Become a skilled visual storyteller and image-maker by combining classic skills with new and emerging technologies. Engage clients and change cultures through PNCA's Illustration degree.
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Major
121
4 Years
PNCA Campus
Students strengthen their voices through professional practice. PNCA illustration students are often finalists in the Society of Illustrators Student Exhibition. They compete for the Argyle Winery Scholarship, showcase work in 3X3 Magazine, and score highly-competitive internships. Students can also showcase their work in student-run galleries on campus.
Paving paths in creative firms, agencies, and in the freelance community, our alumni are impacting the art world. They've published works for Marvel, Harper Collins, Scholastic, Chronicle Books, and Cartoon Network. They work full-time for Laika, Wieden+Kennedy, Adidas, Liquid Development, and the Bible Project. They've also won Caldecott and Eisner Awards for picture books and comics.
Desert artist finds inspiration in the Pacific Northwest, explores social consciousness in Portland
Victor Bizar Gomez, an illustrator and muralist, creates socially conscious and surreal art for clients like The Portland Trailblazers, Disney, Dark Horse, and the LA Times.
Illustrator receives prestigious Caldecott Honor for their stunning work in a picture book Molly Mendoza BFA’14 was awarded a 2024 Caldecott Honor designation for their illustrations in the book Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter. Mendoza works with clients including Adobe, The New York Times, The Scientist, The Portland Mercury, Portland Monthly, and John Hopkins Health Review.
Find award-winning illustrators, designers, authors, and educators within the Illustration department. Many professors are also working artists, contributing to the creative community. PNCA hosts panels, visiting artists, and speakers who bring a breadth of knowledge to students.
Colete Martin is a figurative acrylic painter and illustrator living and working in Portland, Oregon. She currently shows in the pop-surrealism/lowbrow gallery scene, and teaches drawing and painting at studios around Portland, and in the continuing education program for the Rhode Island School of Design.
Phoenix McNamara is a multi-disciplinary and multi-media artist. She works in the intersection of illustration, brand design, and craft with a particular focus in textiles, and is very engaged in how artists can make an independent living.
Martin French, Professor and Illustration Chair at PNCA, is celebrated internationally for his dynamic visual exploration of life and culture. His distinctive style has earned awards from prestigious organizations and adorned works for clients such as Apple, Nike, and The New York Times.
Our curriculum is energized by a fluid mix of traditional skills and digital tech, allowing for artists to create unique personal visions able to navigate a market that is always in flux. Our illustration major offers a variety of courses to help you build your portfolio and develop as an artist. Learn important software, techniques, and mediums to further your knowledge of illustration.
This course introduces the fundamentals of visual storytelling in the medium of comics and then builds on that foundation through process and experimentation. Students will develop their storytelling skills, as well as their own narrative voice.
Meld the demands of the marketplace with the personal journey of art creation. Learn how to transition from initial concept sketches to polished final artworks, all within real-world time constraints. Refine your creative process and elevate your skills.
Our Illustration major requires 121 credits to complete the degree. This includes: 76 in studio, 30 in Liberal Arts and Sciences, and 15 in Art History. Of the studio credits, 16 are required courses in the Foundation program, at least 36 are the required courses in the studio major, and the remainder are available for studio electives. A minimum two-year residency at the College is required.
Our Illustration program is open to first-year students, transfer students, and international students. Learn more about PNCA’s undergraduate admissions process to get started.
Willamette University