This advanced course explores the history of illustration within global, technological, social and cultural contexts and will provide an overview of both historic and contemporary illustration and their intersections with other art forms. The course encourages students to invest in illustrative practices from various global contexts. The course structure will be a combination of lecture, discussion and research resulting in written responses.

This course introduces students to a number of contemporary markets and concepts in illustration including, but not limited to: editorial work, children’s books, sequential work and surface design. Each subject is approached through a combination of lectures, assignments, independent projects and related workshops, supported by and paralleled to the M.A. Illustration Lecture and Workshop Series Class.

Students are exposed to various practitioners in the field of illustration who provide workshops, critiques and/or lectures, on such subjects as sequential work, children’s books and artists’ products. They also provide stimulus for further work and projects within the topics covered.

This professional development course addresses the business and administrative side of being an illustrator, including contracts, taxes, understanding copyright and royalties, promotion, and submitting work to clients. Students are guided and required to use social media, to create a portfolio, and web presence. In addition, the course will be an environment where students can analyze the strengths of their work and locate suitable illustration markets for it. They articulate their working practices in writing and verbally as part of their public presentation, and practically with opportunity to sell their work at various markets during the duration of the course such as MoCCA, to engage with the public and get the experience of being an entrepreneur. They will present a business card, promotional mailer, social media presence, client mailing list, and website, as well as perform a series of exercises to help them through out the processes.

The focus of student work for this course is a self-initiated semester-long portfolio project guided and supported by faculty. Students work independently, meeting faculty regularly and participating in group and individual critiques. The body of work completed constitutes a large portion of their final portfolio and exhibit content and presentation for review by outside guest critics. Students can, if applicable, include personal writing as part of their final portfolio project.