The illustration major is based around hands-on projects and portfolio building. CBU's illustration program offers a flexible undergraduate degree which allows for the student to receive a solid foundation, and built on it with their choice of emphasis including traditional or digital media.
Illustration, B.A.
CBU's Bachelor of Arts in Illustration degree develops students in the art of visual and conceptual storytelling in a variety of artistic mediums, preparing them to pursue a career as a professional illustrator.
Program Intro
CBU's B.A. in Illustration degree develops students in the art of visual and conceptual storytelling enabling them to be strategic and effective communicators in our visual culture. Students can gain skills that can be applied to animation, book illustration, game design, graphic novels, medical illustrator, forensic artist, story-board artist, or art director.
Why Study Illustration at CBU?
Learn from Professional, Christian Artists
CBU's illustration program is authored by professional illustrators with a tested understanding for what makes young artists successful. Best practices, latest technologies, ideation, craft, and business acumen are embedded into the instruction and mentorship – all with the intention of sending the artists out to make an impact for the Kingdom where image, brand and message are paramount.
Gain Hands-On Experience
Program Details
ILL 210: Illustration I
This course builds a working knowledge of the historical and contemporary illustrators and various styles and approaches to the craft. Projects will build important skills in drawing, painting, color theory, storytelling, and typography.
ILL 250: Digital Painting I
This course will introduce digital painting methods including conceptualizing, composing, refining and evaluating digital illustration.
DES 498: Portfolio
This is an interdisciplinary course where students will focus on their portfolios and final presentation specific to their industry.
- Fine Art
- Motion Design
Michael Berger, M.F.A.
Professor of Graphic Design
Office Phone: 951-343-4675
E-mail: mberger@calbaptist.edu
Office Location: W. E. James Building, Room 360
Katherine Kaford, Ph.D.
Professor of Art History
Associate Dean, College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design
Office Phone: 951-552-8816
E-mail: kkaford@calbaptist.edu
Office Location: James Building, Room 453
Kristi Lippire, M.F.A.
Professor of Visual Art
Advisor for Art Club
Office Phone: 951-552-8736
E-mail: klippire@calbaptist.edu
Office Location: Adams Business Park, building C space 33
Nancy Ward, M.F.A.
Lecturer of Visual Arts
Professor of Illustration and Design
Office Phone: 951-343-4623
E-mail: nward@calbaptist.edu
Office Location: J353
- Faith Integration: Majors will apply a Christian worldview to the moral and ethical questions inherent in the illustration industry.
- Visual Literacy: Majors will demonstrate a critical and working familiarity with the themes and concerns of illustration. Evidence of this will be manifested through directed projects and their capstone exhibition.
- Creative Thinking: Majors will demonstrate the ability to engage in associative/spatial thinking dynamically channeled through various media through directed formal and conceptual problems as well as self-determined projects.
- Media Fluency: Majors will demonstrate an ability to command the inherent dynamics of two-dimensional media as applied to the principles of professional design techniques and best-practices workflows.
- Professional Awareness: Majors will acquire the ability to integrate business concepts, to assess the professional implications of their expressive decisions and to apply techniques of professional presentation, portfolio creation, and promotion utilized in the illustration industry.
Student Opportunities: CBU Gallery
CBU Art programs not only provides a high quality visual arts education, but are also dedicated to instilling in students the role that art can play in community, and in service of community. Located at the heart of campus, the CBU Gallery allows CBU Art students to both showcase work and gain hands on experience in gallery management.
Student Opportunities: Art Club
CBU Art Club brings together visual artists to simultaneously produce art in community, and serve the community. From community art projects, to utilizing art to raise funds for community projects, the CBU Art Club serves.
Student Opportunities: Community Service
CBU art is dedicated to art in community and art in service of community. On a regular basis CBU art students bring their artistic talents out of the classroom and into the community. Pictured left is a community service project whereby art students painted a mural on a local elementary school's play yard.
Career Possibilities
CBU illustration majors will be prepared to pursue a career as a professional illustrator.
- Illustrator
- Book Illustrator
- Game Designer
- Story Board Artist
- Graphic Designer
- Animator
- Forensic Artist
- Photographer
- Art Director
- Director of Creative Services
- UX/UI Designer
- Creative Director
- Web Designer
Related Programs
Ready to See Differently?
Discover. Define. Ideate. Prototype. Test. Our demand of the student is simple. See Differently.