Overview
Welcome to the Grace College Art program! As a future professional illustrator, you will develop through the Illustration degree a strong foundation for careers that showcase your artistic style. The Illustration major focuses on developing your expertise in several genres, perfecting your style, and learning the fine points of self-marketing.
The purpose of the Illustration major is to develop your abilities to master significant illustration genres and produce images that contain a dynamic visual language that synthesizes and translates human knowledge and experiences into visual forms.
While bringing practical, professional knowledge to the classroom, our faculty serves to encourage and challenge you to be competent in communicating visually and to develop a mature Christ-centered worldview.
Course Requirements for a B.A. or B.S. Illustration
Course Requirements for a Illustration Minor
Courses
Examples of courses in this major:
ART343 Illustration Fundamentals
This course provides a foundational understanding of the field of illustration. The student will gain experience in the process of designing and creating illustrations, as well as explore the various illustration markets such as advertising, editorial, publishing and technical illustration. This will include a survey of historical and current trends in American illustration, and an introduction to basic business and organizational practices found in an illustration enterprise.
ART350 Book and Editorial Illustration
This course is geared toward developing a portfolio of work that focuses on illustration as a visual extension of text, as found in children’s book, editorial, and publishing markets. Continued emphasis is placed on critical thinking in illustration design and improving illustration skills. Time is spent developing professional practices, and in exploring and understanding the student’s own personal style and individual expression.
ART250 Computer Graphics: Design I
This computer laboratory course for the graphic designer concentrates on all aspects of desktop publishing for print and web page design and layout. Software covered includes Adobe InDesign and Adobe Dreamweaver.
ART255 Computer Graphics: Design II
A computer laboratory course that focuses on the software used by graphic designers and illustrators to edit images and to utilize innovative illustration techniques for print and web page design. The major software programs explored are Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.
Faculty
The individuals who will challenge you to learn:
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Terry Armstrong, B.F.A.
Instructor of Art, Watercolor
Education History
B.F.A., Indiana University, Ft. Wayne, IN.
About
Professor Terry Armstrong has a bachelor's degree in both fine art and commercial art from Indiana University. In addition to his extensive background as a corporate graphic artist and communications manager, his fine art watercolors have captured many honors and have been exhibited in numerous galleries within the United States.
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Scott Holladay, B.S.
Instructor of Art, Illustration
Education History
B.S., Art, Grace College
About
Professor Scott Holladay is a full-time illustrator in the areas of book, medical, and editorial illustration. He has focused on medical, technical, architectural, and general editorial illustration for clients in the medical and publishing community for over 15 years.
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Kim M. Reiff, B.F.A, M.B.A, M.F.A
Assistant Professor and Chair, Art Department
Education History
B.F.A., Indiana University, Fort Wayne; M.B.A., Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion; M.F.A. in Visual Arts, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA
About
In addition to her academic accomplishments, Professor Kim Reiff has worked in industry as a marketing communications manager, graphic designer, and production manager.
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Don Swartzentruber, B.S., M.F.A.
Instructor of Art, Printmaking
Education History
B.S. in Art Education, all-grade, Grace College; M.F.A. in visual arts, Vermont College of Norwich University
About
As a contemporary visionary artist,Professor Don Swartzentruber designs carnivalesque images that manifest from interests in theology, cultural issues, and the surreal. He has taught and lectured on the arts for more than 15 years and exhibits nationally. He currently teaches art at Warsaw Community High School.
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Timothy W. Young, B.F.A., M.F.A
Associate Professor of Art and Director Mount Memorial Art Gallery
Education History
B.F.A., Bowling Green State University, OH; M.F.A., Miami University, OH
About
Professor Timothy Young joined the Grace College faculty in 1997. In addition to his B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees, he has participated in additional studies at Circulo de Bellas Arts, Madrid, Spain. Prof. Young is accomplished in painting and drawing and has exhibited and sold major works in the U.S. and abroad.
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J. D. Woods, M.S., M.Div.
Associate Professor of Art
Education History
B.A. in Art Education, Oakland City College; M.S. in Art Education, Indiana University; M.Div., Grace Theological Seminary
About
Bringing a unique perspective to the classroom, Prof. J.D. Woods challenges students of European and American art history to explore how religious ideals are reflected in the arts. He has taught in the college's prison extension program for over 10 years, while freelancing in the graphic arts. His hobby is collecting and performing music with the guitar and banjo, for a variety of audiences in the community.
Careers
Some of the positions you can obtain:
- Illustrator
- An Illustrator is a professional artist trained to produce pictures that translate human knowledge and experience into visual terms. By developing mastery skills in a personal style, an Illustrator creates images that contain a dynamic language of symbols and metaphors in a variety of genre work such as editorial or advertising or through subject specialization such as scientific illustration. Choices for Illustrators include: advertising, book, editorial, magazine, promotional, agency, technical, or scientific illustration. Specialization requires expertise in other subject fields of study. For example, medical illustration would require knowledge of medicine or biology.
- Art Director
- Art directors develop design concepts and review material that is to appear in periodicals, newspapers, and other printed or digital media. They control the overall visual direction of a project in fields such as advertising and publishing. They decide how best to present a concept visually, so that it is organized, eye catching, and appealing. Art directors decide which photographs or artwork to use and oversee the design, layout, and production of material to be produced. They may direct workers engaged in artwork, design, layout, and copywriting. Art Directors attend photo shoots and printing sessions, reviews and approves proofs of materials developed by staff members or vendors and present final layouts to clients for approval.
- Fine (Studio) Artist
- Traditionally, Fine Artists focus on creating original artworks in the form of drawing, painting, or sculpture or may specialize in other art forms, such as ceramics, printmaking, photography, digital media, computer imaging or performance. The space dedicated solely for the creation of art is called a studio. Artists who create within this designated space are also referred to as Studio Artists. Along with expertise in their chosen art form, Fine Artists have a solid background in art history, art criticism, aesthetics, and theory. Focusing on personal artistic development, Fine Artists create, display and sell personal artwork through a variety of means including, art exhibitions, commercial galleries, corporate collections, and commissions. Buyers may include museums, corporations, institutions, government agencies, and individuals. Some Fine Artists are able to support themselves solely through the sale of their work, while others may have an additional job to support their art careers. Fine Artists may work in museums or art galleries as fine-arts directors or curators, or art critics for art-focused publications, or as consultants to foundations or institutional collectors. Other artists teach art classes or conduct workshops in their own studios, within schools, or other art-related organizations.
Testimonials
What others are saying:
I have seen God's grace and provision through the faculty members. They have challenged me to stretch myself to become a better artist by improving my skills, and most of all, giving God glory by worshiping Him with my gifts.
—Katelyn Mithoefer, B.A., Illustration and Drawing and Painting (double major), graduating 2012
Grace has made such an impact on my life these past two years. Not only have I grown spiritually in my walk with the Lord, but I have also improved greatly as an artist. My goal is to one day become either an artist for Disney or a conceptual artist for the movie industry"
—Stephanie Johnston, B.A., Graphic Design and Illustration (double major), graduating 2012