Illustration, BFA | New England College
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Illustration, BFA

As an Illustration major, you won’t just be prepared for professional life—you’ll be immersed in it. Career-building opportunities including commissions and exhibitions are woven into our curriculum.

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BFA in Illustration Overview

Tell stories through your drawing, develop powerful concepts, and learn how to solve creative problems. In our BFA in Illustration, your work will get critiqued by the biggest names in the industry through NEC’s Visiting Artists series. And you’ll enjoy the support of a close-knit community of committed teachers and passionate students.

Our faculty members are a diverse group of successful working artists and nationally recognized illustrators who will provide you with a wide range of approaches, applications, and mediums to explore. Our proximity to Boston, New York, and Montreal makes it easy for you to explore and engage in broader cultural trends. It’s all at your fingertips.

At the Institute of Art and Design (IAD) at NEC, the interaction between student and professor was always one on one. When a professor learns who you are as an artist, they know exactly what to do to help fine tune your craft. They don’t just do it with one student—it’s with everyone. Much like my hometown, IAD felt like a little community where everyone knew everyone, and we all bonded over a mutual love for art and creativity. It almost felt like a second home, and it made the experience unforgettable. Now that I’ve graduated with my BFA, my plans are to continue my comic series, Rat Knight, as well as break my way into the comics industry and work as a freelance illustrator.”

www.brandoncableart.com

Brandon Cable earned his BFA in Comic Arts from New England College in 2023.

Brandon Cable Class of 2023

Illustration BFA Program Highlights

Development Expert Instruction Applicable
Strengthen your storytelling skills while developing a unique style. Learn from working artists and nationally recognized illustrators. Gain experience solving creative problems.

Student Work

New England College
Chad Ball
New England College
Kirstie Koeppl
New England College
Lauren Duvall
New England College
Mikaela Russel
New England College
Tyler Soucy
New England College
David Hady
New England College
Ari Peterson
New England College
Dan Travis
New England College
Isabella Zaya
New England College
Liz Ellis
New England College
Xena Viau-Scalia

Why Earn Your BFA in Illustration?

Illustrators develop artwork for books, storyboards for animated films and television shows, and technical illustrations that educate users. A BFA in Illustration program is designed to develop students’ techniques and skills in telling stories visually.

Students work closely with experienced artists to develop their visual style and strengthen their storytelling abilities. Students receive constructive criticism when they workshop their creative ideas, which can help them hone their critical thinking skills.

After graduating with a BFA, illustration majors pursue careers in publishing, advertising, media, gaming, and design.

 

Illustration Major Learning Outcomes

Students enrolled in the BFA in Illustration program will:

  • Apply their drawing, design, and painting skills to create original work
  • Learn how to solve creative problems
  • Develop their figure design and storytelling skills
  • Explore applications of illustration in advertising, publishing, and other fields
  • Build a portfolio that showcases their unique individual style

What Can You Do with an Illustration BFA?

Graduates with a degree in illustration work in the visual arts. Many pursue careers as illustrators in industries such as publishing and advertising.
Illustration majors prepare for careers as:

  • Illustrators
  • Concept artists
  • Digital artists
  • Storyboard artists
  • Graphic designers

 

The visual training in an illustration degree program also can lead to opportunities in product design, user experience (UX) design, and art education.

Illustrator

$54,560*

 Fine Artist

$53,140**

 Graphic Designer

$50,280*
*Approximate salary data from Payscale as of October 2023

**Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as of May 2022

 

Why Choose NEC?

New England College (NEC) is a private, nonprofit college founded in 1946 to serve the needs of servicepeople attending college on the GI Bill after World War II and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Today, NEC is an innovative, military-friendly institution and one of the top five liberal arts colleges in New Hampshire.

NEC offers 60 associate and bachelor’s degrees, as well as more than 20 master’s degrees and one doctoral degree program, all delivered by dedicated faculty focused on giving students opportunities to live what they learn. With access to many clubs, outdoor activities, natural areas, internships, and professor-led trips, NEC students have many ways to meet new people and try new things.

At NEC, the world is your classroom.

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Recognition and Rankings

Forbesadvisor.com logo for best online colleges in New Hampshire

NEC Ranked Top Online College in New Hampshire

New England College in New Hampshire has earned recognition as one of the best online colleges in New Hampshire, as acknowledged by Forbes Advisor, a credible source for evaluating higher education programs.

 

 

 

Intelligent.com logo for Best Online College in New Hampshire

NEC Ranked Top Online Degree Program

New England College in New Hampshire has earned recognition as a leading online college in the state, as acknowledged by Intelligent.com, a credible source for evaluating higher education programs.

 

 

 

 

Edurank logo for best college in New Hampshire

NEC Ranked Top College in New Hampshire

New England College in New Hampshire has earned recognition as a leading college in NH, as acknowledged by EduRank, a credible source for evaluating higher education programs.

 

 

 

Degree Requirements

Art: Illustration, BFA

Download Course Requirements

Art Core

(44+ Credits)

Illustration Concentration

(28 Credits)

Select One of the Following:
4 Credits from the Following:

Liberal Arts & Sciences Core Curriculum, Bachelor's Degree

Electives

Select additional electives to reach 120 credits for a Bachelor's degree. 

Faculty

  • Ryan O'Rourke

    Associate Professor, Illustration
    Phone: 603.428.2649
    Email: rorourke@nec.edu
    Professional website: ryanorourke.com

    Expertise and Awards
    Illustration: children’s books, editorials, advertising, institutional, and murals

    My work has been awarded by The Society of Illustrators, SILA, 3×3 Magazine, Children’s Book Council, and The International Reading Association.

    Educational Background
    MFA in Illustration, University of Hartford
    BFA in Illustration, University of Hartford

    Bio
    Ryan O’Rourke has taught in higher education since 2006. Since he started teaching at the former New Hampshire Institute of Art (NHIA) in 2010, Ryan has taught a wide variety of classes focused on the various markets and mediums essential to the field of illustration. He has enjoyed working with a wide range of students across various levels of development, continually helping students discover their own unique way of telling a story visually.

    In his tenure teaching at NHIA and NEC, Ryan has helped develop a robust illustration curriculum implementing a broad variety of digital and traditional approaches to solving visual problems. His classes put a heavy emphasis on consistent process, building images from initial ideation and sketch to final output for print or web format. One of Ryan’s greatest achievement as an educator has been the numerous professional opportunities he has obtained for his students prior to graduation. Many of his students have continued to develop successful careers off of the professional relationships established under Ryan’s tutelage with real-world clients.

    His professional work outside of academia includes illustration for a wide variety of editorial, advertising, institutional, and book publishing clients. Ryan has written and illustrated two children’s books—Bella, Lost and Found and Bella Up, Up, and Away—for HarperCollins Publishers. He has also illustrated 12 other children’s books for clients such as Clarion Publishing, Boyds Mills Kane Press, Sterling Publishing, and Charlesbridge Publishing. His editorial clients include The Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, Hawaii Magazine, Honolulu Magazine, Houston Press, New Jersey Monthly, New Hampshire Magazine, Spider Magazine, Cricket Magazine, The Hartford Courant, TIME for Kids, Rhode Island Monthly, Yankee Magazine, and more.

  • Rich Pellegrino

    Faculty Rich Pellegrino

    Assistant Professor, Illustration
    Phone: 603.428.2645
    Email: rpellegrino@nec.edu

    Bio
    Rich Pellegrino is an award-winning illustrator and Assistant Professor of Illustration and Comic Arts at New England College. He has a BFA in Illustration rom Rhode Island School of Design and MFA from New England College Visual Arts Program. His clients include: NFL, Microsoft Xbox, AMC Breaking Bad, Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel), WWE, Valiant Comics, BOOM Studios Comics, Rovio (Angry Birds), Blue Moon Brewing Co., Planet Rock Magazine, MARVEL STUDIOS, Warner Bros., Lucasfilm and Eric Clapton’s Guitar Festival 2010. His illustration for Planet Rock was awarded the Bronze medal by the Society of Illustrators West 56. He is recognized by Spectrum 22, 24 and 26, Richmond Illustrators Club 2012, and CMYK 37. He is currently working on the 2022 follow up to his solo exhibition from earlier this year at Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to complete the BFA in Illustration program?

The BFA in Illustration program at NEC requires the completion of 120 credit hours. Full-time students typically graduate in four years. Transfer students may be able to graduate in less time.

 

How is the Illustration BFA program structured?

The Illustration major includes 44 or more credits of core art courses and 28 credits in the Illustration concentration. During the core coursework, majors explore drawing, design, and digital imaging. Coursework introduces students to the history of illustration and using figures as narrative elements. Students then customize their degree with electives like graphic novel illustration or digital illustration to reach 120 total credits. The program culminates in a senior exhibition.

 

What are the benefits of a bachelor’s degree in illustration?

A bachelor’s degree in illustration builds visual literacy and communication skills. Students explore mediums, styles, and digital tools to develop their voices. NEC’s program incorporates an internship or apprenticeship to gain hands-on experience. Students also complete a senior exhibition and build a portfolio to showcase their work.

 

How do I enroll in the BFA in Illustration program?

You can apply to the Illustration BFA program by submitting an online application to NEC. Because NEC uses rolling admissions, you don’t need to worry about application deadlines, and you don’t need to submit standardized test scores or pay an application fee.

Start Your Application

Ready to become an Illustration major? Our streamlined application process doesn’t require SAT or ACT scores, and you can apply for free. Submit 15 to 20 images of your artwork to apply to the BFA in Illustration program.

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