Undergraduate Certificate in Illustration
Program Overview
The Undergraduate Certificate in Illustration provides a thorough foundation in digital and traditional illustration for computer artists. In just two semesters, you’ll gain an understanding of the fundamentals of vector graphics, still life and figure drawing, color theory, composition, painting, and how to implement these concepts using today’s digital arts software tools Photoshop and Illustrator. Students gain a valuable introduction to the practices and workflows of commercial illustrators.
I was always interested in pursuing an art degree or some sort of certification because I felt like I needed guidance and something official in order to enhance my art journey. Years later after being interested and ready to find some alternatives I came across the Sessions Undergraduate Certificate in Illustration. I felt that this was an opportunity to change my life for the better.
Truly Affordable Education
Our Fall 2024 tuition is:
50% lower than the average annual cost of tuition at 4-year colleges in the United States.
Significantly more affordable than other online design / digital media colleges.
So affordable that 100% of tuition costs may be covered for eligible students.* Find out today if you qualify.
* Federal student aid and military education benefits available for eligible students.
Program Outcomes
By completing the program, Undergraduate Certificate in Illustration students develop the following competencies:
1. Drawing
Draw and paint utilizing traditional media and classic techniques, demonstrating a command of proportion, perspective, value contrast, and the human figure.
2. Technology
Create images and graphics by effectively and efficiently using creative software including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and other industry technologies.
3. Illustration
Conceptualize, create and provide illustrations for a range of commercial applications in traditional or digital media.
4. Art/Design Principles
Demonstrate the ability to produce visually compelling artwork by applying knowledge of color, typography, and composition.
5. Projects
Produce and present a variety of illustration projects.
Program Curriculum
The Undergraduate Certificate in Illustration is a 24-credit online program completed in two semesters. Part-time schedules are available.
- DES 121 Photoshop I - 3 credits
- DES 106 Design Foundations - 3 credits
- DES 111 Drawing I - 3 credits
- DES 141 Illustrator I - 3 credits
- ILL 202 Digital Illustration II - 3 credits
- ILL 111 Life Drawing I - 3 credits
- ILL 204 Painting I - 3 credits
- ILL 209 Commercial Illustration - 3 credits
Course Descriptions
The program builds a foundation for entry-level illustration and design work or further study. All credits can be later transferred into the Associate in Illustration degree program.
DES 121 Photoshop I - 3 credits
Get a thorough grounding in Adobe Photoshop, the premiere image manipulation tool for print design, Web design, and photography. You’ll learn to choose and use the best techniques for common Photoshop jobs including selecting and isolating objects, creating image composites, masking and vignetting images, setting typography, and improving images with retouching and effects. Every designer must tame this creative powerhouse of a program.
DES 106 Design Foundations - 3 credits
Color is a fundamental medium for any artist or designer. Typography is what sets designers apart from other artists. Composition, literally the assembly or construction of elements, is the artful arrangement that guides the viewer's eye through an image. In this course, you will analyze everything from Grand Masters to Madison Avenue ads to tubes of toothpaste, and discover how color, type, and composition are combined to create effective and powerful visual communications. Class projects challenge you to build and apply your design skills in application to real-life creative scenarios.
DES 111 Drawing I - 3 credits
Learn how to analyze what you see in the world around you and communicate it on paper. Through hands-on projects, and guided by a professional artist, you will explore the critical concepts of line, mass, form, perspective, value, and composition, building a solid foundation for all your art and design work.
DES 141 Illustrator I - 3 credits
Build a working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, the graphic designer’s vector program of choice. Course projects explore selection tools, drawing tools, layers, the Pen tool, transformations/distortions, type tools, and modifying paths and shapes. Tapping the power of vector software allows you to produce detailed and scalable art for almost any application.
ILL 202 Digital Illustration II - 3 credits
Learn advanced illustration and Adobe Illustrator techniques for communicating your creative concepts. This course explores a professional illustrator approaches creating editorial illustrations, icons, retro poster designs, illustrations with depth, and identity designs. Open-ended projects will help you develop portfolio-quality illustrations, and peer discussions and critiques will provide valuable interaction opportunities.
ILL 111 Life Drawing I - 3 credits
Follow traditional method to learn the standard measures and proportions artists use to achieve naturalistic and expressive figure drawings. Illustrations and activities guide students through the structure of the human skeleton and help them understand how the body’s anatomy shapes its external form. The course builds progressively from the fundamentals to the challenges of portraiture, three-dimensional form, composition, and expression.
ILL 204 Painting I - 3 credits
After a thorough orientation to the painter’s materials (paint, canvas, brushes, and solvents), students study a systematic and time-honored approach to painting that enables them to capture proportion, perspective, and lighting. Students learn how to build a foundation with preparatory sketches and underpainting, then gain control over value through monochromatic painting and color studies.
ILL 209 Commercial Illustration - 3 credits
Explore business applications for your illustration work, from editorial and commercial to advertising and marketing. In this survey course, you will explore different genres of project work, learning how contracts and copyright work and how to represent yourself professionally and effectively.
Studying Online at Sessions
Founded in 1997, Sessions College has delivered accredited and affordable fully online programs for creative professionals for more than 20 years. Earning your Illustration Certificate online at Sessions has never been more accessible.
Take a virtual college tour in this video!
What Our Students Say
Program Benefits
Advance Your Creative Career
Advance your creative career in a focused 2-semester program.
By Creatives, For Creatives
Collaborate with a community of creative learners and industry professionals.
Enhance Your Portfolio
Enhance your portfolio with creative projects that put you through your paces.
Structure and Flexibility
Weekly deadlines keep you on track, but with no set login times you can build your studies around your schedule.
Education You Can Afford
Affordable programs with low per credit tuition, and financial aid available for those who qualify.
Open Enrollment Program
Open enrollment with a convenient application process.
Student Work
Student Work
Career Outlook for Illustrators
Illustrators produce a wide range creative work for a myriad of industries including illustrating for editorial, books, concept art for games and animation, technical and medical illustration, advertising, logo design, packaging, cartoons, digital art, and more. Illustrators need to demonstrate technical expertise, artistic ability, business skills, creativity, customer-service skills, dexterity, and interpersonal skills.
Exciting Job Opportunities
Graduates could be employed as Editorial Illustrator, Children’s Book Illustrator, Concept Artist for Games and Animation, Technical and Medical Illustrator, Product Design and Licensing, Freelance Illustrator, Production Artist, Graphic Designer, Assistant Designer, Concept Artist, and User Experience (UX) Designer.
Median Annual Wage and Income Potential
According to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics the median annual wage* for craft and fine artists including illustrators was $52,910.
In May 2023, the median annual wages for craft and fine artists including illustrators in these top industries they work within:
| Federal government, excluding postal service | $105,640 |
| Motion picture and sound recording industries | $95,970 |
| Personal care services | $49,170 |
| Independent artists, writers, and performers | $45,970 |
Job Projections and Employment Trends
Employment opportunities for illustrators are projected to grow 4 percent from 2022 to 2032.
There are about 5,500 projected openings for craft and fine artists including illustrators each year, on average, over the decade.
Based on Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics and Indeed Job Outlook data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our online application process makes getting started easy, fast, and convenient.
What's the Admissions Process?
Open Admissions.
Students entering the Undergraduate Certificate program are expected to have earned a high school diploma, GED, or state-approved home school equivalent. Any students under 18 years of age will need to provide the signed permission of a parent or guardian.
Classes start in January, April, and August, with early start options in February, June, and October. Our online application is simple and convenient, and there is no application fee.
How Long is the Program?
Two Semester Program.
The Undergraduate Certificate program is a 2-semester, 24 credit program. Students can graduate in under eight months and part-time schedules are available.
Will the Program Fit My Schedule?
Weekly deadlines help you stay on track. And with no set login times, you can build your studies around your schedule, wherever you are located. Many of our students complete their programs while working part-time or full-time.
What Software or Supplies Do I Need?
To take this program, you’ll need the following:
- Mac or Windows computer with an Internet connection.
- Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator CC software.
- Your computer must meet software manufacturer requirements.
- Basic drawing and painting supplies including pencils, charcoal, newsprint, and sketch paper.
- Webcam, headphones or speaker, VPN connection, and microphone connected to the computer for live proctored exams.
There are no textbook or course material costs to participate in this online program. Student discount on Adobe Creative Cloud software is available to enrolled students.
What are the Program Costs?
Truly Affordable Tuition. Since our founding in 1997, we have been committed to making the highest-quality design and digital media education available at the lowest cost.
Our truly affordable Fall 2024 tuition is:
| Undergraduate Certificate Program - Fall 2024 Tuition |
|---|
| $300 per credit |
| $3,600 per semester |
| $7,200 total program tuition |
Per-credit tuition is the same full-time and part-time students. Federal financial aid available for eligible students.
A $200 registration fee is required to process your enrollment in the program. Registration fees are nonrefundable after 5 days from the scheduled beginning of program orientation. See Undergraduate Certificate Admissions.
Is Financial Aid Available?
Federal Student Aid. Federal student aid is available to students who qualify. If you are eligible, you may be able to fund your program using Pell Grants and Federal student loans. Check out our Financial Aid Information pages and ask to set up an interview with our Financial Aid Director.
Military Student Aid. Military servicemembers and their families who are eligible for GI Bill Education Benefits or active service member Tuition Assistance (TA) may also be able to utilize these programs to pay for their education.
Get Started Today
Take the first step on a rewarding creative journey towards earning an Undergraduate Certificate in Illustration.
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