| Ranking | School | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ringling College of Art and Design | Florida |
| 2 | Savannah College of Art and Design | Georgia |
| 3 | Watkins College of Art | Tennessee |
| 4 | Kennesaw State University | Georgia |
| 5 | University of Central Florida | Florida |
Our 2019 rankings of the top 5 illustration schools in the South. We define the South as Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas. For an explanation of our ranking criteria, click here.
Established in 1931, Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD) serves 1,400 students enrolled in BFA degrees in eleven disciplines and BA degrees in two. Just a few majors include Computer Animation, Film, Game Art, Motion Design, Visual Studies, and Illustration. Offered through the Illustration Department, the Illustration BFA covers the fundamentals of color theory, composition, anatomy, and digital and traditional media.
The school says that “working in 2D and 3D, Illustration students are introduced to and familiarized with professional industry techniques through exercises, demonstrations, guest speakers, critiques, collaborative projects, internships, recruiter workshops, and interactions with real clients in the area.” Sample courses for the program include Computer Illustration, Design and Topography, Figure Drawing, Film and Narrative, Illustration Media, and 3D Design for CA & IL.
Other program highlights include the opportunity to enter a semester-long exchange program or a four-five week summer program at Studio Arts Center International (SACI), located in Florence, Italy, internship opportunities at major companies such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Blue Sky Studios, Disney, Hasbro, and Pixar, and participation in The Annual Illustration show, Illest of the Ill—a department juried exhibition curated and coordinated entirely by students.
Students in the program also have access to two Cintiq labs solely for Illustration, access to three 24-hour Cintiq labs, painting and drawing studios, and a laptop for every student, fully equipped with the latest Adobe Creative Suite software.
Ringling College students have won more wards in the 40-year history of the Society of Illustrators than any other college and comprise the highest number of accepted entries into the Society’s annual Student Scholarship Competition. Graduates leave the program with a “comprehensive, cohesive portfolio” that showcases their work and they will be prepared for illustration positions in a range of industries.
Graduates have been hired by American Greetings, Apple, Blue Sky Studios, Cartoon Network, Disney, EA Games, GM, Google, Hallmark, Marvel Comics/Lucasfilm, Riot Games, United Airlines, Walt Disney, Zynga, and many others.
With campuses in Savannah, Atlanta, Hong Kong, and Lacoste, France, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is home to nearly 13,000 students from nearly 50 states and 115 countries. Founded in 1978, the school has more than 40 majors and over 70 minors and certificate programs, including Illustration. Offered through the School of Communication Arts, four degree options are available for aspiring illustrators as well as four minors and related programs.
Degree options include a BA in Visual Communication with a Concentration in Illustration (Atlanta, Savannah), a BFA in Illustration (Atlanta, Hong Kong, Savannah), an MA in Illustration (Atlanta, Savannah, eLearning), and an MFA in Illustration (Atlanta, Savannah, eLearning). Minors include Animated illustration and Publication Design, Scientific illustration, Illustration for Entertainment, and Illustration for Surface Design. Related degrees include a BFA in Sequential Art (Atlanta, Hong Kong, Savannah)
The Animated illustration and Publication Design program is offered at the Atlanta, Hong Kong, and Savannah campuses. All others are offered at the Savannah campus only. Minor programs are 25 hours and include courses such as Digital Illustration, Illustrative Anatomy and Perspective, Imaginative Illustration: Character Refinement, and Type and Image for Illustrators.
Per the school, students in SCAD’s Illustration degree programs SCAD’s will learn to create “fine-art drawings, bringing ideas, characters and personalities to life using both traditional and digital techniques.” Students will work in a “professional environment through a program structured like a working studio,” and they will “develop a personal style and technique, learning to express their own unique vision while forming a well-rounded perspective on design.”
Students in the degree programs have the opportunity to study outside of their main discipline by taking courses in Advertising, Graphic Design, Motion Media, Printmaking, and Sequential Art. Sample major curriculum courses for the programs include Directed Projects in Illustration, Contextual Character Design, lllustrating Beyond the Page: The Narrative Experience, Illustration Business Strategies and Entrepreneurship, Illustration Markets, Illustration for Publications, and Materials and Techniques.
The BFA in Illustration has four concentration options including Animated Illustration and Publication Design, Concept Design for Animation and Games, Illustration for Games, and Illustration for Surface Design. Each concentration requires four courses, and students have the opportunity to choose from 10 elective hours to further refine their focus.
Founded in 1885, Watkins College of Art (formerly Watkins College of Art, Design & Film) serves more than 300 students enrolled in BFA degrees in Film, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Interior Design, and Photography, a BA in Art, and MFA degrees in Film and in Visual Arts. In the BFA in Illustration program, students will “explore the entire illustration process, including character development, sequential imagery, storyboarding, and visual narration,” says the school.
The program teaches specific techniques related to picture books, game design, and animation, and students will “analyze the historical and contemporary roles of illustration in reflecting, serving, and advancing culture.” Special topics will also be explored through classes such as Illustration/Printmaking Camp and The Picture BookProxy-Connection. Other sample courses for the program include Digital Design, Digital Design & Illustration, Figure Study, Introduction to HTML & CSS, Mathematics for Visual Arts, Pictorial Problems, Surface, Space & Time, and Visual Narratives.
During their junior and senior years, upper-division students will have the opportunity to complete up to two internships. In recent years, Watkins students have gained experience at Advent, Anderson Design Group, The Buntin Group, Prosper Press (San Francisco.
Offered through the School of Communication Arts, four degree options are available for aspiring illustrators as well as four minors and related programs. Degree options include a BA in Visual Communication with a Concentration in Illustration (Atlanta, Savannah), a BFA in Illustration (Atlanta, Hong Kong, Savannah), an MA in Illustration (Atlanta, Savannah, eLearning), and an MFA in Illustration (Atlanta, Savannah, eLearning). Minors include Animated illustration and Publication Design, Scientific illustration, Illustration for Entertainment, and Illustration for Surface Design. Related degrees include a BFA in Sequential Art (Atlanta, Hong Kong, Savannah).
The Animated illustration and Publication Design program is offered at the Atlanta, Hong Kong, and Savannah campuses. All others are offered at the Savannah campus only. Minor programs are 25 hours and include courses such as Digital Illustration, Illustrative Anatomy and Perspective, Imaginative Illustration: Character Refinement, and Type and Image for Illustrators.
Per the school, students in SCAD’s Illustration degree programs SCAD’s will learn to create “fine-art drawings, bringing ideas, characters and personalities to life using both traditional and digital techniques.” Students will work in a “professional environment through a program structured like a working studio,” and they will “develop a personal style and technique, learning to express their own unique vision while forming a well-rounded perspective on design.”
Students in the degree programs have the opportunity to study outside of their main discipline by taking courses in Advertising, Graphic Design, Motion Media, Printmaking, and Sequential Art. Sample major curriculum courses for the programs include Directed Projects in Illustration, Contextual Character Design, lllustrating Beyond the Page: The Narrative Experience, Illustration Business Strategies and Entrepreneurship, Illustration Markets, Illustration for Publications, and Materials and Techniques.
The BFA in Illustration has four concentration options including Animated Illustration and Publication Design, Concept Design for Animation and Games, Illustration for Games, and Illustration for Surface Design. Each concentration requires four courses, and students have the opportunity to choose from 10 elective hours to further refine their focus.
Chartered in 1963 by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, Kennesaw State University is a member of the University System of Georgia and the third-largest university in the state. The school is also one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. Kennesaw State serves more than 35,000 students enrolled in more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees in 13 colleges across two campuses.
Offering more than 800 majors, the School of Art and Design is the largest unit in the College of the Arts. For aspiring illustrators, the school offers a BFA in Art with a Concentration in Illustration. The school also offers a BFA in Art with a Concentration in Sequential Art. This program highlights courses such as Comic Storytelling, Experimental Comics, and Narrative Arts.
The program BFA in Art with a Concentration in Illustration is designed to “develop a student’s personal expression through the exploration of concept, communication, thought – process and technical skill,” says the school. The program is also designed to “identify and improve upon weaknesses in concept, design, and technique, focus the student’s work to best develop a personal aesthetic, and create an awareness of the business aspects of illustration, including effective promotion and client service.”
Key courses for the program include Advanced Illustration, History of Illustration, and Illustration I & II. Other courses include Aqueous Media, Electronic illustration, Sketchbook Narrative, Storytelling & Myth-Making, and Visual Essay. Students will also take courses in the areas of critical thinking, humanities/fine arts, science, mathematics & technology, and social sciences.
During their senior year, BFA students will complete he portfolio project and participate in the Senior Exhibition. Graduates of the program are prepared to launch a freelance career or business as well as seek positions areas such as advertising, film, graphic novel, illustration and animation, picture books, video games, and more.
Established in 1963 and home to more than 66,000 students across four campuses, the University of Central Florida (UCF) is the nation’s second-largest university. One of the nation’s youngest universities, UCF offers around 230 degree programs across 13 colleges. The College of Arts and Humanities is home to the School of Visual Arts & Design (SVAD), which offers BA, BFA and MFA programs in Studio Art. A Minor in Studio Art is also available.
Specializations include Book Arts, Ceramics, Drawing, Drawing and Printmaking, Drawing and Illustration, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, and Type and Design. The BFA in Studio Art with a Specialization in Drawing and Illustration requires more credit hours than the BA and is recommended for aspiring illustrators seeking immediate employment in the field or for students who plan to attend graduate school. Per the school, “the degree provides a solid foundation in techniques and theory in focused areas of competence.” BFA students must complete a portfolio and the Exhibit/Seminar course.
Sample courses for both Illustration programs include Advanced Drawing, Advanced Illustration, Art as Interface, Design Fundamentals-Three Dimensional, Intermediate Illustration, and Screenprinting. Students in all programs have the opportunity to complete an internship and participate in both local and international study experiences.