Illustration + Design
The Illustration + Design program (I+D) encompasses a diverse faculty with expertise in graphic design, illustration, letterpress, book arts, visual narratives, animation, motion graphics, information design, and interdisciplinary collaborations with the environmental sciences. These specializations are reflected in a broad array of curricular offerings including: field trips, team projects with community clients, internships, and study abroad programs. Through an exploration of the relationship between authorship, personal expression, visual problem solving, and communication, students develop a body of self-authored work consistent with the breadth of the expanding profession. With a high quality portfolio and web presence, students are prepared to go directly into the field and/or apply to graduate programs.
Student animation work can be found here: https://vimeo.com/user27476192
Miles Fujimoto, Animation
Attention art students! Great school of art scholarship opportunities are available now on Scholarship Universe.
Get help funding your artistic ambitions and schooling from our generous donors. Swipe through to see a tutorial on how to apply!
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Congrats to Nathan Abel (MFA '09, Printmaking), who will host the opening reception for his exhibition "Nesting" on Friday, Feb. 3, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Nicolaysen Art Museum in Casper, Wyoming.
"In Nesting, the work tells the story of when my wife and I began planning a family. We anticipated problems but had no idea of the long and traumatic path ahead of us. It is through my work I hope to shed light on infertility, child loss, and adoption. I want to show the hardships and joy that can come with creating a family and honor the experience we and so many others have been through." - Nathan Abel
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Thanks to Peter Pappas, a School of Art Advisory Board member, who kicked off our five-part Student Development Series with a workshop on "Career Paths for Artists."
Future Tuesday workshops are "Marketing for Artists" (Feb. 28), "Working with Galleries" (March 21), "Legal Tools for Protecting Your Work" (April 4) and "Life Lessons from Art Alumni" (April 25).
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John Meyer (BFA '82, Studio Art) will be honored Thursday as the College of Fine Arts' Alumnus of the Year. He calls his Walgreens branding campaign ("At the Corner of Happy & Healthy") as his favorite. Go to https://tinyurl.com/SOAMeyerprof to read his profile. absolutmeyer uarizona
The Rodeo de Tucson Group Show features four paintings by Moira Geoffrion, chair of the School of Art Advisory Board and professor emerita.
The opening reception is Friday, Feb. 3, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Medicine Man Gallery, 6872 E. Sunrise Drive.
The show will showcase more than 30 artists, including Howard Post (BFA '72, MFA '78).
Link in bio above, or go to https://tinyurl.com/y6uases9
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"Screen Education," curated by Art and Visual Culture Education graduate student Meghan Hipple, is open through Friday at the Rombach Gallery.
The exhibition presents her thesis research which focuses on the interplay between museums and movies as informal learning spaces. Our world is saturated with moving images, yet we see them as little more than consumer products for entertainment pleasure. Movies may entertain us, but Screen Education questions what else they do.
What’s your take? Come participate!
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Congrats to Robert Edward Gordon (Ph.D. Art History, '15), who recently published "Buddhist Architecture in America: Building for Enlightenment" through Routledge (https://tinyurl.com/2yzn7t2y).
The book draws from Robert's dissertation, "The Heart in the Matter: Design, Belief and a History of Buddhist Architecture in America," under Professor Paul Ivey.
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We were delighted to host the Visions Program from Scottsdale today with a series of tours and workshops with our faculty — and to show students what it’s like to be an Art Wildcat!
The program brings together 42 art students from diverse Maricopa County high schools for a yearlong series of activities designed "to cultivate artistic skills, collaboration and civic engagement," Visions says.
Opening speeches from Colin Blakely, (School of Art Director), Karen Zimmerman (Associate Director), lydia see (Gallery Director) and Ashley Rubin (Art Advising) welcomed students and gave them a glimpse into the workings of the school.
Visiting Profs. Danielle Jones (3DXM) and Erin DiGiovanni (2D) and Assistant Prof. Nicole Antebi (IDA/Animation) held workshops, while Denise Angulo (Administrative Associate) and student workers Kayla Bradshaw and Alex Allen led the tours.
Thanks everyone for an amazing day!
(Photos by Ava Sheppard)
The upcoming "Soy de Tejas" exhibition in San Antonio will feature Assistant Professor Alex Macias and Bella Maria Varela (MFA '21).
They are among 40 native Texan and Texas-based contemporary artists "who reflect the diverse and beautiful complexity of Latinx identities," say the organizers of the exhibition, which is curated by Rigoberto Luna.
The opening reception is Feb. 9 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Centro de Artes.
Congrats Alex and Bella!
• Facebook evite: https://fb.me/e/2wlRIMy2C
• Website: https://www.getcreativesanantonio.com/Gal.../Centro-de-Artes
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Erika Tenorio (BFA '22) will hold her opening reception tonight for “A Little Piece of Nicaragua,” the first official exhibition “where I can showcase Nicaragua in relief print.”
The reception, from 6 to 8 p.m., is at Groundworks Tucson, 2919 E. Grant Road. Her show runs until Feb. 3.
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NICE TO MEET YOU is on view in Rombach Gallery.
The show features new work from five of our first year MFAs: Claire Fall Blanchette, Triston Lee Blanton, Austin Caswell, Ben Davis, and Mehraveh Vahediyan
and was curated by Gallery Director lydia see.
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We'd like to thank painter and retired professor Robert D. Cocke (BFA '72) for making a generous donation of books today to the School of Art.
Robert, who lives in Oracle, taught for 21 years at Arizona State University.
"Getting lost in a Robert Cocke landscape is a welcome journey and a rewarding, transformative adventure," wrote Robert Knight in a forward to Cocke's 2010 book (first photo).
The artist's work belongs to the public collections of the Smithsonian American, Crocker and Phoenix Art museums, among others. He has received honors from the National Endowment for the Arts, Western States Arts Federation, Ford Foundation and others.
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Tucson and Barrio Viejo ranked No. 15 on The New York Times' "52 Places to Go in 2023" — and the Etherton Gallery and Andrew Smith Gallery, Inc. received a nice shout-out! Congrats!
Click on our bio for the story link, or go to https://tinyurl.com/4uz23rky
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Save the date! Professor Ellen McMahon, associate dean for the College of Fine Arts, will be featured along with Chris Rush in a mixed media and collage exhibition, "Again with the Real," at the Etherton Gallery. The opening reception is Saturday, Feb. 11, from 7 to 10 p.m.
Rush is an award-winning artist and designer, and the author of "The Light Years: A Memoir."
Chris Rush, Road, 2022 oil on porcelain enamel, India, c. 1940s
Ellen McMahon, Lost Language of a Desert Sea II: To Want, 2009 letterpress/mixed media
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Our Art and Visual Culture Education (AVCE) program is happy to welcome Temple University Assistant Prof. David Herman Jr. as a guest speaker on Thursday, Jan. 19.
His talk, "Time and Understanding," will begin at 5 p.m. in Room 312.
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"I'm happy to do anything for a fellow Deadhead."
That's what grad student Gabi Walter told Bill Walton on Saturday when she explained how she repainted the chair he uses to announce basketball games at McKale Center.
Thanks to Matt Ensor and his video crew at Arizona Athletics for this fantastic video! And go to our bio or https://tinyurl.com/soaWalter to read more.
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How cool is this? Grad student Gabrielle Walter repainted Bill Walton's basketball announcing chair, and the School of Art and Arizona Athletics surprised the Hall of Famer with the new design before Saturday's men's game against Washington State!
Click on the story link in our bio to read more about Gabi, or go to https://art.arizona.edu/.../grad-student-repaints.../
Photos by Mike Christy, Arizona Athletics; and Mike Chesnick, School of Art.
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Come work with us!
The University of Arizona School of Art is seeking a full-time Assistant Professor (tenure-eligible) to join the Illustration, Design, and Animation (IDA) program beginning August 2023.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate an active professional practice with an emphasis in illustration as a tool for visual storytelling. They will also have an established track record effectively serving diverse populations.
To apply, click on our bio for the link, or go to https://tinyurl.com/4er5ambe
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Victor Navarro (BFA, '10) is part of the large-format art exhibition, "Grand Scale," at the Ventana Gallery at Roche Tissue Diagnostics in Oro Valley.
Register for the opening-night reception Wednesday, Jan. 18, from 5-7 at https://tinyurl.com/2p9krpt4
Congrats, Victor!
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Be sure to check out "Wait, Before I Go," an online exhibition of thesis projects by the fall 2022 seniors in Prof. Simon Hinchliffe's Illustration & Design capstone class.
Click on our bio above or https://bfacapstone.art.arizona.edu/ to see the excellent work of:
Harper Burklin , Kevin Callison, Kiana Chan, Damian Corrales, Megan Gray, Galadriel Gross, John Konrad, Jasmine Ma, Ryan O’Connor, Maddi Ritscher, Paola Roman, Robin Silverman, Ellenor Spencer, Gabriel Spencer, Hailey Jo Smith, Marmda Sun, Erika Tenorio and Ryan Thorne.
Congrats to all!
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The School of Art houses excellent facilities including studio spaces, computer labs with Wacom Cintiq Touch screens and animation stations, a digital imaging lab with large format printing, mounting and other services, letterpress equipment, photopolymer platemaking equipment, metal and wood type collections, binding equipment, darkrooms, wood and metal shops, sculpture foundry, ceramics labs, and external resources such as: the Center for Creative Photography, the University of Arizona Museum of Art and the Poetry Center as well as an excellent library that houses an extensive book art collection. The campus also houses the Learning Games Initiative Research Archive and the extensive Children’s Literature Collection.
Visit our Resources & Facilities page to learn more about the excellent facilities available for instruction in Illustration + Design.
American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) student chapter
Visit the AIGA website
Book Art Collective
Visit us on Facebook
UA Illustration + Design News
Visit us on Facebook
Persona Magazine
Visit us on Facebook
College Book Arts Association
Visit the website
- Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art, Illustration + Design Emphasis
- Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art, Illustration + Design Emphasis
Contact an academic advisor or set up an advising appointment to learn more about School of Art programs and admissions
Spring 2021 Undergraduate Illustration + Design Portfolio Review
Accepting applications from Friday, March 12 at 9:00 a.m. until Monday, March 15 at 9:00 a.m.
This annual Spring Portfolio Review accepts 18-22 students in the Illustration track and 18-22 students in the Design track. We also work with students interested in both illustration and design on an individual basis upon acceptance to one of the tracks.
Eligibility Checklist
- I have taken the majority of my First Year Experience (FYE) classes.
- I have taken or am currently enrolled in Art 265/Art 266. It is best to take at least one of these classes in the Fall before the review. But there is no penalty for going through the review multiple times so you should apply even if both required classes are being taken during the review semester. (Transfer students should make sure they have had the equivalent of Art 265/266. Check with the Division chair to confirm).
- A completed Visual Assignment (see below).
- Submit 10–12 art works in your portfolio. The Visual Assignment counts as one of these pieces.
Portfolio Review Procedures
- This Online Review will go live at 9:00 a.m. Friday, March 12 and be open until 9:00 a.m. Monday, March 15.
- Follow this application link starting 9:00 a.m. Friday, March 12.
- I+D Faculty will review and rank the applications. This procedure may take a few days.
- You will be notified via email of your acceptance and the required classes for your track. Please note that if you do not register for the required classes in the Fall, you will forfeit your place in the I+D program.
- You will also be notified via email of you are not accepted to the program. You will be able to sign up for advising appointments to discuss your next steps and get feedback on your portfolio.
Portfolio Review Guidelines
- 10–12 pieces of work including the Portfolio Review Visual Assignment (see below). The answer to the assignment will be the first piece in your portfolio. Other pieces should include projects from Art 265 and Art 266, but may be supplemented with work from other studio areas including self-initiated work. Transfer students should include work from transferred courses.
- Motion and Web design pieces can also be uploaded as well. It is best to upload a still and a hyperlink to online viewing such as YouTube or Vimeo.
Evaluation, Acceptance, and Advising
- The work submitted should: Show an eye for composition and application of formal principles (scale, balance, weight, texture, direction, etc.); Communicate an understanding of form and sensitivity to materials; Show a clear understanding of color relationships; Demonstrate excellent skills and attention to detail; Show a facility with software. Ideas embodied in the work should be innovative and strong. Digital uploads should be clear and readable.
- If you have been accepted into I+D, your name will be placed on a list allowing you to register for the required Design or Illustration courses* online. Register on time to get a seat in fall classes. You will only be guaranteed courses in the sequence indicated on the I+D grid (included with acceptance). If you do not register for the required classes in the fall semester, you forfeit your place in the program. If there are extenuating circumstances, contact I+D Program Chair Kelly Leslie (kleslie@arizona.edu) to discuss.
*You must maintain a 3.0 GPA in I+D classes in order to be guaranteed admission into these classes.
The Visual Assignment
The below poem is a prompt for your Visual assignment. Choose any stanza of the poem or the poem as a whole for inspiration. You may choose to include text but it is not required. Some approaches to consider:
- Book/Book Cover
- Typographic Composition
- Sequential Narrative/Comic
- Poster
- Photography
- Drawing/Illustration
- Animation
A Map to the Next World
By Joy Harjo
In the last days of the fourth world I wished to make a map for
those who would climb through the hole in the sky.
My only tools were the desires of humans as they emerged
from the killing fields, from the bedrooms and the kitchens.
For the soul is a wanderer with many hands and feet.
The map must be of sand and can’t be read by ordinary light. It
must carry fire to the next tribal town, for renewal of spirit.
In the legend are instructions on the language of the land, how it
was we forgot to acknowledge the gift, as if we were not in it or of it.
Take note of the proliferation of supermarkets and malls, the
altars of money. They best describe the detour from grace.
Keep track of the errors of our forgetfulness; the fog steals our
children while we sleep.
Flowers of rage spring up in the depression. Monsters are born
there of nuclear anger.
Trees of ashes wave good-bye to good-bye and the map appears to
disappear.
We no longer know the names of the birds here, how to speak to
them by their personal names.
Once we knew everything in this lush promise.
What I am telling you is real and is printed in a warning on the
map. Our forgetfulness stalks us, walks the earth behind us,
leaving a trail of paper diapers, needles, and wasted blood.
An imperfect map will have to do, little one.
The place of entry is the sea of your mother’s blood, your father’s
small death as he longs to know himself in another.
There is no exit.
The map can be interpreted through the wall of the intestine—a
spiral on the road of knowledge.
You will travel through the membrane of death, smell cooking
from the encampment where our relatives make a feast of fresh
deer meat and corn soup, in the Milky Way.
They have never left us; we abandoned them for science.
And when you take your next breath as we enter the fifth world
there will be no X, no guidebook with words you can carry.
You will have to navigate by your mother’s voice, renew the song
she is singing.
Fresh courage glimmers from planets.
And lights the map printed with the blood of history, a map you
will have to know by your intention, by the language of suns.
When you emerge note the tracks of the monster slayers where they
entered the cities of artificial light and killed what was killing us.
You will see red cliffs. They are the heart, contain the ladder.
A white deer will greet you when the last human climbs from the
destruction.
Remember the hole of shame marking the act of abandoning our
tribal grounds.
We were never perfect.
Yet, the journey we make together is perfect on this earth who was
once a star and made the same mistakes as humans.
We might make them again, she said.
Crucial to finding the way is this: there is no beginning or end.
You must make your own map.
Ready to join our community of dedicated artists, educators and scholars? Visit our Admissions page to start your application.
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