MFA Illustration as Visual Essay Curriculum
The two-year curriculum in Illustration as Visual Essay is designed to capitalize on the technical facility required of students upon entrance to the program. As a result, the program breaks into two distinct parts.
The first year concentrates on teaching additional technical skills and introduces students to the necessity of achieving a personal viewpoint as an illustrator.
The second year allows students to put into practice the lessons of the first year, through the course Thesis Project: Visual Essay.
The program operates on a pass/fail grading system with individual reviews each year. At the end of the first year, students must receive an acceptable review from the faculty panel in order to go on to the second year.
In the final semester, each student is required to complete a thesis project, which must be reviewed and approved by the thesis committee and the department chair in order for the student to be eligible for degree conferral.
Degree candidates must successfully complete 60 credits, including all required courses. A residency of two academic years is required. In exceptional instances transfer credit may be awarded. Decisions concerning transfer of credit are made by the committee on graduate admissions.
First Year Requirements
Fall Semester
ILG-5010 Book Project I
ILG-5020 Drawing I
ILG-5040 Story Adaptation
HCG-5050 Creative Writing Workshop
ILG-5060 Perpetual Appetizers
ILG-5090 Computer Illustration Portfolio
ILG-5520 Individual Review I
Spring Semester
ILG-5015 Book Project II
ILG-5025 Drawing II
HCG-5055 Creative Writing Workshop II
ILG-5100 The Digital Book
ILG-5120 Seminar
ILG-5311 Animation Workshop
ILG-5521 Individual Review II
Second Year Requirements
Fall Semester
ILG-6010 Thesis Project: Visual Essay I
ILG-6020 ILG-6040
Studio Workshop Individual Thesis Review I
ILG-6050 Painting I
ILG-6070 History of Storytelling I
Spring Semester
ILG-6015 Thesis Project: Visual Essay II
ILG-6025 Studio Workshop II
ILG-6045 Individual Thesis Review II
ILG-6055 Painting II
ILG-6200 Illustration Business Boot Camp
General Course Listing
The following reflects the 2025-2026 course offerings. For further details on individual courses, such as meeting days and times, please refer to the Graduate Course Listing.
ILG-5010
Book Project I
1.5 credits
Developing a unique visual voice is the penultimate challenge for illustrators in a competitive, ever-changing market. This course focuses on a variety of short- and longer-term assignments, challenging students to explore storytelling and problem-solving skills, while building compositions and individual content.
ILG-5015
Book Project II
3 credits
A continuation of ILG-5010, Book Project I, this course is devoted to producing an illustrated book in a genre of each student’s choice. It can be a narrative essay, concept, nonfiction, poetry, children's book, or graphic novel, just to name a few. The majority of class time will be devoted to reviewing progress step-by-step with occasional presentations, small group discussions and a few guest speakers. Individual meetings and class critiques are ongoing throughout the semester.
ILG-5020 / ILG-5025
Drawing I and II
3 credits per semester
The development of drawing ability with a concentration on discovering a unique personal voice is the focus of these courses. Through drawing from models in the studio and going out on location, students will also study and interpret the relationships between subjects and their environment, and expand their drawing vocabulary beyond the use of a two-dimensional reference. By keeping sketchbooks and compiling interviews, students will explore receptive observation, risk-taking, spontaneity, drawing from intuition and sketching from the energy and unpredictability of being on location. At least one narrative series assignment will be completed over the course of the year.
ILG-5040
Story Adaptation
3 credits
Students will experiment and create a body of work based on the short story. Although the course title is Book Seminar, students are not confined to the book format; however, a series of objects or an installation is encouraged. Students will outline their ideas in a thesis statement prior to the start of the course, which they will present and discuss in the first session. This written statement will serve as a point of departure and later as a point of reference while the work evolves to its final stages. The project will explore technical, aesthetic and conceptual interests while looking into professional directions and specializations.
HCG-5041 / HCG-5042
Writing Workshop I and II
No credit
These courses support the creative writing workshop courses. They focus on writing fundamentals (grammar, sentence and paragraph logic, idea development, organization and essay structure).
HCG-5050
Creative Writing Workshop I
3 credits
This course will be a hands-on, problem-solving venue for students, as well as a theoretical examination of the nitty-gritty “grammar” of combining words and pictures for maximum impact. The common ground that illustrated texts, picture books, comics, cartoons, storyboards and new media–combinations all share–will be covered in detail. The tools, techniques, opportunities and limitations specific to each of these forms will also be explored. Above all, the primary importance of structure, clarity, precision and meaning as the foremost objectives of the work will be stressed. Successful (and unsuccessful) historical examples will be deconstructed to determine what makes them tick (or fizzle). The course structure will be fluid enough to help sharpen each student’s objectives and goals, while familiarizing them with a comprehensive range of text and image opportunities. Assignments, exercises, lectures, readings, screenings, journal/sketchbook keeping, guest artists/writers, discussions, group crit sessions and notes will all be part of the class routine.
HCG-5055
Creative Writing Workshop II
3 credits
As a continuation of HCG-5050, Creative Writing Workshop I, the spring semester will focus on longer projects, including a visual research paper and capstone project. Exercises, lectures, readings, screenings, journal/sketchbook keeping, guest artists/writers, group discussions and crits will all be part of the class routine.
ILG-5060
Perpetual Appetizers
1.5 credits
This hands-on studio course introduces new tools, techniques and ingredients with the goal of expanding an individual visual vocabulary unique to each student. To grasp the concept that the search for creativity is not always a linear, forward movement—more often it is a series of experiments, a desire to enter unchartered territory while recognizing an accident can open opportunities more often than the safety of stagnation.
ILG-5090
Computer Illustration Portfolio
3 credits
Illustrators must operate with a familiarity of an array of advanced tools that enable them to craft detailed, immersive and dynamic artwork for both print and digital mediums. This course will guide students through the expansive digital toolkit that professional illustrators rely on, including advanced digital painting techniques; comfort/familiarity with vector graphics and 3D illustration tools; animation essentials; digital publishing, interactive and augmented-reality art. The course aims to inspire and challenge you to comprehend, debate and utilize digital illustration tools and techniques that will aid you in creating compelling works that resonate with a range of audiences and will assist you in producing and distributing your brilliant projects and ideas.
ILG-5100
The Digital Book
3 credits
Our desire to tell stories always has, and always will adapt to and define new mediums. The storybook is as old as writing systems themselves. The digital evolution enhanced the interactivity of storybooks through hypertext and multimedia connectivity. As digital media has shifted from desktop to multi-touch tablet computers, it has become increasingly apparent that reading, storytelling, animation and interactivity are the vernacular of artistic expression in the digital realm.
ILG-5120
Seminar
3 credits
Through lectures by noted guest illustrators, political satirists, art directors and graphic designers, this seminar will explore the many specialized areas of visual commentators. The course will also include portfolio reviews from professionals working in the field.
ILG-5520 / ILG-5521
First Year Individual Review I and II
No credit
Individual First Year Review is a series of individual meetings with the department chair for review and critique of first-year work. The meetings will supplement the ongoing work in all first-year classes.
ILG-5311
Animation Workshop
No credit
This workshop will be an extension of your illustration practice, where you will acquire the skills to animate your illustrations. You will experiment with different types and techniques of animating and find the one that fits your style of work. We will examine the language, tools and software used as well as the principles of animation, with some tips and tricks for setting up your workflow.
ILG-6010
Thesis Project: Visual Essay I
6 credits
Students will choose a New York City artist as their thesis faculty advisor to work with on an individual basis, and establish a schedule to research, write and visualize the thesis project. Emphasis will be on topics with visual essay interest such as graphic novels, comics, illustrated books, children’s books, or a series of paintings.
ILG-6015
Thesis Project: Visual Essay II
6 credits
A continuation of ILG-6010, Thesis Project: Visual Essay I, this semester will focus on the completion of thesis projects. Students will participate in a group exhibition at the end of the semester.
ILG-6020
Studio Workshop I
3 credits
Studio Workshop I will develop concepts and finished artwork in relation to the thesis project. Student work will be critiqued regularly by visiting professionals (illustrators, art directors, artists and gallery directors).
ILG-6025
Studio Workshop II
3 credits
A continuation of ILG-6020, Studio Workshop I, this semester will focus on refining and completing thesis projects. There will be individual and group critiques; visiting professionals will continue to view and discuss student projects.
ILG-6040
Individual Thesis Review
No credit
This course is a combination of full class lectures and individual meetings. Lectures will explore and reflect on current and past trends in the visual arts and study the broad field of applications for illustration. Individual meetings are designed to help students to understand and use their potential to the fullest. I will help them assess their goals and strategize their workflow. Any other issue they might struggle with will be addressed as well. No homework will be assigned in this class.
ILG-6045
Individual Thesis Review
No credit
A continuation of ILG-6040, Individual Thesis Review, this semester will focus on reviewing final projects and plans for the thesis exhibition.
ILG-6050
Painting I
3 credits
With an emphasis on figurative painting techniques, this course will focus on the uses of form, color, composition, light, proportion and perspective. Contemporary and classical approaches to oil painting will be explored. The goal is to provide a solid foundation in oil painting techniques.
ILG-6055
Painting II
3 credits
This course will focus on an advanced approach to the concepts and techniques of painting in oil and other mediums, including direct, sustained observation of portraits, land and cityscapes. Emphasis is placed on a fully developed or visualized painting process that explores all mediums.
ILG-6070
History of Storytelling: Comics
3 credits
This course provides an introduction to graphic media in North America, from the beginning of the newspaper comic strip through the development of comic books, the growth of graphic novels, and current developments in electronic media. Focusing on its history and aesthetics, we will compare developments in the United States, Mexico and French Canada, as well as the social and cultural contexts in which comics are created and consumed. The first half of the semester will concentrate on early comic strips and the development of the comic-book form through the 1940s. The remainder of the semester will focus on changes that affected comics in the 1950s and ’60s, the development of a comic-book subculture from the 1970s to the 1980s, and contemporary electronic media developments.
ILG-6200
Illustration Business Boot Camp
3 credits
Illustration Business Boot Camp is based on intensive critique and instruction sessions. The course focuses on three main goals: The solid understanding of the professional illustration environment; the review of existing work and its transformation into a presentable and cohesive body of work; the development and application of each student’s brand and identity tools in different mediums for communicating, showcasing and promoting that work
New York, NY 10011
