Art & Visual Culture – Illustration Concentration

As a arts & visual culture major with an illustration concentration at Grace, you’ll learn to use the elements of art and design to create attractive, cohesive work that serves your client’s needs.

You’ll take classes founded on the truth that as image-bearers, we create to honor and reflect our Creator. Though we teach the principles of design, we also honor the mystery that lies behind creation as a spiritual discipline.

In your classes, you’ll explore what makes professional design so compelling. You’ll discover how art informs the best design, and your work will be evaluated not only on its aesthetic appeal but on how well it serves its purpose. The first half of the degree in illustration covers art and design fundamentals. In the second, you’ll apply what you’ve learned in-studio classes. You’ll finish with a senior thesis portfolio project, where you’ll compile and present your work at a public exhibition.

At Grace, we believe that practice and feedback cultivate artistic excellence, which is why all students seeking degrees in illustration are required to complete an internship. Additionally, our arts & visual culture classes are project-based. You’ll engage in client-focused work, provide a rationale for your design choices, revise your work, and give and receive constructive feedback. 

With an illustration major, your courses in drawing and painting will emphasize fine arts and the design of your own elements. 

After you graduate with a bachelor’s in arts & visual culture, you’ll be ready to design anywhere. Illustration graduates at Grace have worked in production design, art direction, print and digital design, user experience design, and mural design.