Academics

Illustration

BFA • Major

Illustration student painting on a digital screen

Bring your imagination to life—one drawing at a time! If you’ve always seen the world differently, the BFA in Illustration at Montclair State University will help you transform that artistic vision into a powerful career. Just outside New York City—home to the world’s top publishers, studios and design agencies—you’ll gain hands-on training, professional connection and a portfolio that stands out in any market.

Our multidisciplinary curriculum prepares you to tell visual stories across a wide range of media—from traditional pen and ink to digital painting and motion graphics. You’ll explore character design, concept art, worldbuilding, comics, children’s books, editorial illustration, and more. You’ll graduate with a final project, professional portfolio, internship experience, and a network of creative contacts in the industry.

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Program Highlights

  • Courses in traditional and digital media: acrylic, watercolor, digital painting, vector drawing, and more
  • Advanced coursework in editorial, graphic novels, visual development, motion, zines, and licensing
  • Projects include character sheets, storyboards, animated walk cycles, and an entrepreneurial business model
  • A mandatory creative internship
  • Final-year exhibition and portfolio tailored to your career goals
  • Award-winning faculty with deep industry experience and NYC connections
  • Small class sizes for personalized mentorship
Illustration student wearing a hoodie and glasses drawing on a digital screen

Explore Concentrations

Bring your imagination to life with Montclair’s Illustration program. From concept sketches to client-ready artwork, you’ll learn to create dynamic characters and worlds for comics, games, animation or publishing. You’ll be prepared for a career as an illustrator, art director or visual development artist in today’s creative industries.

General Concentration

The BFA in Illustration prepares skilled painters and drawers for careers in communication arts. Students develop expertise in visual storytelling, world-building and problem-solving while building professional networks. Graduates leave with advanced portfolios, industry-ready skills, and career paths in publishing, animation, gaming and multimedia design.

See the curriculum.

Pre-production Design

Best suited for students who want to study visual development for gaming, film, animation, advertising art, or motion graphics.
Publishing

Best suited for students who want to study comics, graphic novels, children’s books, magazine or editorial art.
Interdisciplinary

Best suited for students who want a little bit of both tracks with the additional option to study caricature drawing and how to license your art for retail stores.

“The Illustration program at Montclair was integral to me getting my agent and book deal. The classes helped to build a strong portfolio and the professors gave me opportunities to put it in front of industry professionals.”

Zach Rios

Turn your sketches into a storytelling career

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Related Programs

Questions? We’re Here to Help.

Office of Undergraduate Admissions

The office of Undergraduate Admissions will guide you every step of the way on your journey from learning about the University and its offerings, to applying for a program through to acceptance and enrollment.

Department of Art and Design

For more than five decades, the Department of Art and Design has educated artists and designers who interpret, impact and often shape the world as we experience it. Through exposure to all facets of the visual arts, you will develop a portfolio of work that will enable you to live and work as an artist, designer, historian, arts manager or educator.

Program Coordinator: Christina Rodriguez-Unalt

Get detailed information about the program itself—from curriculum and faculty expertise to research, internships and career outcomes. The program coordinator can explain how the program connects to your academic and professional goals.

Next Steps

Wherever you learn—on campus or online—Montclair State University offers the programs, community and support to help you reach your goals. Take the next step today.

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Learn on Campus

Immersive classes, vibrant campus life and hands-on experiences that put you at the center of it all.

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Learn Online

Montclair Online offers the same nationally recognized faculty, engaging coursework and supportive community as our on-campus classes - designed to fit your life. With multiple start dates each year, you can begin when the time is right for you.

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