Illustration (4 Year Diploma Program)

The program combines artist growth with career development, with students learning important entrepreneurial skills for freelance work including contract writing, commission pricing, advertising and client negotiation skills. Students, guided by industry professionals and veterans, will learn the fundamentals of comics and manga, the software application in comic coloring and illustration for books, magazines and children’s media. 

With the inclusion of traditional art fundamentals, students will implement concepts of anatomy, perspective, constructive figure drawing and so on, so forth to elevate their own styles to a whole new level. 

The four-year Illustration & Sequential Arts Program is focused on elevating each student’s individual style to a professional level. Constructed by both comic industry veterans and current working professionals in comics and illustration, the program will teach students all parts of comic production and publishing as well as freelance illustration.

Skills

• Creating a comic, from writing, thumbnailing and drawing to self-publishing and pitching to publishers.
• Creating illustrations for different categories of media, including magazines, children’s books, and book covers.
• Using graphic design and relevant software to elevate one’s comics and illustrations.
• Using industry standard methodology for coloring comics.
• Writing a contract, negotiating with clients and marketing yourself to get commissions.
• Using pen and ink for traditional illustration and comics inking.
• The fundamentals of art with respect to anatomy, figure drawing, lights and shadows, color theory and composition.
• Writing a resume, creating a website, creating a business card and getting hired.

Employers of Our Alumni

• 9 Story Media
• House of Cool
• Jam Filled
• Sony Image Studios
• Yowza
• Nelvana

Career Options

• Comic Book Artist Character Designer
• Digital Background Painter
• Color Key Artist
• Children’s Book Illustrator
• Editorial Illustrator
• Communications Illustrator/Designer
• Penciller
• Graphic Arts Designer
• Graphic Novelist
• Comic Book Artist
• Inker
• Cover Designer
• Storyboard Artist
• Background Painter

Year 1

First Term

Beginning Life Drawing 1
Perspective 1
Design & Composition
Principles of Drawing 1
Introduction to Comic Book Layout
Colour Theory & Background Painting
Representational Painting 1

Second Term

Beginning Life Drawing 2
Perspective 2
Structural Drawing 1
Principles of Drawing 2
Intro to Character Design
Constructive Figure Drawing
Representational Painting 2

Year 2

First Term

Comic Book Layout & Composition
Artistic Anatomy
Intermediate Life Drawing 1
Cartooning for Comics 1
Visual Storytelling for Comics
Intermediate Constructive Figure Drawing
History of Sequential Arts
Drawing Backgrounds, Props & Structures

Second Term

Penciling 1
Scripting For Comics
Computer Lettering & Colouring
Cartooning For Comics 2
Inking 1
Drawing Heads & Features
Intermediate Life Drawing 2
Illustration 1

Year 3

First Term

Illustration For Children’s Books 1
Character Design For Comics And Graphic Novels
Advanced Life Drawing 1
Intro To Graphic Novel Development
Inking 2
Penciling 2
Introduction To Animal Drawing

Second Term

Advanced Life Drawing 2
Penciling 3
Typography  1
Digital Media For Artists
Illustration For Children’s Books 2
Inking 3
Drawing The Costumed Model
Drawing Hands & Feet

Year 4

First Term

Creating Mobile Comics
Advanced Graphic Novel Development
Drawing Drapery & Sfx
Illustration 2
Intro To Storyboarding For Illustrators
Typography 2

Second Term

Drawing The Costumed Figure
Advanced Graphic Novel Development 2
Infographics
Digital Production
Freelancing & Self Promotion
Portfolio Development
Creating Motion Comics