Illustration is visual communication.
The curriculum of the department emphasizes the development of a creative understanding of contemporary themes and concepts and an inventive clarity of response in image making and design. The sophomore year is devoted to training both the creative intelligence and the technical facility of each student. Courses in illustrative problem solving are focused on nurturing original thinking and conceptual clarity, while drawing and painting classes provide practice in basic skills of image making, including the depiction of form, space and light, pictorial compositiion and the organizational and expressive uses of color. Many students pursue independent study projects closely supervised by individual faculty. Computer courses explore the diverse applications of new media in relation to animation, design and image generation.