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illustration department
2013 - 2014
his catalog is a comprehensive listing of courses offered in RISDs Illustration Department for fall, wintersession and spring, 2013-14. There may be a
couple of new courses added in the coming year, but for the most part the pages
which follow offer detailed, illustrated descriptions of all classes as of spring 2013.
Fritz Drury
Nick Jainschigg
Fred Lynch
David Porter
This book is the result of significant effort on the part of Illustration faculty, so
we want you to use it and enjoy it. We think that youll benefit from the expanded
descriptions and illustrated class profiles when planning your studies for 201314. Meanwhile, consult your advisor (listed herein), stay on top of your degree
requirements for graduation and enjoy the coming year at RISD.
Degree Requirements
BFA in Illustration
Rhode Island School of Design
Foundation Studies Studio Credits (Drawing, 2D Design, Spatial Dynamics)
18 credits
Liberal Arts Credits (including foundation year English and Art History)
42 credits
Non-Major Studio Electives (any studio classes taken outside the department)
12 credits
Illustration Requirements
54 credits
Sophomore Year
Illus. Concepts 1
Drawing 1
Painting 1
3
3
3
Illus. Concepts 2
Drawing 2
Painting 2
Junior and Senior Year
3
3
3
3*
3*
30
126 credits
Note: Any substitutions or exceptions to the degree requirements must be approved in consultation with
the Illustration Department Head. Under no circumstances does an advisor or individual instructor of a
course have the authority to assign credits toward degree matriculation.
* Please consult the list of acceptable courses which fulfill the Illustration Concepts Elective requirement. These
courses are listed in the introduction to the Illustration Department chapter of the RISD Course Announcement.
** Please consult the list of acceptable courses which fulfill the Computer Literacy requirement. These courses
are listed in the introduction to the Illustration Department chapter of the RISD Course Announcement.
Students are advised to pay close attention to program evaluations, which are peridocially provided by the Registrar, combined with regular consultation with their advisor and (in special cases) with the Department Head
to track fulfillment of the BFA requirements. The Registrars program evaluations are considered the definitive
record of matriculation progress, and students bear primary responsibility for acting on advice based on information provided by the Registrar.
For more information about individual instructors, including both full and part-time faculty, visit this link:
Robert Brinkerhoff
Professor & Department Head
Jean Blackburn
Professor
general advising; exceptions to degree requirements/distribution of credits; academic standing/disciplinary questions; approval of independent study, interdisciplinary study and double major forms; Brown-RISD Dual Degree advising; approval of internships; grade disputes and grievances; international exchange applications; academic petitions; building
concerns; approval of crit applications for on-site installations; questions for non-majors; expertise in editorial illustration,
corporate and institutional illustration
general advising; expertise in drawing, painting, studio practice and gallery/museum representation, sculpture, installation,
3D illustration, museum/gallery internships and assistantships; artist residencies
Trent Burleson
general advising; expertise in drawing, painting, studio practice and gallery/museum representation
Professor
Susan Doyle
Assistant Professor
(returning from leave fall 2013) general advising; expertise in painting, studio practice and gallery/museum representation, printmaking, graphic deign, history of illustration, student competitions, community service and sponsored studios/
partnered research
Illustration
Department Advisors
Bill Drew
general advising; expertise in drawing, painting, studio practice and gallery/museum representation
Professor
Fritz Drury
Professor
general advising; Yale-Norfolk Summer Program; expertise in publishing, book illustration, drawing, painting, studio
practice and gallery/museum representation
Professor
Nick Jainschigg
general advising; expertise in science fiction and fantasy illustration, scientific illustration, publishing
Associate Professor
Nick Palermo
general advising; expertise in drawing, painting, studio practice and gallery/museum representation
Professor
David Porter
Assistant Professor
ISB 201 454-6245
dporter@risd.edu
general advising; additional advice about graduation requirements; expertise in editorial illustration, book illustration,
illustration concepts
change of major
brdd
faculty
transfer|substitution
* please consult the official course announcement for a list of classes which fulfill the illustration concepts elective and the computer literacy requirement.
double major
transfer
iso
advisor
BFA in Illustration
Rhode Island School of Design
student
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
This 6-credit course invites undergraduate and graduate students to improve their
skills in communicating and illustrating science. The general topic is changing biodiversity, how humans impact plants, animals, and their environment. Examples will
be presented from around the world, as well as from Rhode Island. Through a series
of exercises, students will practice analyzing and interpreting scientific information
in order to both understand and present it. The science content will be delivered
through lectures, visits to research labs, and to a nearby nature sanctuary. The course
is designed to introduce students to relevant scientific concepts and challenge them
to use their art to make these ideas more concrete and meaningful. In some cases, the
goal may be to educate; in others, it may be to raise awareness, stimulate debate, or entertain. Students will explore the use of different media, including 2D, 3D animated,
and interactive modes. They will also target different audiences and venues, including: general interest or editorial publications, art for public spaces including galleries,
educational and peer-to-peer science materials. Class work includes assigned reading,
several minor projects, an exam, and a comprehensive final project. Students will
choose a recent research study on the topic of human impacts on biodiversity for the
subject of their final project, which is a written paper combined with original artwork
designed for a public space or public interaction. The Departments of Illustration and
History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences will teach the course collaboratively. Students
must register for both LAEL 1513 and ILLUS 1513.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
d o i n g
media affinities
making
thinking
contact information
instructor website
ISB 301
401-454-6248 njainsch@risd.edu
http://www.nickjainschigg.org
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5101
Comics: Grammar of the Graphic Novel
R. Kikuo Johnson
Students will investigate the mechanics of comics storytelling through a series of exercises
designed to deconstruct the comics language. Clarity is key to engaging the reader, and this
course emphasizes communication regardless of style. This course is structured around a
series of cumulative exercises introducing a new element of the comics language each week,
designed to equip the student for further work in this important art form.
Some have called the last few years comics second golden age. After decades of genre
myopia in this country, an explosion of variety has recently swept the field. Today, politics,
religion, art, existentialism, and Batman are all fair game as a growing number of American
readers become accustomed to the mediums versatility. Comics has come a long way since
the 1950s when comic books were stigmatized as a crude and harmful obstacle to literacy
in America and were burned in public demonstrations.
This class deconstructs the comics language and explores the tools you will use to build your
own stories. Starting with the most basic elements of narrative imagery, assignments will
add new components each week and quickly build in complexity of expression. Discussion
will include a history of the medium and the rise of manga and the graphic novel.
Course Level: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior; Fifth Year; Graduate; Elective
(WINTERSESSION) 3 credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
None
CoMix; Sequential Art; Character Creation;
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
drawing/painting/ digital 2D
isb main office
401-454-6240 rjohnson01@risd.edu
http://www.seabread.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5102
Creature Lab
Lars Grant-West
This class is designed to train students in the art of creature creation/design. We will be
studying animal anatomy and physiology with a focus on adaptions to meet specific environments. We will follow a structured process to design beasts for a variety of genres. We
will also discuss the psychological implications of different aesthetic choices using existing
creatures from film and literature as case studies. Each assignment will deliver a specific set
of parameters within which students must generate multiple sketches. Students will each
be responsible for their own creations but are likely to need to make edits that come up
in class critique. Some of these edits will be suggestions (as they generally tend to be in
class critiques), while others will be mandatory (with the instrutor playing the role as art
director/employer in crit situations). We will primarily be exploring the genres of fantasy,
science fiction, and horror.
From ancient mythology and folklore to todays high-powered movie and video game industry, the creation of fantastic creatures is a well-established and revered craft. This class
builds on that long legacy. Expect to dredge the depths of your imagination to shape your
creations, flesh them out using the rich palette of real-world animal adaptations, then
breathe life into them with your own personal style. Class discussion of the natural world
will kickstart your out-of-class research as your beasties are captured in realistic renderings
using media of your choice. Students will design inhabitants for specific fantastic environments or genres, illustrate creatures from literature and folklore, re-envision classic critters,
and create plenty of your own from scratch. Whether your interest is in concept art, sculpting in clay or pixels, or finished illustration, arrive ready to create!
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
contact information
making
d o i n g
imaging skills
professional practice
instructor website
401-454-6240 lgrant@risd.edu
http://www.larsgrantwest.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5103
Introduction to Oil Painting
Jason Brockert
Oil painting is one of the richest, most powerfully expressive mediums in existence. It
offers a vast diversity of approaches and provides the most flexibility of all the painting
materials. To take advantage of that variety, certain technical knowledge is essential. This
class is geared as a thorough introduction to the novice oil painter. Our early class focus
will be on understanding materials through a variety of life study exercises. Focus on color
and composition will promote effectively orchestrated images. Our ultimate goal will be
to make powerful images that marry the variety of oil with our own personal vision. The
class will balance the technical mastery of our materials with the clarity of effective visual
communication.
We will communicate ideas of light and space as a means to explore effective design and
color. A major focus will be how to interpret the complexity of our world into luminous
and vibrant color and especially the exploration of warm versus cool color relationships.
Powerpoint and the RISD Museum will open our eyes to masters of oil paint both old and
new and they will help serve as our guides. No painting experience is required.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
none
Drawing 1 & 2; Painting 1 & 2; Landscape Painting;
Color for Portrait and Figure; Artistic Anatomy;
related studies
professional affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
media affinities
content and concept
imaging skills
professional practice
contact information
instructor website
oil painting
ISB 403
401-454-6250
jbrockert@risd.edu
http://www.jasonbrockert.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5105
Public Art Workshop
Janet Zweig
Students will develop and install two temporary public projects in Providence, a group
project and an individual project. The course is widely interdisciplinary, so the projects
can take any form: from objects or imagery, to performance, to social practice or
community-based work, to network-based work, and beyond.
To develop the skills necessary for the creation of successful public projects, we will
look at the history of contemporary public practice and examine the ways it has
evolved and changed with pivotal events. Among other topics, we will explore diverse
approaches to making work in the public sphere Students will engage in debates
around such issues as site-specificity; ideas of community and audience; defining the
public and public space; and temporary vs. permanent work. Students will learn real
world skills to navigate the business of public art and we will discuss career possibilities in the field.
There will be readings, videos, and class discussions, as well as studio time during class
for research, project development, and group meetings. A large online database of
readings, websites, and other resources will be provided.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
none
3D Illustration; Words, Images, Ideas;
related studies
Course Level: Freshman; Sophomore; Junior; Senior; Fifth Year; Grad; Elective
(WINTERSESSION) 3 Credits
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6240
jzweig@risd.edu
http://www.janetzweig.com/public.html
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5110
Design for Good
Annalisa Oswald
The goal of this course is to allow students to apply conceptual skills and image-making talents to issues that matter to society and the world. This course combines imagemaking, infographics, graphic design, brand identity, and story-telling. Working across
print, digital, mobile, and social media platforms, this course will challenge students
with assignments that will cause them to think and create innovative visual communication that motivates people around a social cause.
Students will learn to visually and verbally present their ideas and their work, to
understand what makes a compelling story one that motivates and persuades the audience. Students will research and organize data that is relevant to their subject matter.
Through a series of weekly & bi-weekly assignments, students will build a portfolio of
pieces that ties together a unified campaign around a social cause. This course prepares
students to apply visual and verbal communication across a broad spectrum of platforms digital, mobile, print, and social media.
Students will research their cause and incorporate facts and findings into their work.
Readings will be required from online sources. Students are encouraged to conduct
their own research and interviews as part of this course. Individual presentations and
group critiques are an essential part of this course.
Course Level: Junior; Senior; Elective
(SPRING) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
making
d o i n g
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6240
aoswald@risd.edu
http://www.anaphase.com/
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5111
Speak, Memory: Painting as Metaphor
Bill Drew
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
Foundation Studies
Drawing 1 & 2; Introduction to Oil Painting; Fantasy
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6240 ruth1davis@gmail.com
http://www.risd.edu/Illustration/William_Drew/
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5200
Drawing 1
Staff
Visual articulation of ideas is the most important ability an illustrator has; drawing
is fundamental to such articulation. This course is designed to develop the students
descriptive and communicative skills through weekly exercises in drawing from direct
observation. Fall semester focuses primarily on organizing pictorial space and defining
a composition in relation to a unified viewpoint.
Understanding how point of view can influence an image, both physically and conceptually, gives the student tools to construct more complex themes and to work more
more confidently from imagination. Frequent slide lectures will expose students to
spatial and compositional approaches from art history.
Course Level: Sophomore; Required
(FALL) 3 credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
media affinities
content and concept
imaging skills
professional practice
Foundation Studies
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5201
Painting I
Staff
This oil painting/color course instills lessons on the use of color to establish spatial relationships, light, shadow, and expressive inflection, as drawn from and related to visual
fact.
This course introduces the use of color in image-making, developing understanding from
the experience of light in direct observation of still-life, landscape and gure. The unifying eects of light source are described as the basis for color harmony, complimented by
the abstract principles of color design and the organization of the color wheel. The course
will review strategies for organizing and linking colors on the palette, concepts of complimentary and simultaneous contrast, properties of hue, saturation and value and the
creation of harmonies through linked mixture. The manipulation of spatial eect and
color issues in building narrative associations are explored while reinforcing drawing skills
necessary to build eective representational images. The methods and mechanics of oil
painting are covered in depth, and the history of painting in ne art and illustration is
explored through slides and demonstrations.
Course Level: Sophomore; Required
(FALL) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
making
d o i n g
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
Foundation Studies
contact information
instructor website
oil painting
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5202
Intro to Animation Techniques for Illustrators
Agnieszka Woznicka, Ann LaVigne
This course provides students with practical, hands-on creative experience in animation
production. The course is primarily designed to introduce students to the fundamental
principles of animation: timing, movement, staging, design, and editing. Class exercises
explore a variety of traditional and experimental techniques and processes including:
drawn animation, direct-to-film, cutouts, modified base, and pixilation. This class is more
concerned with process than finished product. Personal expression and experimentation are
emphasized.
A wide range of independent animated films is screened and discussed to provide creative
stimulus and demonstrate a variety of aesthetic and technical approaches.
The course is reserved for sophomore illustration majors and is a prerequisite for all other
animation classes in the Film/Animation/Video department.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
Fee: $85.00 Estimated Cost of Materials: $40.00
(FALL/SPRING) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
None
Character and Environment Design for 3D Gaming;
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
401-277-4910 awoznick@risd.edu
auditorium
401-454-6233 alavigne@risd.edu
woznicka.com
harrietandmickey.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5204
Pen, Ink and Scratchboard
Nick Jainschigg
This course is an introduction to the surprising and challenging medium of pen and ink.
Among the simplest of mediums to use, it is also quite difficult to master. It can be as
expressive as handwriting and as precise and elegant as engraving. It is also intimately
bound up with the history of illustration and of printed images: it was the first medium to
be successfully reproduced and remains as contemporary as the latest comic or magazine
illustration.
The structure of the course leads students quickly through the very few tools needed (pen,
nib, ink, paper) so that a major portion of the time can be spent on the truly important
and challenging aspect of the medium understanding the way pen and ink affects the
viewer and learning how its special qualities can be used to articulate eloquent images.
Scratchboard will be introduced at mid-semester, both as an adjunct to pen and ink
work and as a medium in its own right. Scratchboard ties closely to woodcut and wood
engraving, two mediums with a close relationship with illustration across many times and
cultures.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
(FALL) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
ISB 301
401-454-6248 njainsch@risd.edu
www.nickjainschigg.org
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5205
Illustrator As Designer
Rafael Attias
This course explores the role of illustrator as graphic designer with a focus on the fundamentals of designing with imagery, the relationship between verbal and visual communication, and the complementary partnership between graphic design and illustration.
Students are encouraged to have some fundamental experience with computers before
enrolling in this course.
How does design differ from art? In many ways, design is distinct from art. Design, in the
purest sense, is a definable aspect of art: a set of visual forces which contribute to the effect
of two- and three-dimensional visual experiences. On another level, design often refers to
utility or function and can be described as an act of creating with purpose. Design in
the functional sense takes many forms, is made of many different parts and media, and
exists for different reasons. An industrial designer may design useful things, an architect
may design useful spaces, and a graphic designer may design useful messages. This class is
about making images for graphic design and designing with imagery. As illustrators, you
are uniquely sensitive to the way images communicate. This class is about understanding
the role of design in image-making and designing contexts for images. Almost every assignment will involve the synthesis of picture and word so by the time the semester is over
you should feel fairly confident in orchestrating words and pictures.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
d o i n g
media affinities
making
thinking
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6139 rattias@risd.edu
http://www.rafalicious.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5210
Editorial Illustration
Chris Buzelli
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
making
d o i n g
media affinities
thinking
The final project is a real life editorial job that will be published in a magazine.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
(FALL) 3 Credits
contact information
instructor website
ISB 400
401-454-6254 cbuzelli@risd.edu
http://www.chrisbuzelli.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5211
Artistic Anatomy
Fritz Drury
Students in this course will investigate the specific physical structure of the human body,
with the aim of producing drawings of greater structural and visual integrity and more
fluid descriptions of movement and weight in the figure. We will proceed through the
skeletal and muscular systems at a brisk but reasonable pace, learning names, points of
articulation and the dynamic functions of each component of the body. Each weekly
assignment will consist of a careful, descriptive drawing of an element of the skeletal or
muscular system, and a dynamic drawing in which that same element is shown in action
in the living figure.
We will also review the work of artists, both contemporary and historical, who have made
vital artistic use of the elements of anatomical study. The course includes an optional field
trip to the Brown University Evolutionary Biology Lab to draw from cadavers. There will
be at least one written test on anatomical facts and terminology. The course culminates
in a final project on the theme of A Human Ideal, exploring past concepts of idealized
form in the figure in relation to anatomical reality and contemporary cultural perspectives.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
(SPRING) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
making
d o i n g
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
contact information
instructor website
ISB 200
401-454-6243
fdrury@risd.edu
http://www.fritzdrury.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5213
Watercolor: An Introduction to the Medium
Joe McKendry
This course attempts to present the transparent watercolor medium in a manner both
logical and painless. Students will explore wet into wet, dry-brush, masking, and other
techniques through exercises designed to create an understanding of the vastly different
ways watercolor can be used. These methods and approaches will be studied through slide
presentations and then applied in the creation of landscapes, still lives, and figure paintings.Technical aspects of brushes, paper, and paint quality will be discussed. Museum
visits, guest critics and demonstrations will augment class discussion.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
watercolor
ISB 403
401-454-6250
jmckendr@risd.edu
http://www.joemckendry.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5215
Landscape Painting
Trent Burleson
Throughout history, the natural environment has been a subject of charm and awe for the
artist, from the delicately painted frescoes in ancient Roman homes to the 16th century,
when the landscape transcended the role of background and gained momentum as a
sublime subject in its own right. This is a course on the history of techniques, concepts,
possibilities, and purposes in landscape painting. The class will encourage exploration of
landscape as sublime subject, as metaphor for human experience, or as the battleground
for politically charged debate of environmental issues, among other possible approaches.
Students will work on location and in studio, learning approaches to plein air painting as
well as incorporation of references in the construction of natural environments.
We begin in the balmy days of September so students can study directly from nature and
work on-site in the open air. When cold weather closes in, we rely on a mix of resource
materials (photographs, sketches) in the warmth of the studio. During the last part of the
semester, we review each students work and progress in weekly group critiques. Major
emphasis is placed on developing a personal vision of nature and an individual approach
to transforming landscape into art.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective; Open to Non-Majors
(FALL) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
oil painting
ISB 300
401-454-6252
tburleso@risd.edu
http://www.burlesonart.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5217
Color for Portrait and Figure
Tony Janello
Portraiture in oils does not simply begin and end with a likeness. In this class, we will
explore ideas and techniques employed by great painters since the Renaissance to create
truly lifelike representations. We will begin with limited color underpaintings and thereby
establish the basic image which frees us up to explore color through glazing. As the
semester progresses, we will move on to opaque painting techniques and finally to thickly
applied paint using the palette knife. Emphasis is placed on color mixing and the use of a
limited palette. We will examine how color can convey life and how this can be achieved
through the use of subtle warm and cool color relationships. The mastery of color is essential for the artist who wishes to create portraits and figures that seem alive to the viewer.
d e t a i l s
Initially, life painting in the classroom creates a bridge between tonal painting and color.
The use of glazes versus opaque oil color, once explained and demonstrated, are then
applied by the student and thereby understood. By employing a simple palette of three
primaries, the student learns to mix all the colors he/she needs. Palette knife is used later
in the semester to create very accurate warm-cool color effects that are difficult to achieve
with brush alone. Along with gaining a mastery of color, the student is exposed to a
variety of techniques aimed at improving ones ability to capture a faithful likeness. The
study of portrait painters of the past and present from Velazquez and Rembrandt to Lucian Freud and Jenny Saville is an integral part of this course. Students are encouraged to
design homework assignments tailored to their specific needs.
related studies
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
prerequisites
professional affinities
contact information
instructor website
oil painting
ISB 401
401-454-6257 ajanello@risd.edu
http://www.slowart.com/articles/janello.htm
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5219
Printmaking Techniques for Illustrators
Randy Willier
This course surveys a range of low-tech printmaking processes with the aim of broadening the students range of markmaking skills and experimenting with new visual effects
with which to create engaging images. The fast-paced course is gives students exposure to
methods such as monotype, relief printing, and drypoint.
Rather than emphasizing disciplined editioning, assignments will utilize printmaking processes for producing multiples that explore variations in color, compositional emphasis,
and tonal adjustment. We are looking for exciting, image-making means that communicate outside of what the hand can directly draw.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6240 rwillier@risd.edu
http://www.risd.edu/Illustration/Randy_Willier/
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5225
Introduction to Digital Illustration
Richard Gann, Paul Olson
This course introduces digital media for Illustrators using three types of computer applications: image editing (Photoshop), vector graphics (Illustrator), and digital painting
(Painter). While orienting students to the technical aspects of digital media, the class also
provides an essential link to the Illustration Departments drawing, painting, and conceptual
curriculum.
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the ways of working with digital imaging in such a manner as to maximize creativity and enjoyment and minimize intimidation
and confusion. The students are not presumed to have previous experience with computers or digital imaging programs. They will leave the class with proficiency in Photoshop,
Illustrator, and Painter. The benefits of digital fluency are many, and not merely to produce
purely digital art. It can be extremely helpful in the preparation of promotional materials,
the gathering of references, or in experimentation and sketching prior to final execution in
traditional media. The goal will be to introduce the students to the basic concepts of working digitally and to demonstrate the flexible and forgiving nature of the tools as a means to
encourage experimentation.
Rather than treat digital imaging as a phenomenon without precedents, this class will concentrate on the tools of digital imaging as part of a continuum of media ranging from pencil
through photography. As in any choice of medium, a consideration of the strengths and
weaknesses of the tools will be central. The assignments are designed to play to the strengths
of digital tools, but the final quality of the illustrations produced will be dependent on the
creativity of the artist.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
contact information
making
d o i n g
imaging skills
professional practice
None
instructor websites
olsonpaintings.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5227
Illustration Concepts 1
Staff
Illustration is the visual communication of ideas and feelings. The fine arts, in contrast,
merely require expression. But in illustration, where communication is paramount, lucid
articulation is essential. An illustration that is not understood by its audience is a failure.
In this context, art is not an end but a means: it is a delivery system for the perceptions of the mind and the heart. Mastery of the means of expression is admirable, but the
underlying concept is fundamental. How? is subservient to Why?
Illustration Concepts 1 is the first of two sequential required courses that acknowledge
and embrace the primacy of concept, idea, and perception in the creation of an illustrative
statement. While the individual sections of each course may vary in method and emphasis, they share a single goal: to develop and deepen each students conceptual reach and
grasp, and to enlist his or her unique imagination as the driving force in the solution to a
broad spectrum of illustrative problems. They incorporate the premise that it matters little
how well you speak if you have nothing to say.
Course Level: Sophomore; Required
(FALL) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
Foundation Studies
Illustration Concepts 2; Propaganda; Whats Your Story?;
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5228
Advanced Painting
Fritz Drury
This course will build on the skills established in Sophomore Painting, while broadening
the students understanding of options available to the painter. The primary work of the
semester will be on individually directed projects to be worked on both in and out of
class. Overall, a goal of establishing a personal visual vocabulary of facture and image will
be emphasized. Students will be encouraged to particularize their use of the painting medium and their approach to subject and statement through color, painterly touch, format,
use of materials, drawing and compositional decisions, stylistic reference, and implied
narrative.
The core medium of the class will be oil paint, but this may be augmented or extended by
other media. The course will include group exercises designed to solidify a basic understanding of drawing, the use of the medium and the principles of color. Periodic outside
assignments will extend this practice while emphasizing personal choice and expressive
adjustment based on individual priorities.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
A exible format for in-class work on personal projects will allow group interaction to coexist with individually directed work. The semesters goal for each student will be to dene
a direction for future work in painting through a connected artistic investigation
completed during the course.
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
contact information
making
d o i n g
Painting 1 & 2
instructor website
401-454-6243 fdrury@risd.edu
http://www.fritzdrury.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5230
Putting It All Together
Judy Sue Goodwin-Sturges
This course is an opportunity for seniors to follow their own passions by developing a
series of original projects. Students are encouraged to work in the media and technique
of their choice painting, illustration, 3D, etc and will present weekly progress for
discussion and critique while formulating a body of work for professional presentation and portfolio. Assignments are self-directed; the class is a collective independent
study. Professor and student will work closely to focus the development of the students
desired project, whose ultimate goal might be creating material for graduate school
applications, a cohesive and well-directed portfolio, or simply artwork that is reflective
of their RISD career. The semesters work culminates in a presentation to an objective
group of outside professionals who will critique the merits of the final body of work
and offer suggestions for future exploration and development.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
media affinities
making
d o i n g
professional affinities
thinking
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5232
Illustration Concepts 2
Staff
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
Foundation Studies
Illustration Concepts 1; Propaganda; Whats Your Story?;
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5233
XX/XY
Melissa Ferreira
We are not governed by our genitals. While our behaviors are fractionally determined by
our physical sex (and the underlying genetics), we are also shaped by cultural traditions
and expectations that influence us profoundly. Welcome to the world of gender studies. You may endorse or oppose our societys definition of masculine and feminine and
its sexual practices and pressures; this semester will give you an opportunity to closely
consider what you do (or dont) and why (or why not). This course, however, is by no
means a seminar in social psychology. Rather it examines gender issues that youd find
on the newsstands and Oprah: dating, marriage, parenting, fashion, body image, career
choice, and stereotypes. Well deal with safe sex campaigns and the treacherous terrain of
grade school sex education, not to mention the hormonal vicissitudes of adolescence.
We will consider the prurience of both pornography and political correctness. Weekly
illustration assignments will proceed from assigned readings, documentaries, films, and
Podcasts. Whatever the topic, we follow important illustration protocol: identifying the
target audience, clarifying and strengthening concepts, and keeping to the deadline.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
media affinities
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5234
Photography for Illustrators
Henry Horenstein
Photography is a core resource for the illustrator, but it can also function as a final medium or as a component of an image in concert with painting, drawing or 3D materials.
This course will strengthen the students understanding of the factors which combine to
make a powerful photographic image and the adjustments which permit the fusion of
multiple image sources and diverse media.
Beyond technical considerations, we will explore the creation of a unique approach to
engage the viewers attention and suggest narrative depth and expressive purpose; the
aim is to penetrate the shell produced by the image glut in todays society. Students will
be encouraged to work within a theme in order to explore variations in composition and
medium.
The student must have access to a camera (preferably 35mm SLR) and a willingness to
think outside of the box.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
Refundable Equipment Deposit: $100.00
Estimated Cost of Materials: $100.00
Materials Fee: $100.00
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
None
The Silkscreened Poster; Photography 1;
related studies
professional affinities
photography, printmaking,
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6366
henry@horenstein.com
http://www.horenstein.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5241
Style & Substance
Fred Lynch
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
open media: pen & ink/scratchboard, mixed media/collage, drawing/painting, digital 2D/3D,
printmaking; animation, photography, video
ISB 201
401-454-6245
flynch@risd.edu
http://www.fredlynch.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5243
Premises and Projects
David Porter
A premise is an idea with consequences. Students in this course will conceive a premise
for each of three distinct projects. The first is for children, the second for adults, the
third at the students discretion. Each project will develop and test its premise: it will
expose inspiration to proof. No project will be completed in this course. The object,
rather, is to give in each instance sufficient visible evidence of your imaginations potential; to demonstrate delight. Such promising projects may be continued and/or completed after the course itself is over. While the commercial potential for all projects
will be considered and discussed, the primary emphasis will be on ways to generate,
recognize, and make manifest the students own best ideas.
Classes will be of seminar size. They will consist of speculation, discussion, suggestion,
and critique: skull sessions. Such dialogue is essential to the generation and development
of both premise and project, and will comprise the vast majority of class time.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
open media: pen & ink/scratchboard, mixed media/collage, drawing/painting, digital 2D/3D,
printmaking, animation, photography, video
contact information
instructor website
ISB 201
401-454-6245
flynch@risd.edu
http://www.fredlynch.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5249
Traditions, Trappings, Culture, Kitsch
Susan Doyle
Throughout time, man has punctuated his existence with ritualized celebrations honoring life, death, time, nature, love, god and community. This course considers how
objects and concepts that constitute culture evolve through shifts in attitude about what
is unknown, profound, or taboo. We look at the ways that traditions become commercialized and how that translation changes our understanding of them. We examine the
boundary between fine art and kitsch and how passage between the two articulates artistic choice. We will in addition discuss how the definition of a target audience inflects
communication. Thus students will strive to invent imagery and objects inspired by traditions but informed by a contemporary sensibility. There are several readings required
during the semester with consequent seminar-styled discussion. The goal is to make art
that piques the curiosity and engages the imagination through symbolism, structure,
revelation, humor, and surprise.
There are no limitations on materials, media or dimensionality.
Course Level: Junior; Senior; Elective
This course fulfills the Illustration Concepts requirement for Juniors
(FALL) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
open media: pen & ink/scratchboard, mixed media/collage, drawing/painting, digital 2D/3D,
printmaking, animation, photography, video
ISB 201 & 107
401-454-6244
sdoyle@risd.edu
http://www.doyle-art.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5250
Drawing 2
Staff
Building on skills developed in Drawing I during the Fall semester, this class will focus
primarily on the human figure through weekly observational drawing. Basic anatomical considerations will be addressed in order to help the students better understand
and depict the complexities of the human form. As the course progresses, students will
integrate the figure into a spatial context, engaging issues of composition, figure and
ground, and effective lighting. In increasingly challenging projects students will explore how viewpoint, both physical and conceptual, can effect the viewers experience
of a drawing. Experimentation with materials, concepts and approaches is strongly
encouraged.
Course Level: Sophomore, Required
(SPRING) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
media affinities
content and concept
imaging skills
professional practice
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5251
Painting 2
Staff
This course extends the lessons of Painting 1, reinforcing concepts of color organization
and compositional construction. The influence of color choice on the emotional and associative expression of an image is explored. The course covers various strategies for engaging the viewer through color harmony and tension, spatial illusions, the tactile properties
of the painted surface and depicted forms.
Students are encouraged to develop personal approaches to color and paint application.
While continuing work from direct observation, the course proceeds to explore strategies
for building synthetic, layered compositions from a variety of visual sources while using
color to unify an image, create emphasis and suggest narrative sequence.
Course Level: Sophomore; Required
(SPRING) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
oil painting
401-454-6240
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5252
Color Works
Trent Burleson
For students, color is often one of the most intimidating elements of designing a piece,
as the choices can seem endless and arbitrary. Anxiety and stress often result in hit or
miss approaches, repetition of a particular palette or avoidance of color altogether. This
class encourages awareness of color as one of the most dynamic components of an image and emphasizes the need for achieving a balance between acquired knowledge and
instinct. Students will be required to investigate: value, harmony, limited palettes, color
grounds, layering, mixing, opacity, transparency, temperature, mood, contrast, complimentary color, spatial relationships, vibration and reflection as part of their in-class and
homework assignments. Students will work from models dressed in costume, with poses
changing every three weeks, and will be given instruction in a combination of acrylics
and watercolor in a variety of technical applications. The expectation is that individuals
will gain a level of expertise in the designated media and then apply that knowledge to
other media.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
This course will involve in-class critique, working from the model, and homework
assignments that will include portrait, still life, color charts, a master copy, and a final
series of illustrations/images of their choosing. The four week final project will be at the
end of the semester allowing students to explore a style, material, media and subject
matter of their choice that includes an investigation of color related issues.
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
making
d o i n g
thinking
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6246
mjbegin@cox.net
http://www.maryjanebegin.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5254
The Portfolio
Julia Rothman, Ellen Weinstein
The term portfolio is used here to mean the entire delivery system that explains who an
artist is to the professional world. That identity, or brand, consists of a resume, website, printed samples, mailers, business cards, video clips and any other representation
of the skills offered and the work created. This class prepares each artist properly for real
world experiences in the disciplines and industries that fit the work developed. A design
project in their entirety, portfolios serve as the gateway to job opportunities, freelance
work, gallery exhibitions, artist residencies, and internships.
The primary focus of the portfolio is on four main areas of discussion: the creation of
the artwork itself; the portfolio as a delivery system for the work; the charging of fees
and the creation of contracts; and the connection to client, employer, or art buyer. Each
student will develop an individual program and portfolio, including a proposal for a
body of work, a website, a business card, advertising materials, a resume, and a client list
with contact information.
Class will meet each week and review in a group or individual critique format, augmented with guest lecturers, attendance at a portfolio and resume workshop, as well as
participation in a Portfolio Review Day sponsored by Career Services.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
Contemporary Illustration;
making
d o i n g
conceptual/problem solving, editorial illustration, corporate & institutional illustration, book illustration,
graphic design, packaging and 3D illustration
media affinities
thinking
professional affinities
contact information
instructor website
open media: pen & ink/scratchboard, mixed media/collage, drawing/painting, digital 2D/3D,
printmaking, animation, photography, film, video
ISB main office 401-454-6240
jrothman@risd.edu; eweinste@risd.edu
http://www.juliarothman.com
http://www.ellenweinstein.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5259
The Magic of Books
Judy Sue Goodwin-Sturges
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
None
Putting it All Together; Whats Your Story?; Sequential Art;
At the end of this course, students should have gained a heightened awareness of books
and bookmaking, of the relationship of images to text, and of picture-making in general.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
(SPRING) 3 credits
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5260
Scientific Illustration
Jean Blackburn
For centuries, science has posed widely divergent creative models for the physical world.
From the Greek philosophers to String Theory, ways of visualizing the world arein constant evolution. How we examine things and seek to understand them are among our
first concerns in this class. What do an egg and an aqueduct, a bubble bath and
a bee hive, or a tree branch and a highway system have in common? With millions of
years for Research and Development, natures diversity of forms is an enormous library
of inspiration for designers and artists.
This class serves as an introduction to the enormous field of Scientific Illustration. The
scientific illustrator must organize scientific information in an efficient, clear, and visually compelling manner. It must satisfy the needs of the scientist, the format, and the
audience. Major areas of concern will be in developing professionalism, strong composi- tion, craftsmanship, and nuanced observational skills. The influence of belief systems
on the depiction of factual information will be examined in historic scientific illustrations. Students will be expected to produce several portfolio quality pieces.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
Fee: $50.00
(SPRING) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6246
jblackbu@risd.edu
http://blackburnartspace.com/home.html
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5263
Type In Motion
Rafael Attias
Learn basic typography, page layout and the many new and evolving applications of
computer-generated art. This class will introduce the basics of Flash, InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. We will explore type in motion and the marriage of visuals to music
in time.
This class explores the fundamentals of coordinating typography, imagery, and motion
graphics. Students work on several assignments throughout the semester utilizing InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, and/or other programs which encourage the synthesis
of type, image, and sound over time and including movement, both real and implied.
The projects will cover a wide range of topics, from poster design, books and packaging
to more interactive applications, with the goal of learning how to combine these tools to
realize successful visual communication in an electronic, time-based environment.
Course Level: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Fifth Year, Graduate; Elective
(WINTERSESSION) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
none
Illustrator as Designer; Typography for Illustrators;
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6139 rattias@risd.edu
http://www.rafalicious.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5264
Cover to Cover
Lars Grant-West
The finest illustrated book covers from graphic novels to literary classics captivate
the reader both emotionally and intellectually, reflecting the essence of narrative content
through potent imagery. This course explores the generative process of making illustrations for book covers from sketch to finish, from comprehensive image to final
revisions. Students will be engaged in analysis of narrative content, preparatory drawings and finished work. Weekly demonstrations will provide an intensive look at how
an illustrator approaches formal material and aesthetic decisions in support of content,
helping students gain confidence in the use of processes and materials.
The evolution of a book cover is informed by several considerations, among them genre,
message, and audience. This class takes a very practical approach to the development
of cover illustration, with the type of book, its literary foundation and its readership as
key issues of concern. A variety of assignments exploring several publishing genres will
be introduced over the twelve-week period, all aimed at reflecting the essence of literary
con- tent through compelling imagery. Group critiques of both works-in-progress and
finished illustrations guide students through each assignment, and discussion of all
aspects of cover illustration will be germane to discourse.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
(SPRING) 3 Credits
thinking
making
d o i n g
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
imaging skills
professional practice
professional affinities
media affinities
content and concept
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
thinking
making
d o i n g
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
imaging skills
professional practice
professional affinities
media affinities
content and concept
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5267
Digital 3D for Illustrators
Nick Jainschigg
Within the last decade it has become possible for the average artist or designer to afford
and understand sophisticated 3D digital tools. As the price of these tools decreases (some
of the best are now literally free) and their ease-of-use increases, it is becoming more and
more practical to incorporate them into a broad range of artistic work.
This course will teach the basics of creating work in 3D, using ZBrush and Blender
(www.blender.org). While 3D is commonly thought of in terms of creating realistic environments and characters, it has many more uses. It is frequently used in the production
of both still and motion graphics, as well as in the preparation of reference work for more
traditional media. This course will treat 3D as a medium with its own strengths and weaknesses, and as a tool in conjunction with traditional media.
Blender, the popular and powerful open-source program, is rapidly gaining acceptance
across a wide range of animation and design businesses. ZBrush has become an industry
standard due to its ability to let artists use their sculpting skills directly in a 3D environment. Together, they provide the artist with powerful tools for creating detailed and
complex 3D illustrations with great speed. No experience with 3D is required, but due to
the complexity of the software and of the concepts covered, a familiarity with computers
and with 2D computer graphics is recommended.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
(FALL) 3 Credits
thinking
making
d o i n g
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
drawing/painting, digital 2D
media affinities
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6248 njainsch@risd.edu
http://www.nickjainschigg.org
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5268
Professional Practice
Paul Olson
In this course students will create a traditional and an online portfolio of their work
directed towards a specific illustration market. New pieces will be created to complement
existing works and help focus the portfolio for the chosen market. Professionals in the
field will visit to discuss their experiences in getting and keeping clients, or in hiring and
working with illustrators. Students will design and produce a self promotional mailer, as
well as business documents like business cards and invoices. This course will help students
choose a focus for their professional aspirations, and begin making contacts in the real
world.
There will also be assignments from art directors in the field, who will discuss sketches and
concepts for real jobs. Contacts made in the course will give many students insight to the
professional world of illustration. Every aspect of the course is meant to prepare students
professionally, initially for the Illustration Portfolio Event hosted by Alumni & Career
Services, and ultimately for the marketplace. Students will be evaluated on their professionalism and the strength of their work.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
making
d o i n g
media affinities
thinking
professional affinities
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5275
3D Illustration
Jean Blackburn
Working in three dimensions promotes important new ways of solving visual and conceptual problems. We will bring dimensional drama to the art of illustration through a wide
variety of materials and techniques. Whether using plaster, Sculpy, paper, clay, wood,
latex, fabric, foam, or found objects, sculptural materials are enormously nuanced in what
they can suggest. From the most subtle low relief to full sculpture in the round, we will
examine how various sculptural strategies can be used to convey complex concepts and
ideas pertinent to illustration. A survey of contemporary sculpture and 3D illustration
will provide plenty of conceptual, process, and material inspiration.
Projects are structured to introduce you to a variety of materials and methods of working.
Model construction, character design, casting, and manipulating found objects are some
of the ways we will address illustrational projects. We will visit the Rapid Prototyping
facility at RISD to see how digital files can be translated into 3D objects. Additionally,
students will learn how to light and photograph three dimensional work for reproduction
or portfolio.
The class promotes exploration and personal expression while encouraging strong conceptual solutions, excellent craftsmanship, and good design. This class will emphasize both
material manipulation and strong conceptual thinking.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
contact information
making
d o i n g
imaging skills
professional practice
instructor website
multiple 3D media
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5279
Sequential Art:
Comics, Manga & Bandes Desines
Staff
Sequential art is an evolving and global art form whose recent history is grounded
in three distinct forms: Comic, Manga, and Bande dessine. This course offers an
intensive introduction to the storytelling possibilities that these forms present and
teaches storytelling and technical approaches that will enhance an artists ability to
thrive in both sequential art and other narrative driven fieds. This course is also
designed to resolve any lingering deficiencies in composition, value, color, perspective, and drawing fluency, all of which are essential. In addition to short assignments
and in class exercises, the course will include the showing of exceptional examples
of comics, manga, and bandes dessine work by artists including: Winsor McCay,
Osamu Tezuka, Herg, Hayao Miyazaki, Moebius, and R. Crumb. Students are also
encouraged to bring in their favorite examples of sequential art to share with and
inform the class.
Attention to the orchestration of panel layout and composition within individual
panels themselves will be taught in tandem with the use of value and color as storytelling tools. In addition to creating works of a personal nature, students will be
given assignments that require them to work from a given concept to demonstrate
their ability to present various technical and psychological elements in a compelling
fashion. Students will also gain a knowledge of the practical and professional concerns of the form as well as an insight into the origins of various styles.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
thinking
contact information
d o i n g
imaging skills
professional practice
media affinities
making
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5280
Propaganda
David Porter
thinking
making
d o i n g
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
contact information
ISB 201
instructor website
http://www.risd.edu/Illustration/David_Porter/
401-454-6245
dporter@risd.edu
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5281
CoMix: Words and Pictures Mixed Together
Paul Karasik
Not illustration. Not creative writing. Comics has its own language resulting from images
and words working together. As students demonstrate mastery, they will move from highly
structured lessons and exercises to more personal and experimental long forms. Students
will devote the last third of the course to creating and self-publishing a 24 page mini-comic
of their own. Be prepared to write and draw a lot of pages.
The combination of drawings and words in a sequence transcends culture and language and
communicates with people of all ages, literate or not, in a direct and powerful way. How
does this happen? This course will examine the elements that make up a comic: pictures
in sequence, captions, dialog, visual symbols, narrative technique, and style. More importantly, it will investigate how these elements are combined in the mind of the reader to
create the visual language of the comic.
This class offers a look at how narrative structure is manifested in comics, from non-verbal, didactic narratives, intended to show and tell, to wildly inventive interpretations of
traditional stories and fables.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
(SPRING) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
drawing/painting/ digital 2d
isb main office
401-454-6240 pkarasik@risd.edu
http://paulkarasik.blogspot.com/
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
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ILLUS 5283
The Entrepreneur
Oren Sherman & William Foulkes
This is a course in the business of art and design with an emphasis on transforming
creative impulse from the studio into marketable enterprise. This elective course, open
to both Illustration and Graphic Design majors, is co-taught over one full day in a
collaborative environment, combining the studio experience with business basics:
marketing and branding as an essential part of the creative process.
This class encourages students to think beyond the confines of traditional markets; to
work collaboratively toward the goal of employing inventive thinking in the workplace; and, eventually, to develop an independently owned and operated enterprise.
A fundamental objective of this class is for students to understand a basic business
vocabulary, to explore how design vocabulary and creative studio thinking overlap, to
complement and enhance business vocabulary, and to understand how creative skills
can be used to identify and execute business opportunities. Students will be introduced to business concepts through lectures, case studies, assignments, and class discussion. Topics covered will include business models, marketing, finance, and strategy
as they relate to studio activity. Homework assignments will work off the classroom
pedagogy.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
Registration restricted to 15 Illustration majors and 8 Graphic Design majors.
(FALL) 6 credits
thinking
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d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6257 orensherman@neaccess.net
http://www.orensherman.com
c o u r s e
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ILLUS 5284
Drawing With Color
Tony Janello
Color is arguably the single most expressive and mysterious tool available to the artist.
Many artists who are skilled in black and white drawing have difficulty when they turn
their hand to color. Through classroom exercises, an awareness of the transformative power of color is awoken. Limited color underdrawings are further developed with multiple
layers of color. The use of warm and cool color relationships as well as the exploration of
polarities of color in order to create rich and dramatic effects is examined in depth.
Class work gives the student the opportunity to work from the live model. For homework, the student is encouraged to engage in subject matter which has personal significance, perhaps something one had always wanted to create but hadnt had the opportunity.
Caran Darche crayons are an overlooked medium that offers the student a unique bridge
from drawing in black and white to working with confidence in full color. Crayon creates
a bridge: less intimidating than more traditional media, while simultaneously capable of
producing highly sophisticated imagery. Crayon provides an important alternative to oil
painting for the nuanced investigation of color. Their waxy yet rich consistency makes for
an ease of layering and modification that promotes experimentation and self-discovery.
Rich modulation of color through optical color mixing and a full range of approaches
(from detailed rendering to gestural mark-making) can be achieved by the student. Subject matter, style, and content are all of the students choosing.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
professional affinities
thinking
contact information
d o i n g
imaging skills
professional practice
media affinities
making
related studies
instructor website
ISB 401
401-454-6257 anthonyjanello@verizon.net
http://www.slowart.com/articles/janello.htm
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ILLUS 5289
Words, Images & Ideas
Dimitry Tetin
In this course, students conceptualize, edit, design, and produce either a book or the first
issue of an original publication. Possibilities include: artists book, magazine, comic book,
zine, e-zine on the web, etc. Emphasis is on concept and design. We will discuss editorial ideas and look at existing artists books and publications, especially alternative forms.
Using computers, we work on typography, layout, and design. Collaborations both within
and outside of the class are encouraged. To take this course, you must have some rudimentary knowledge of the computer and some ideas for content.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
This course fulfills the Illustration Concepts requirement for juniors
(FALL) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
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ILLUS 5293
Advanced Projects
Ben Blatt
The ability to bring a creative project to a full and successful level of finish is often
neglected in the academic environment, but is an essential professional skill. This course
requires students to self-establish clear project goals to be met thoroughly and with the
highest degree of resolution and polish.
In a written proposal, each student will present his or her project for the semester: a
graphic novel, a series of paintings or drawings, a childrens book, a suite of prints or posters. Work may be in any medium, in any format and on any theme, but these parameters
must be clearly set out from the beginning. Students present a written proposal to the
class on the project they are interested in doing, and then implement their plan, working
both in the classroom and on their own time. A professional-level juried exhibition of the
completed projects will be mounted in the ISB gallery, with an emphasis on presentation,
marketing and a public opening.
Advanced Projects is a working studio focusing on the development a consistent body of
work in style and finish. The project must be fully completed within the semester; realistic
planning and satisfactory fulfillment of stated goals is emphasized. The range of projects
has included childrens books, editorial illustration, landscape painting, portraits, 3-D
pop-up books, drawings, wall reliefs, comic books, dressing screens, dioramas, CD covers,
political imagery. Students will have individual crits weekly and group crits at mid-semester and during studio review week.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
contact information
d o i n g
imaging skills
professional practice
thinking
professional affinities
media affinities
making
instructor website
401-454-6240 bblatt@risd.edu
http://benblatt.com
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ILLUS 5294
Contemporary Illustration
Chris Buzelli
What is it like to make a living creating pictures for the numerous outlets of American
culture in contemporary times? This course will emphasize problem-solving in a
commercial situation while steadfastly holding on to your personal integrity. This class
will be exposed to the numerous illustration-based opportunities through participation in
several online competitions and product contests.
While the core of illustration is communication, the style of the statement ultimately
determines how effective that communication can be. Style, however, is more than
something to be applied to an image after the fact. It incorporates the illustrators entire
approach to problem-solving and creation. Illustration is (once again) in the midst of a
revolution. It is spreading beyond its traditional venues of paper and print into galleries,
toy culture, music, movies, animation, and the interactive world of the web.
The successful illustrator is one whose concepts and images can jump across media and
communicate with audiences in a direct way. More and more, illustrators are sought out
for their unique ideas and vision. This class places a large emphasis on the concept of each
project as it is revealed through the style of thinking and execution. The assignments are
based on real projects and art competitions, with real constraints and deadlines. Students
will also be exposed through slide lectures and web links to the work of artists and illustrators whose work exemplifies how illustration is changing for a new century.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
thinking
contact information
d o i n g
imaging skills
professional practice
media affinities
making
instructor website
ISB 400
401-454-6254 cbuzelli@risd.edu
chrisbuzelli.com
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ILLUS 5295
The Artists Book
Judy Sue Goodwin-Sturges
At their very core, all books convey a sequence of ideas, but the execution varies widely
from one volume to another. In this course, juniors and seniors strive to extend this concept outside of traditional book parameters to achieve their own creative interpretation.
Working from their own themes, students mold an innovative presentation of images and
concepts in two dimensions or three, using concrete depictions or abstract forms into
the construction of their own unique artists book. Assignments include the study of different folds, narrative problems, poetic counting, lost and found, and a free project of the
students choice.
Each week, the class will discuss each students books-in-progress. At the end of the
course, students will be asked to reconnect with one or several of the previous assignments to craft one book as a final project. Students are encouraged to write and to work
in the media of choice that might include painting, printmaking, etc. This course allows
students to display their knowledge of paper and folds, challenges them to convey an idea
or theme across many changing pages, and provides considerable practice in bringing
conceptual ideas to life. Assignments will include exploration of the following aspects and
forms of artists books: paste papers, bookbindings, accordion folds, mazes, flag books, star
books, combination books, and variations on the above.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
making
d o i n g
thinking
contact information
instructor website
info@studiogoodwinsturges.com
http://www.studiogoodwinsturges.com
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ILLUS 5296
Web Design
Richard Gann
Once hailed as an emerging force in global communication, the World Wide Web is now
part of mainstream media. Questions about what might be accomplished with this powerful vehicle for information, expression, and communication have evolved into questions
of how to better those accomplishments through thoughtful design, attention to interactivity, and intelligent content. Good web design is vital to distinguishing the voice of the
artist and illustrator from the cacophony of junk out there in cyberspace.
This class is an orientation to web design with specific attention to designing for interactive visual communication. Students apply basic computer skills (Digital Illustration or
equivalent) to problems in designing and illustrating for the Web. Coursework stresses the
underlying structure of html in digital design. Students develop personal interactive web
pages and complete a finished portfolio site while exploring the expressive possibilities of
interactivity.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
(FALL/SPRING) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
media affinities
making
d o i n g
professional affinities
thinking
contact information
instructor websites
ISB 301ISB401-454-6247
rgann@risd.edu
http://rbgann.com/
c o u r s e
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ILLUS 5299
Painting Seminar
Fritz Drury
This course will focus on extending issues of personal imagery, style and use of materials
begun in Advanced Painting and other departmental electives. Studio work will be done
outside of class time, which will be devoted to rotating group critiques, alternating with
individual meetings with the instructor. In addition, there will be a weekly slide lecture,
with related reading and writing assignments, to familiarize students with aspects of contemporary and modern art. The movements of the 20th Century, which dissected and
reassembled the visual arts in radical ways, will be analyzed for useful insights into creative
possibilities for the painter and illustrator. Discussion of problems and opportunities facing the contemporary artist will be augmented by a eld trip to New York City. Students
will ultimately be responsible for developing a strong direction in their independent work,
based on a thorough investigation of concept and media, and prepare a written statement
of artistic purpose over the course of the semester.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6243 fdrury@risd.edu
http://www.fritzdrury.com
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ILLUS 5303
Virtual Reality Design for Science
Fritz Drury & David Laidlaw (Professor, Brown University)
This course is taught in collaboration with the Brown University Department of Computer Science and will focus on specific problems in scientific illustration (based on data
provided by various departments in the sciences at Brown). The class will explore design
issues for immersive, simulated 3D environments visualizing complex aspects of fluid
mechanics; past projects have included arterial blood flow and the aerodynamics of bat
flight. The models created by the class are fully navigable, surrounding the viewer with
digitally simulated 3D forms that can be explored in the virtual space of the Cave, a
ten foot cubic room equipped with four synchronized digital projectors. Working from
sketches in traditional 2D and 3D materials, 2D and 3D digital imaging, and a virtual
reality drawing program (CavePainting) which allows the artist to paint strokes of
color and texture in 3D space the class will create interactive three-dimensional illustrations of scientific data while exploring the possibilities for creative dialogue between artist
and scientist. This course is open to all RISD and Brown students. Knowledge of one
or more basic computer imaging programs (Photoshop, Painter, Illustrator) is required.
Knowledge of Maya, Cinema4D or another 3D imaging program is desirable. Permission
of the instructor must be obtained in advance.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6243
fdrury@risd.edu
fritzdrury.com
c o u r s e
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ILLUS 5304
Anatomical Sculpture
Christopher Oricchio
This course takes observational sculpture to the next level by increasing the students understanding of human anatomy as it relates to figure sculpture. The class will feature lectures
on specific aspects of human anatomy. Over the course of the semester, students will work
from the model to create three clay figure sculptures. They will also make a sculptural anatomical study based on Houdons lecorche, a quintessential life-sized model for anatomical reference.
Ensemble, each aspect or form of the sculpture working in harmony to make a cohesive
visual statement, will be a central theme, with topics including structure, proportion, balance and rhythm. Students will leave this course with an enhanced ability to
accurately represent the human form from memory through application of the principles
of structural anatomy.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
Estimated Cost of Materials: $70.00
(FALL) 3 credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
modeling in clay
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6240 coricchi@risd.edu
chrisorricchio.com
c o u r s e
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ILLUS 5306
Wits End
David Porter
A smile is recognition. Laughter is conspiracy. To be tickled is to be vulnerable.
This course will invite students to integrate language and image in the pursuit of visual
wit. Not the comic, nor the comical. Not comics. Rather, it will seek to provoke insights
that are best expressed visually and verbally, as humor. Humor as the means, not the end,
of the illustrative gesture. A funnybone to pick. Assignments will include inversions of expectation, the uses of the inappropriate, the various guises of the satirical, of parody, single
frame cartoons, black comedy. Wit. (Wit is merely insight made delightful). These will
seek to elicit from the student a series of illustrations that will be as self-descriptive
as any portfolio, as definitive as any style. Humor is intensely idiosyncratic and personal.
But when it works, when it achieves its audience, it is a particularly intimate and effective means of communication. In other words, illustration.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
ISB 201
instructor website
http://www.risd.edu/Illustration/David_Porter/
401-454-6245
dporter@risd.edu
c o u r s e
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ILLUS 5307
New York, New York(er)
David Porter
The New Yorker is one of the most respected periodicals in America, if not the Englishspeaking world. Its commentary, analysis and contribution to the broadest spectrum of
cultural concern are almost always articulate and influential. Its readership is probably the
best-educated and most sophisticated of any general-circulation magazine. More importantly... its cover is invariably illustrated. It is seen by almost everyone of consequence in
the world of visual communication.
The cover of the New Yorker has, however, a much more limited view than do its contents. It is witty, it is light, it is playful, it is whimsical, it is wistful. While the covers reach
and range have expanded notably over the past fifteen years, the world to which it alludes
has no poverty, a white race only, no sex. Until the last decade it had no politics. The New
Yorker cover invites perception and play, but not passion.
Students in the course develop a portfolio of covers in response to areas of cultural interest (Books & Music, Film and Theatre, Fine Arts, Sports, Fashion, etc.), to the passing
seasons in the City (New Years, April Fools, Summer heat, Halloween, etc.) and to events
of social concern (Politics, Money, Current Events). A light touch, a strong grasp and
cultural reach are helpful.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
This course fulfills the Illustration Concepts requirement for Juniors.
(FALL) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
making
d o i n g
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
contact information
ISB 201
instructor website
http://www.risd.edu/Illustration/David_Porter/
401-454-6245
dporter@risd.edu
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ILLUS 5313
Character Creation
Staff
Character design has always been an integral part of narrative illustration. Its application
to diverse and emerging illustration markets such as digital game design, animation, comic books, film, merchandising, and advertising have substantially expanded its relevance.
Character design is now an exciting career path in itself.
In this class, students will push beyond stereotypical designs to develop characters and
environments that are imaginative and culturally resonant. Particular emphasis will be
placed on the expressive power of facial expression, body posture, color, and costume.
Through exploration of our own perceptions of good/evil, success/failure, beauty/ugliness,
we will create characters that have never been seen before. This course will also stress the
importance of visual investigation; research into other cultures and their artifacts as well
as into such areas as biology, anatomy, and engineering can provide the character designer with the inspiration necessary for originality and the knowledge necessary to make
the character thoroughly convincing. Presentation will be emphasized.
Good drawing, color and composition are all essential if an idea is to be presented with
clarity and expressiveness. Students may choose any medium provided that it allows for
color. Examples of work from some of character designs finest exponents, both contemporary and historical, will be shown and discussed.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
d o i n g
media affinities
making
thinking
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6240
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5320
Merging Worlds
Joe McKendry
It is rare that an artist has the entire scene before her exactly as she wishes to paint it.
Changing light, incomplete or inexact costuming, conflicting schedules for models and
far-flung or inaccessible locations are just a few of the many reasons artists choose to
compose their images from sketches, photographs and notes. The ability to merge imagery
from various sources is an essential skill for illustrators and fine artists alike.
In a series of projects, students will gather diverse reference materials and combine them
convincingly in pictorial space. We will discuss the importance of lighting, color, and
value in creating a believable scene. Some of the methods used by illustrators and painters
that we will explore include tracing paper, perspective, grids, measuring dividers, and optical systems. We will emphasize the ways in which style and execution can help to remove
some of the visual disparities between source elements and create a unified composition.
Class time will be divided between the computer lab (where students will combine and
manipulate their images digitally) and the studio (where the illustrations will be completed using a variety of media).
Course Level: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Fifth Year, Graduate; Elective
(WINTERSESSION) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
making
d o i n g
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
None
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5322
Character and Environment Design
for 3D Gaming
Nick Jainschigg
Game assets is the name given to the models, textures, environments, and other elements that together form the reality of the 3D game world. As such, they are of great
importance in determining the look of the game and how the player will relate to it. The
design and creation of game assets requires both technical knowledge and artistic sensibility. The successful game artist combines the best aspects of the geek and the wild-eyed
painter/visionary.
This course offers an introduction to the many artistic and technical aspects of designing
and producing characters, environments, and props for 3D games. Among the topics we
will explore are: the design of effective low-polygon characters and scenes, texturing and
UV mapping, simple character rigging, and effective collaborative design and execution.
Although the class will have a substantial technical side, greater emphasis will be placed on
the why of the technique: what does it mean to design an environment for a game? How
does the environment relate to the player/viewer and her expectations? What elements
go into a successful and visually harmonious environment and characters? The more
important aspects of the course have much in common with set design, costume design,
and architecture rather than with programming. The final project of the semester will be
a one-month collaborative creation of a complete game environment, with natural and
constructed elements as well as characters.
This course fulfills the computer literacy requirement for Illustration majors.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
(SPRING) 3 Credits
thinking
making
d o i n g
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6248 njainsch@risd.edu
http://www.nickjainschigg.org
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
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ILLUS 5323
The Two-Legged Print
Randy Willier
This course explores the creation of communicative images within the format of the
T-shirt. We will begin with an overview of the historical and contemporary use of the
printed shirt as a vehicle for commercial and personal advertising, humor, advocacy, social
protest, and as a badge of personal identity: the phenomenon of using the body as a
substrate for images aimed at passersby. Students will learn and practice the art of serigraphy silkscreen printing and will develop designs through a variety of techniques, from
simple handmade stencils to the use of photo/computer technology. Assignments will
progress through a series of developmental phases, and in-class critiques will play an important role in shaping concepts and designs. We will also investigate the business/commercial side of silk-screening, including the construction of a home studio, recordkeeping
and marketing.
Each student will begin by designing a visual persona which will then be implemented
as a printed t-shirt design. For the rest of the term, students are given the freedom to
explore and create their own individual concepts, adjusting concept and approach in
response to group critique, and building proficiency in the technique. The lab fee provides
for nearly all the materials necessary for production during the course; the only real outof-pocket expenses come from the purchase of T-shirts or other printable materials.
Course Level: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Fifth Year, Graduate; Elective
Fee: $250.00
(WINTERSESSION) 3 Credits
thinking
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d o i n g
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
None
Editorial Illustration; Illustrator as Designer;
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6240
rwillier@risd.edu
http://www.risd.edu/Illustration/Randy_Willier/
c o u r s e
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ILLUS 5332
2D or Not 2D
Melissa Ferreira
Current illustration employs varied and resourceful modes of expression to communicate
both forcefully and poetically. Illustration has historically tended to confine itself to two
dimensions: art made flat, reproduced flat. But for some visual statements, the best articulation involves the third dimension. Eloquence occasionally requires that a line lift off the
page, that color sculpt itself into shape, and that form not be wholly illusory.
Proof of this assertion will be provided by students in this course. Weekly assignments will
combine illustrative objectives with the playful spirit of exploring materials for their
own sake. These might include plain paper and junk mail: cut, crimped, ripped, twisted,
poked, prodded, and glued. Layered cutouts from old publications will be added and subtracted. Quick assemblages will be the basis for compositions that animate shadow boxes
and tell stories.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
Techniques using polymer and air-dried clays will be demonstrated. Scavenged objects to
be disassembled and reconstructed in fresh configurations will offer new ways to make images. Whatever the initial steps, pieces will be finished incorporating mixed media, collage
and other surface treatments that unify the whole. Idea and technique will come together
in the completed pieces: illustrations that are anything but shallow.
related studies
2D or not 2D? That is the question. Or it will be be after taking this class.
professional affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
media affinities
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5334
Typography for Illustrators
Dimitry Tetin
This typography course is specifically designed for Illustration majors. We will study the
fundamentals of typography (including its historical and contemporary applications) in a
series of lectures and class exercises that build in complexity beginning with the study of
individual letterforms and the classification of typefaces, then progressing to the considered use of typography in single-page and multiple-page layouts.
A significant part of the course will be dedicated to understanding the elements of page
design including proportion, dynamics of form and white space, grid systems, and the
subjectivity of color. In the last part of the semester, assignments will explore the integration of very simple drawn imagery with a critical eye to the relationship of text and image
in creating visual hierarchy and narrative interplay.
Students will use Adobe InDesign and Illustrator throughout this course, so some basic
computer experience will be helpful but not absolutely necessary. Students unfamiliar
with the Adobe interface will be required to attend an introductory study session.
Course Level: Junior; Senior; Elective
(SPRING) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6240
dtetin@risd.edu
dimitrytetin.com
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5335
Cinematic Storytelling
Staff
This course will examine various storytelling techniques used in cinema that are essential in guiding the look and feel of a film. These will include storyboarding, color
key creation, and production illustrations. Our goal is to build the essential skills
needed to participate in the narrative process of filmmaking. You will work both individually and in groups on a series of assignments to create finished works that build
your individual skills and demonstrate your abilities to work on a story team in a
cinematic production. We will examine camera placement and frame-to-frame clarity
by creating storyboards for different scenarios. In addition, to explore the emotional
beats of a narrative, you will create lighting and color keys. In the final weeks, we will
create a finished production illustration for a narrative that will be either supplied or
created by the student.
In Cinematic Storytelling students respond to assignments with the goal of investigating how cinemas specific needs of fixed aspect ratio, time, and movement
can be used to communicate, as well as the relevant skills used to address them in
storyboards, color keys, and production illustrations. Attention to the study of time,
composition, and their effect on the viewers psychology will be taught in tandem
with the study of how the masters of cinema and animation use these elements to
create indelible impressions with their work. In addition to creating works on their
own, students will be given group assignments that will require them to demonstrate
their ability to work as a team on a given concept. Students will also learn to be
aware of the practical professional concerns of the industry.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
contact information
making
d o i n g
imaging skills
professional practice
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS 5339
Image Design
Marc Rosenthal
Milton Glaser once commented that a good designer sees a way to unify separate occurrences and create a gestalt, an experience in which this new unity provides a new insight.
Excellent design is much more than the sum of its parts; its unified totality presents a
visual reality, a world with its own inherent logic. This class will investigate imagery that
is both picture and graphic form. In rigorous pursuit of the orchestration of shape, structure, movement, color palette, figure/ground, and pattern we will examine the tools and
processes that lead to dynamic image design. While studying influential figures from the
history of visual communication, students will undertake projects including posters, illustrations, symbols, logos, icons, information graphics, and other forms of imagery which
explore the intersection of illustration and graphic design.
This course seeks to apply a design sensibility to the creation of illustrations. The formal
characteristics include flatness, strong graphic quality, awareness of figure/ground, scale,
color, placement these all take precedence over naturalistic concerns, rendering and perspective.This is a stylistic approach that lends itself to clear, conceptual communication.
The goal of communication is always primary; and assignments will require problemsolving as well as development of a clear and refined graphic approach. We will use form,
geometry, pattern, white space, and perhaps, letterforms to achieve, as Milton Glaser put
it the unity and conviction that emerges from dealing with the total surface.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
(SPRING) 3 Credits
thinking
making
d o i n g
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6240 mrosenth@risd.edu
http://www.marc-rosenthal.com
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ILLUS 5340
Making Play: Games
Jason Beene
One of the most difficult tasks men can perform, however much others may despise it, is the
invention of good games and it cannot be done by men out of touch with their instinctive
selves. Carl Jung
The ability to play is a complex activity that is at the core of human learning. From
Monopoly to poker, Doom to the baseball diamond, games allow us to explore social interactions, take risks, set goals, develop skills, and expand our imaginations while
entertaining us without serious consequences. What makes a game fun? Or memorable?
In this class, we will explore the intersections of learning, experimentation, and play. In
our constructed projects, we will search for innovative ways to expand or
reinvent game traditions. Through individual and collaborative projects, we will examine how game mechanics (rules/systems) thoughtfully combined with game aesthetics
(visuals/story) can be used to craft engaging, memorable and informative user/player
experiences. Our goal is to develop primarily non-digital games that are conceptually
innovative responses to various questions you pose related to play. Quality assurance
and usability concerns will be explored through focus group play tests.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
making
d o i n g
Without this playing with fantasy no creative work has ever yet come to birth. The debt we
owe to the play of imagination is incalculable. Carl Jung
thinking
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6240
jbeene@risd.edu
jasonbeene.blogspot.com
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ILLUS 5342
The Silkscreened Poster
Susan Doyle
This course is an introduction to water-based screen-printing, poster illustration and
design. Students will learn and practice the art of serigraphy silkscreen printing and
will develop designs through a variety of techniques, from simple handmade stencils to
the use of photo processes. The use of media and processes as a means of solving creative
and visual problems will be explored. Concurrently we will examine elements of twodimensional form, typography, color, and communication concepts in a design context.
The poster as a format and form of communication will be explored from a historical as
well as a contemporary and cultural perspective.
This course will seek to extend the posters utilitarian goal with an aesthetic experience. Assignments are structured around topics such as propaganda, political and social
causes, and communication for theatre, music, and the arts. Students will learn to
combine and manipulate their images traditionally and digitally, completing work using
a variety of media and silkscreen processes.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
The lab fee provides for most of the materials necessary for production during the
course; student will need to purchase some inks, paper or other printable materials.
Course level: Junior, Senior; elective
Lab Fee: $222.00
(FALL) 3 Credits
making
d o i n g
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
contact information
silkscreen printing
instructor website
http://www.doyle-art.com
c o u r s e
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ILLUS 5345
Advanced Digital Painting
Eric Telfort, Lars Grant-West
Digital illustration has rapidly become commonplace or even standard in many art-related
fields. As illustrators have moved into the digital realm, we find ourselves exploring traditional concepts of picturemaking with ever more complex software. Some software packages strive to mimic paint, ink and graphite, but these programs also give us the freedom to
explore mark making in entirely different ways unavailable in traditional media, identifying
digital programs as tools to reinforce traditional and introduce novel techniques of illustration.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
(FALL/SPRING) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
etelfort@risd.edu
instructor websites
erictelfort.com
401-454-6240
&
&
lgrant@risd.edu
larsgrantwest.com
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ILLUS 5346
Artistic Mediums for Illustration
Nick Jainschigg
This course is designed to teach the student about contemporary uses of illustration
media and how to combine them creatively, safely, and effectively. Students will acquire
the skills and confidence to evaluate new mediums and techniques on an ongoing basis
with minimal expense and difficulty through the use of limited palettes.
Mediums covered will include: acrylics, gouache, casein, watercolor, markers, crayons
(wax and water-soluble), colored pencil, scratchboard, ink, oil (for illustration), and associated tools, palettes, and surfaces.
Major elective; Illustration majors only
(FALL)
d e t a i l s
Illustration Concepts 1 & 2;
Painting 1 & 2; Drawing 1 & 2
prerequisites
NOTE: 12 seats are open via webadvisor registration for junior only; up to 5 seniors may
add the class by contactingthe Illustration Department on a first come-first served basis.
Course Level: Juniors; Five seats open to Seniors; Elective
(FALL) 3 Credits
thinking
making
d o i n g
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
content and concept
contact information
401-454-6248 njainsch@risd.edu
imaging skills
professional practice
instructor website
http://www.nickjianschigg.org
c o u r s e
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ILLUS 5347
Fantasy Painting
Bill Drew
From the disturbingly exotic pictures of the Underworld by Hieronymus Bosch and
the twisted visual puzzles of M.C. Escher to the mid-20th century comic characters of
Stan Lee and classic 1950s science fiction films, fantasy images provide a rich source of
inspiration for the contemporary artist/illustrator.
In this course, we will study the art of Surrealist artists such as Magritte and Max Ernst,
the unique fruit and vegetable portraits of Archimboldo, investigate the abstract dream
imagery of Hilma Af Klint and Karl Jung and the seminal graphic novels of Sue Coe
(Porkopolis) and Art Spiegelman (Maus). We will interpret text and film as we create
our own fantasy paintings working with appropriated imagery, collage, and painting
mediums such as oil, acrylic, gouache, and watercolor.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
Painting 1 & 2
Visible Cities; Master Painting Techniques;
related studies
media affinities
making
d o i n g
professional affinities
thinking
contact information
instructor website
wdrew@risd.edu 401-454-6240
http://www.risd.edu/Illustration/William_Drew/
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ILLUS 5348
The Human Figure in Context
Nick Palermo
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
drawing media
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ILLUS 5349
Visible Cities
Jean Blackburn
A societys history is written in its stones. From the dystopias of Gotham City or Grand
Theft Auto, the hive mind of the Borg and the ecstatic asceticism of the Shakers, to the
suburban conformity of Levittown and the Sphinx half buried in sand, every city, every
society, is an embodiment of ideas, history, geography, and beliefs. Each built environment has its own logic, both architectural and cultural. With some provocative writings
about the phenomenon of the city as inspiration, you will be asked to conceptualize a
place and bring it to life visually. The essence of a city its buildings, pathways, public
and private spaces depends on how you define the character of its people, its government, its history, its geographic siting and even its language.
After defining a back-story in broad strokes, you will begin researching the implications
of those choices visually. Working from thumbnails and sketches to finished conceptualization, students will explore compelling physical and conceptual viewpoints with a
variety of possibilities in the use of media and technique. Rather than limiting ourselves
to purely pragmatic architecture, the class will be searching for imaginative visualizations, where form becomes poetic metaphor suggestive of narrative.
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
(FALL) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
making
d o i n g
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
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The verb to illustrate means at its root to shed light upon something, and has a definition that encompasses both the practices of pictorial representation and the intellectual
exercise required to understand a long, philosophical poem. (Indeed, the OED notes an
old but perhaps equally relevant use of the term to mean the clearing of the head!)
All things considered, The Comedy of Dante Alighieri, Florentine by Birth but Not
in Character (b.1265, d. 1321) can be understood as an exercise in illustration as it
imagines the full spectrum of human experience, scored between the blind prison of
Inferno and the eternal light of Paradiso. This course brings together intensive study
of Dantes Comedy and the practice of series-book illustration so that students might
gain a greater understanding of what it means to be truly invested in both the study of
literature and the creation of sequential, pictorial narrative.
Please note that this three-credit offering may only be taken simultaneously with the Literary
Arts and Studies Department course bearing the same titleLAS E722, also worth three
credits. Students will receive 3 Illustration studio credits and 3 Literary Arts and Studies
credits upon completion of these co-requisites.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
thinking
making
d o i n g
professional affinities
Course Level: Junior, Senior; Elective
This course fulfills the Illustration Concepts requirement for juniors.
(SPRING) 6 credits total (combined LAS and ILLUS)
media affinities
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
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d e t a i l s
prerequisites
The schedule will consist of meeting 10 hours per week, with course work divided between short experimental exercises in the first half of the term, and a longer, more fully
realized interactive story as a final project. Basic computer skills required. Also offered as
IDISC 7014 for Juniors and above. Register into the course for which credit is desired.
related studies
professional affinities
thinking
making
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media affinities
contact information
instructor websites
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ILLUS 8960
Professional Internship
Robert Brinkerhoff
d e t a i l s
Students applying for internships should first submit all necessary e-forms (signed and fully
completed by the student and the sponsoring organization) to Robert Brinkerhoff by the
published deadlines. Visit risdcareers.com for more information.
prerequisites
related studies
internship dependent
professional affinities
internship dependent
media affinities
internship dependent
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
454-6241
rbrinker@risd.edu
n/a
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ILLUS W527
Science Fiction & Fantasy Illustration
Nick Jainschigg
This course is an introduction to the visual depiction of imaginary worlds and beings, in
particular those found in science ction, fantasy, and horror. We will explore the
expectations surrounding these genres and the ways in which artists have circumvented or
subverted them.
This course will also be an introduction to the history and methods of narrative illustration and representational painting. Sketching, reference gathering, composition, and the
use of painting and drawing materials will be covered. Additionally, there will be discussions of related areas such as: the development of characters, environments and creatures;
the extraction of information from the manuscript or brief; the use of the sketch as a
research tool and as a presentation device; and several demonstrations of traditional media
techniques as well as a visiting artist.
This course is open to all skill-levels and disciplines. More time and emphasis will be
placed on conceptual clarity and originality than fineness of execution. All assignments
will be of one weeks duration. One afternoon per week will be devoted to science fiction
and fantasy in the media primarily movies and the influence these powerful images
of imagination and possibility have had on the culture at large. Such classic films as Fritz
Langs Metropolis, Jean Cocteaus Beauty and the Beast, and Stanley Kubricks 2001: A
Space Odyssey will be screened and discussed with special attention to the grand visual
sets and design.
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
None
Character Creation; Whats Your Story?; Merging Worlds;
related studies
professional affinities
Course level: Freshman; Sophomore; Junior; Senior; Fifth Year; Graduate; Elective
(WINTERSESSION) 3 Credits
media affinities
thinking
contact information
making
d o i n g
media/collage, drawing/painting,
printmaking, animation
instructor website
ISB 301
401-454-6248 njainsch@risd.edu
http://www.nickjainshigg.org
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ILLUS W539
Means and an End
Nick Palermo
Basic to all visual expression is the ability to articulate what one sees; skill and sensitivity
in drawing are the essence of such articulation. The primary objective of this course will
be to increase the students perceptive powers through drawing from direct observation of
the human figure. Drawing will be defined as an investigation of visual form, with marks
on the page recording the process of analysis. Relationships of direction, proportion,
volume and articulation will be thoroughly studied.
This course is focused on enabling students to subjectively edit the wide range of data in
observed reality according to his or her expressive priorities. A high level of skill in drawing is not a prerequisite for this course, but a strong commitment to creative engagement
and growth is.
Course Level: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior; Fifth Year; Graduate: Elective
(WINTERSESSION) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
None
Drawing 1 & 2; Artistic Anatomy;
3D Kinetic Anatomy; Advanced Drawing;
Between Painting & Drawing
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
drawing
ISB 403
401-454-6250
npalermo@risd.edu
http://www.risd.edu/Illustration/Nicholas_Palermo/
c o u r s e
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ILLUS W558
Travel: Renaissance Painting in Florence
Bill Drew
The slow craftsmanship that imparts jewel-like clarity and color to paintings from the
Middle Ages and Renaissance stands in contrast to our fast-paced society. This class
will present their important traditional techniques in a mix of studio exploration and
travel. The techniques will include gilding, pure egg-yolk tempera, combined methods
of oil and tempera, and use of oil glazes.
For the first three weeks of Wintersession, students will engage in intensive studio work
in Providence, to be followed by a twelve-day trip to Florence, Italy. Students will be able
to examine first-hand relevant art and consider art historical issues related to growth and
development of these techniques. This trip will include three days in Rome and visits to
Assisi and Siena.
Course Level: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Fifth Year, Graduate; Elective
Fee: $35.00
Estimated Travel Cost: $3460.00
(WINTERSESSION) 6 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
contact information
instructor website
None
401-454-6240
http://www.risd.edu/Illustration/William_Drew/
c o u r s e
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ILLUS W563
The Collaged Image
Jamie Murphy Hlynsky
This course focuses on developing images through the practice of collage and mixed
media. Students are given the opportunity to explore the expressive characteristics of
materials both found and hand made. The hands on tactile characteristics of the method
create the opportunity to quickly combine images to form surprising narratives for communicating ideas.
Through both demonstration and in-class exercises, students will investigate a wide range
of collage approaches and techniques. Issues related to context and integration will be
explored as well as formal considerations such as design, composition, color, etc.
Slide presentations, reference materials, and museum visits will familiarize students with
the work of many contemporary illustrators and fine artists who use collage as a medium
as well as the pioneers of fine arts and communicative collage in the 20th century. This
exploration will help provide a frame of reference for students to develop their own individual approach to the medium.
Course Level: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior; Fifth Year; Graduate; Elective
(WINTERSESSION) 3 Credits
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
making
d o i n g
professional affinities
media affinities
thinking
None
contact information
instructor website
c o u r s e
g a l l e r y
d e s c r i p t i o n
ILLUS W571
Introduction to Illustration
Antoine Revoy
d e t a i l s
prerequisites
related studies
Course Level: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior; Fifth Year; Graduate; Elective
(WINTERSESSION) 3 Credits
professional affinities
None
Illustration Concepts 1 & 2; Propaganda; Whats Your
Story?; XX/XY; Style & Substance; Traditions, Trappings,
Culture & Kitsch; Contemporary Illustration; Editorial
Illustration; Illustrating Dantes Comedy Illustration;
New York, New Yorker;
conceptual/problem solving, graphic design,
editorial illustration, corporate and institutional illustration, book and poster illustration/design
media affinities
thinking
making
d o i n g
open media: pen & ink/scratchboard, mixed media/collage, drawing/painting, digital 2D/3D, printmaking,
animation, photography, video
contact information
instructor website
401-454-6240
arevoy@risd.edu
http://illustration.revoy.net/
c o u r s e
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LAEL LE30
History of Illustration
Susan Doyle
This course surveys the history of Western illustration from illuminated manuscripts
through approximately 2000 CE. The work shown is culled from a vast cache of artistic production for its power to convey ideas and ideals, report and editorialize events,
or serve as an enhancement to literature. We consider how evolving technologies in
printing and communication have influenced artistic processes, shaped aesthetics, and
facilitated the distribution of illustration. We study illustrations role in reflecting and
influencing culture, and its variable relationship to fine art.
d e t a i l s
Each session includes a lecture to which students respond with a critical brief to be
handed in upon exiting the class. Additionally there are weekly readings, two tests, and
one long and one short research paper. There is no textbook for this class. However,
students will be able to access study images and readings through Artstor and on RISD
Digication.
related studies
professional affinities
none
media affinities
none
thinking
making
d o i n g
prerequisites
contact information
instructor website
None
401-454-6244
sdoyle@risd.edu
http://www.doyle-art.com