Illustration

Our program places illustration at the intersection of cultural and media theory and interdisciplinary practice, including photography, graphic design, video, and XR. The curriculum encourages students to explore the latest digital illustration tools while at the same time developing skills in traditional methods, both understanding the craftsmanship of drawing while pushing the boundaries of traditional illustration, anticipating the rapidly changing needs and challenges of new technologies and new challenges posed in global societies.

Illustration is often situated somewhere between “documentary practice” and the constructivist idea of “world building”. Like photography and film, illustration deals with phenomenological reality, making an image of something while at the same time constructing a field of understanding and knowledge that is independent from it. With a strong emphasis on cultural and media theory, the program explores visual language and narratives in philosophical and political contexts, situating projects within current debates and developments.

Emerging technologies such as virtual and augmented reality, interactive media, and the ubiquitousness of animation – along with more and more the influence of AI-supported design are at the heart of a program that nonetheless does not shy away from celebrating the craft of illustration and the many analog forms of reproduction available.

Graduates of the program are well-qualified to take on roles as illustrators, art directors, as well as independent artists or commercial designers, but also within academia and within cultural institutions.