriving in an array of professional settings:

Bestselling graphic novelists, with titles such as Adulthood is a Myth and Nimona
Comic artists for Lucasfilm Press, DC Comics, and Marvel
Storyboard artists and concept illustrators for productions including Hamilton and The Greatest Showman
In-house illustrators for Google, Random House, and BuzzFeed
Freelance illustrators for clients including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker

Alumni Stories

“MICA nurtured my talent and help me bring direction to my creative career.”

“In Shadra Strickland’s Advance Book Illustration class, I was encouraged to combine writing with my illustration to bring vivid stories to life. Later, these stories received positive feedback from many industry professionals and help me find my agency, Painted Words.” Avani Dwivedi ’18

Alumni Stories

“I graduated from MICA with a foundation of how I approached my creative process and how to navigate the industry as a professional.”

“MICA not only opened my eyes to all the possibilities that exist within illustration, but equipped me to handle the opportunities I was granted post-graduation.” Taylor McManus ’17 ’18

Illustration critique

Credit

Justin Tsucalas

Illustration studio

Credit

Justin Tsucalas

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Student Gallery

Jesse Turnbull ’04

“I love passing on my experiences, and I find it really rewarding when I see a student’s growth during a semester or during their four years at MICA.”

Lisa Perrin ’13

“Often I am awed by my student's passion, tenacity, and drive. Seeing what they are working on inspires me when I return to my personal professional illustration practice.”

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How to Apply to MICA

MICA’s innovative curriculum, state-of-the-art facilities and world-class faculty come together to support a single purpose: provide a no-holds-barred education and experience that will prepare you to be a creative leader in the 21st century. If you would like to receive more information, please click on the link below to fill out a form.