Illustration Emphasis, BFA
Introduction
Please click here to see general Visual Arts information.
The Illustration emphasis integrates fine art, mixed media and digital practices with conceptual thinking, research and storytelling in the production of creative work. As a practice, Illustration focuses on skills and concepts in the professional development of a student's individual vision and approach to illustrative arts. Marketing, business and design practices prepare students to discuss and view their work in a design context and for particular commercial markets and galleries. Courses are taught in state-of-the-art drawing and computer labs using the Adobe software suite alongside hands-on studio facilities. Illustration students gather skills to easily work across multiple artistic media--including design, drawing, painting, printmaking, and 3D media for the development of motion and spatial projects.
Students gain the ability to establish freelance illustration studio practice, as well as multi-faceted professional skills and flexibility in working with designers, creative directors, and art directors. Graduates are prepared to write and illustrate concepts and stories in preparation for studios, and the editorial, publishing and advertising markets.
Students in the illustration emphasis receive instruction in conceptual illustration, digital illustration, rendering, perspective, painting, exhibition preparation, professional practices and the use of various artistic and illustration techniques. In preparation for a professional illustration career, the course work allows students to master numerous essential digital and traditional tools and work to successfully bring the two together in ambitious and innovative illustrative work.
Program Delivery
- This is an on-campus program.
Declaring This Major
- Click here to go to information about declaring a major.
- Students who are applying for entrance into the illustration emphasis must submit a portfolio of work for faculty review, as described below. The illustration emphasis accepts applications once a year during the Spring semester. Students who meet the requirements and are accepted go on to take upper-division illustration courses.
Eligibility
The student has completed, or is in the process of completing, the following courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FINE 1100 | Drawing I | 3 |
| FINE 1400 | Two Dimensional Design | 3 |
| FINE 1500 | Three-Dimensional Design | 3 |
| FINE 2020 | Drawing II | 3 |
| FINE 2155 | Introduction to Digital Photography | 3 |
| FINE 2200 | Painting I | 3 |
A minimum cumulative fine arts/art history GPA of 2.0
Portfolio Review Requirements
Students applying to the illustration emphasis submit a portfolio and unofficial transcript(s) from CU Denver and all previous post-secondary educational institutions via an online submission portal. Portfolios are due April 1st and will be reviewed by Illustration faculty during the first two weeks of April. Portfolios must be formatted and presented according to the specifications listed on the Portfolio Review page. There is no fee to apply.
Transfer Students
Transfer students who meet the following requirements may apply.
- You are a Transfer Student (not yet enrolled at CU Denver) seeking admission to the Illustration program
- You have completed, and are transferring, a minimum of twenty-four credit hours from a previous institution.
- You have completed, or are in the process of completing, the equivalents of the following Foundation Studio classes: FINE 1100 - Drawing I, FINE 1400 - Two-Dimensional Design, FINE 1500 - Three-Dimensional Design, FINE 2020 - Drawing II, FINE 2155 - Introduction to Digital Photography, and FINE 2200 - Painting I
If you are an eligible transfer student, please email your portfolio to travis.vermilye@ucdenver.edu to submit your portfolio before the 5:00 P.M. application deadline on April 1st.
Notification
Notices will be emailed as soon as faculty have reviewed all applications and made their determinations, usually within 2 weeks from the application deadline.
If you are a transfer student and transferring into Illustration after the April1st deadline, please email michelle.carpenter@ucdenver.edu or travis.vermilye@ucdenver.edu for information on how to submit your portfolio.
Questions
For general inquiries see the Illustration Program page here. For Portfolio review questions see the Portfolio Review page here.
General Requirements
To earn a degree, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the areas below, in addition to their individual major requirements.
- CU Denver General Graduation Requirements
- CU Denver Core Curriculum
- College of Arts & Media Graduation Requirements
- Click here for information about Academic Policies
Program Requirements
- A minimum grade of C (2.0) is required for each course applied toward a College of Arts & Media major, minor or certificate requirement. A grade of C- (1.7) or lower will not fulfill a major, minor or certificate requirement. A grade of S is acceptable only for courses in which the grading basis is S/U. No more than 6 semester hours of P+/P/F is allowed in any given semester. No more than 12 semester hours may be elected as P+/P/F toward the degree.
- All upper-division visual arts courses must be taken at CU Denver unless approved otherwise by Department of Visual Arts faculty.
- At least 27 semester hours of visual arts credits (at any level) must be taken at CU Denver.
- At least 24 semester hours of total visual arts courses must be upper-division.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Portfolio | ||
| Take all of the following Pre-Portfolio courses: | ||
| FINE 1100 | Drawing I | 3 |
| FINE 1400 | Two Dimensional Design | 3 |
| FINE 1500 | Three-Dimensional Design | 3 |
| FINE 2020 | Drawing II | 3 |
| FINE 2155 | Introduction to Digital Photography | 3 |
| FINE 2200 | Painting I | 3 |
| Lower-Division Visual Arts | ||
| Take one of the following lower-division Visual Arts courses: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Digital Design | ||
| Introduction to Digital Art & Imaging | ||
| Take all of the following lower-division Visual Arts courses: | ||
| FINE 2600 | Art History Survey I | 3 |
| FINE 2610 | Art History Survey II | 3 |
| FINE 2030 | Life Drawing | 3 |
| FINE 2415 | Typography Studio | 3 |
| Illustration Emphasis | ||
| Take all of the following Illustration Emphasis courses: 1 | ||
| FINE 3010 | Illustration I: Image Making | 3 |
| FINE 3410 | Illustration II: Digital Media | 3 |
| FINE 4000 | The Business of Art | 3 |
| FINE 4001 | Illustration III: Investigative Methods | 3 |
| FINE 4002 | Illustration IV: Thesis Development | 3 |
| Upper-Division Visual Arts | ||
| Take all of the following upper-division Visual Arts courses: | ||
| FINE 3014 | The Graphic Novel Workshop | 3 |
| FINE 3030 | Media of Drawing | 3 |
| FINE 3450 | Digital Painting | 3 |
| FINE 4990 | Contemporary Art: 1960 to Present | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Take three semester hours of Pre-20th Century Art History elective. | 3 | |
| Take twelve semester hours of Visual Arts electives. 2 | 12 | |
| Capstone | ||
| Take the following Capstone course: | ||
| FINE 4003 | Illustration BFA Thesis | 3 |
| Total Hours | 78 | |
- 1
To be taken after gaining acceptance to emphasis via portfolio review
- 2
These may include studio, lecture, internship or art history courses.
Please contact the College of Arts & Media at CAM@ucdenver.edu for course sequencing, any prerequisite updates and for lists of approved electives and more information about this emphasis.
To review the Degree Map for this program, please visit our website.