Art Degrees Online

The Art Department emphasizes personal expression, alternative approaches and experimentation for its Studio Art students; and, at the same time, stresses fundamental concepts that unify all art and still allow infinite variation.

It shares the belief that intensive work, study and involvement in art prepare the student for professional art training or personal career goals.

Students pursuing a B.A. in Art with an emphasis in Studio Art must complete a minimum of 15 credit hours in five of the following areas: alternative media, ceramics, graphic design, painting, papermaking, printmaking, photography or sculpture.

Advanced standing in the Art Department is achieved after faculty evaluate a student’s portfolio, normally during the second semester of the student’s sophomore year. The department notifies students of portfolio review dates.

Following the evaluation, students are notified of admittance to the department or advised to resubmit a portfolio the following semester. Students who don’t receive a favorable evaluation are advised to seek another department for their major.

If you plan on majoring in art, dance, music, or theatre, you must complete a portfolio review or audition as part of your application to Webster.

In addition to studies in their program major, all of our students puruse a well-rounded education in foundational design, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Art History, and interdisciplinary and special studies.

Here are the course requirements for this major:
KCIL 120 – Introduction to Illustration – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCFN 110, KCFN 131 or KCDS 142

A survey of contemporary and historical illustration techniques and movements. Career options will be covered, along with the fundamentals of composition and color, the application of media, and the basic elements of picture making.
KCIL 203 – Special Topics in Illustration – 1 to 3 Credits
KCIL 222 – Three Dimensional Illustration – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCFN 132 or KCDS 143, sophomore standing

Introduction to the techniques, tools, and the personal expression in sculptural illustration.
KCIL 234 – Illustration II – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 120

Exploration of color media and processes within specific illustration assignments. Problem solving is encouraged through creative investigation.
KCIL 242 – Rendering – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 234, KCPH 120

A drawing and painting course in super realism using various media.
KCIL 252 – Watercolor for Illustrators – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 120, KCIL 234 or program consent

A course in watercolor using various themes linking text and image.
KCIL 291 – Illustration Painting I – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCFN 112, KCFN 132, KCIL 234

Painting illustrative subject matter using fundamental water-based painting techniques.
KCIL 292 – Illustration Painting II – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 291

A more advanced course in water-based painting media whose subject matter will include various illustration genres: editorial, advertising, corporate and institutional, book, and scientific.
KCIL 305 – Illustration Professional Practices – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 120, KCIL 241 or KCDM 241

Students will study current illustration markets, learn essential business practices and create the printed collateral necessary for doing business as an illustrator.
KCIL 306 – Sequential Art and Illustration – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCFN 132 or KCDS 143, junior standing

Students will learn to create storyboards, comics or graphic novels for print media, using a combination of traditional and digital techniques.
KCIL 317 – Illustrating International Literature – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 234, KCIL 323, faculty recommendation or approval of instructor
Co-requisites: KCHU 317

Students must be enrolled in KCHU 317, International Literature, to be admitted into this course. Reading assignments from KCHU 317, International Literature, will be used to explore the parallels between literature and the visual arts. Appropriate, creative illustration solutions will result from this research.
KCIL 323 – Illustration Life Drawing III – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCFA 222

Advanced study of the human figure, especially in relation to the needs of the illustrator, with emphasis on construction, composition, movement, and interpretation of the clothed and costumed figure in various media.
KCIL 324 – Illustration Life Drawing IV – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 323

Personal expression as a means of figurative illustration. Color, form, and light will be explored through various media and methods.
KCIL 326 – Contemporary Fashion Illustration – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCFN 132 or KCDS 143, junior standing

Students will study the illustration of contemporary fashions, designs and accessories as well as research the work of current fashion illustrators. Course work will include practical techniques of fashion illustration along with experimentation with various media.
KCIL 330 – Children’s Book Design and Illustration – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCFN 132 or KCDS 143, junior standing

Professional practices and techniques of children’s book and magazine illustrators, from concepting to the execution of comprehensives, and final artwork. Strategies on portfolio set-up, locating the market, interviews with publishers, copyright laws, and the legal rights of the artist and author will be discussed.
KCIL 333 – Illustration as Social Criticism – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 222, KCIL 234

The creation and rendering of various graphic editorial forms associated with current event commentary. Also includes a history of the art of social commentary, its contemporary impact, and the artists’ role in its creation.
KCIL 335 – Illustration III – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 234, KCIL 323

Concept development and creative problem solving using relevant illustration media and techniques.
KCIL 336 – Illustration IV – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 335, KCIL 241 or KCDM 241

The creation of illustrations based on research of professional styles and markets.
KCIL 341 – Airbrush Rendering – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 234, KCIL 323, or sophomore status in all other majors.

Introduces the fundamentals of airbrush illustration through practice and historical study. Black and white rendering of a variety of studies will lead to full color assignments.
KCIL 399 – Independent Study:Illustration – 1 to 3 Credits
Prerequisites: 3.0 GPA, junior/senior standing
KCIL 400 – Special Problems:Illustration – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: 3.0 GPA, junior/senior standing
KCIL 402 – Internship:Illustration – 1 to 9 Credits
Prerequisites: 3.0 GPA, junior/senior standing
KCIL 403 – Seminar in Illustration – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: Upper-level students

Seminar dealing with special interests in illustration.
KCIL 442 – Graphic Design for the Illustrator – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 305

Students will learn graphic design and production processes for print media, using a combination of traditional and digital techniques.
KCIL 460 – Illustration Portfolio I – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 336

Preparation of a professional quality illustration portfolio based on individual style and market research.
KCIL 461 – Illustration Portfolio II – 3 Credits
Prerequisites: KCIL 336, KCIL 460

A continuation of the development and refinement of the student’s graduation portfolio.

Illustration is an art form. It’s a demanding medium of expression and communication. CVA illustration majors direct their creative intentions within a demanding curriculum that prepares them for professional practice and a lifetime of art making.

A sequence of six successive courses defines the illustration core curriculum. A three-semester immersion in digital, interactive and new media technology compliment these offerings and bring illustration majors up to speed with an ever-changing profession. Each illustration course builds on the skills and knowledge developed in its predecessor.

After completing their foundation year, illustration majors begin a specialized study of the basics. Emphasis is placed on improving drawing skills and exploring a variety of traditional and digital media. Process is stressed and students are challenged to find creative solutions to problems involving space, medium and content.

Advanced, digital and applied illustration courses encourage students to experiment in many disciplines and to become innovators with their own art making. They explore the connections between illustration and graphic design, typography and printmaking, painting and photography, and personal expression.

A studio practicum, internship opportunities, and a course in professional practice augment the curriculum. Combined with liberal arts coursework in illustration history, art history, aesthetics, math, humanities, and the natural and social sciences, these courses anticipate a final year capstone experience that includes a demanding studio and seminar thesis and professional portfolio development.

Students can customize advanced course content and the capstone experience to reflect their interest in a variety of creative mediums, among others, that include cartooning and character development, graphic novels, merchandising, animation, and editorial, publication, and book illustration.

ARTS 220
Photography Studio I (3)

Camera, film, and darkroom techniques. Development of basic black and white perceptual and photographic skills. Darkroom and photographic field and lab work. 35mm camera required.
ARTS 320
Photography Studio II (3)

Continuation of ARTS 220. Advanced theory and black and white techniques, historic processes and theory. Development of personal aesthetic encouraged. Field work. 35mm camera required. Prereq: ARTS 220.
ARTS 322
Photography: Color Studio (3)

Personal expression through use of color photography. Introduction to color printing and processing techniques. History of the medium. Field and lab work. 35mm camera required. Prereq: ARTS 220.
ARTS 325
Creative Photography (3)

Creative photography through photographing and responding to photographs. The question of self-expression and photographic medium explored in the pursuit of understanding images. Prereq: ARTS 220 and ARTS 320 or ARTS 322.
ARTS 365D
B&W Photography Studio (3)

Advanced black and white problems determined in consultation with instructor. Prereq: ARTS 220 and ARTS 320.
ARTS 365E
Color Studio (3)

Advanced color studio problems determined in consultation with instructor. Prereq: ARTS 220 and ARTS 322.

The School of Visual Arts Masters in Digital Photography is an intensive one-year degree program that addresses the technical and creative needs of professional photographers, photographic educators, and visual arts professionals who are looking to advance their skills in digital image capture, asset management, and high-quality output. The program welcomes those who wish to embrace the challenge of mastering the latest tools and techniques to create technically perfect and aesthetically compelling images.

The program benefits greatly from both its outstanding faculty and its location in the heart of the photo district in New York City. Our instructors are working professionals with extensive expertise in professional photography and digital-imaging technologies. In addition, a variety of guest lecturers from the industry complement the core faculty to further enrich each student’s learning experience.

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be thoroughly versed in digital imaging tools, terms and techniques; including workflow strategies, color management applications and current business practices; making our graduates highly employable and prepared for the rigors of contemporary digital imagemaking. Our graduates are ideal candidates to work in digital photography studios and labs; coordinate and manage digital facilities in schools and workshops; and be on the technical, aesthetic, and conceptual forefront of photography in the 21st century. We welcome those individuals who are ready to embrace the challenge of creating images that define the highest standards of technical flawlessness, personal expression, intellectual investigation, and conceptual rigor.

ONLINE/SUMMER RESIDENCY
The online/summer residency program is based on the identical rigorous curriculum with many of the same faculty of the fulltime residency program and is ideal for anyone who has a deep passion for exploring the confluence of photographic aesthetics and digital technology but cannot relocate to New York for a year. The program will be conducted online during the fall and spring semesters and will culminate in an intensive 9-week summer session in New York City, where students will produce a thesis project including the prints and collateral materials for the group exhibition. To be successful in the online learning environment, it is essential to be disciplined in terms of reading, completing the assignments, and participating in the class discussions. Just as the residency classes, the online classes are limited in size and will challenge each student to fully apply themselves to creating outstanding contemporary images. SVA offers housing options for the Summer Residency students.

MPS DEGREE
The Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree is an accredited graduate degree designed for professionals who seek a rigorous program to advance and sharpen specific skills with emphasis on real-world application and solutions. An MPS degree is ideal for working professionals to develop marketable skills to meet evolving career demands and expand promotional opportunities.

The MPS in Digital Photography program is ideal for professional photographers and photographic educators to delve into numerous aspects of Photographic Digital Workflow. Many of our students have under graduate degrees in photography, are working professionals, or are educators who understand the importance of remaining current in this quickly evolving field.

An MPS degree is based on intensive practical work and experience. Our classes concentrate on production and real world solutions that are applicable to working photographers practicing their art and craft in the 21st century. All class and thesis projects are solely captured, processed, and output digitally.

STUDENTS
Talent, Curiosity, and Diversity define our student body. Our students embody a wide variety of photographic experience and interest including; photojournalism, fashion, fine art, commercial, landscape, and portrait photography. They come from around the world and we have accepted students from England, Turkey, Switzerland, New Zealand, Korea, South Africa, and of course the United States into the program. They are diverse in age, religion, and gender orientation – all of which enriches their photography, classroom experience, and lasting personal relationships that are forged throughout the year. Most importantly, our students are independent thinkers, creatively curious, and very hard workers who appreciate the intellectual and creative challenges our faculty and curriculum offers all of them to become better photographers.

Fine art principles and practices are the essential forces guiding the mission of the Program in Experimental Animation—a course of study designed for independent and adventurous artists who are interested in personal expression and who regard animation as a highly dynamic, ever-evolving art form. This program offers a framework in which students explore, develop and refine intellectually demanding, aesthetically progressive concepts and professional practices in their personal cinematic artmaking.

The curriculum begins by building a foundation understanding of a variety of animation techniques and concepts. Courses in 2-D drawn and direct animation, stop-motion, and 2-D and 3-D computer animation blend practical knowledge with creative stimulation, while animation history courses provide a detailed examination of all forms of animation art—with a special emphasis on the history of experimental forms. Once foundation studies are completed, students work closely with their mentors and other members of the program’s accomplished faculty as they experiment with and extend their own unique artistic visions. At the advanced levels of the curriculum, students chart a more individualized course of study in consultation with their mentors, who help to custom-tailor coursework according to each student’s particular interests.

The Program in Experimental Animation enjoys a long-standing international reputation for excellence in innovative animation production. Its faculty, students and alumni have consistently won top awards at film festivals in the United States, Europe and Asia, and are widely credited with helping to define the art of animation as we know it today.

Concordia’s Cinema programs are distinguished from many others by the fact that they are housed in the Faculty of Fine Arts and thus, approach their subject matter primarily as a means of artistic expression. Consequently, a central aim of these programs is to prepare students to become filmmakers, film animators or film historians/critics who have a two-fold awareness: the artistic and cultural potential of the medium, and its history and traditions.

Cinema programs are oriented towards art and culture rather than industry and commerce. However, it should be noted that students are educated in the technical aspects of filmmaking as well as in financial and commercial factors. The programs attempt to strike a balance between the practical and the purely creative aspects of cinema, just as they seek to achieve a balance between social and aesthetic concerns.
Curriculum

Major in Film Animation — 60 credits
Minor in Film Animation — 30 credits

Designed to teach the full process of film animation including theory and practice, the program offers a thorough grounding in the art and technique of frame-by-frame filmmaking. Students are encouraged to develop their own creative potential and to select, from an ever widening range of animation methods, the style most suitable for their own personal expression. Students are also encouraged to complete studio art electives in order to develop their abilities in the areas of design, drawing and colouring.