Revised 08/2020

ART 281 - Illustration for Designers (3 CR.)

Course Description

Explores the professional field of illustration, along with the different ways of producing illustrations for editorial, commercial, and technical clients using traditional and digital techniques. Build skills and knowledge through discussions, projects and exercises for positioning as an illustrator. Lecture 2 hours. Studio instruction 2 hours. Total 4 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

The course is designed for students to develop fundamental conceptual and visualization capabilities using traditional and digital techniques. Different ways of conceiving and producing illustrations will be explored through lecture, discussion, exercises, and projects. Recommended for students in the Communication Design program, or other students with design industry experience that are interested in illustration. Course fits with the foundations and principles addressed in other courses.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

Prerequisites: ART 121 and ART 140.

Course Objectives

Upon completing the course, the student will be able to:

  • Apply a creative process that results in conceptual solutions
  • Produce illustrations using traditional and digital techniques
  • Illustrate for editorial, advertising, scientific and commercial audiences
  • Determine appropriate research and visual referencing sources
  • Use a broad range of creative problem-solving skills
  • Explore different expressions of creativity through thumbnail and notation techniques
  • Determine what techniques to use when creating an illustration
  • Establish a workflow to meet the strict deadlines required in the field
  • Refine hand skills such as sketching, drawing, and painting
  • Improve digital skills with appropriate hardware and software
  • Define a unique style

Major Topics to Be Included

  • Principles of illustration
  • Problem solving using the evolutionary process of conceptual development
  • How to break through to rediscovery, imagination and creativity
  • How we perceive others’ illustrations and ideas
  • Use of research, association, word lists, word webs, image webs as elements of process
  • Color relationships and implications for print and screen based media
  • Skills that use current and emerging technologies as well as traditional art techniques
  • Methods and materials for combining digital and traditional illustration techniques
  • Professional conduct and vocabulary for presenting ideas
  • Time management and workflow using real-world parameters
  • Copyright issues and usage agreements