How to Become an Illustrator in Rhode Island

Despite its tiny land mass, the state of Rhode Island is the second most densely populated state in the nation, behind only the state of New Jersey.  Supporting more than a thousand local residents per square mile, Rhode Island hosts a thriving network of corporations and private businesses.  As a result, visual artists living in Rhode Island enjoy an ongoing assortment of local employment options in commercial graphic arts, especially illustration. 

Rhode Island Schools and Training Programs for Illustrators

Rhode Island supports many graphic design colleges and private fine art schools that offer technical training and degree programs in commercial illustration.  Rhode Island colleges with graphic arts departments include Brown University in Providence, VSA Arts in Pawtucket, Roger Williams University in Bristol, Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick and University of Rhode Island in Kingston. 

For artists preferring a less traditional approach, numerous internet-based art programs are available.  Prolific accredited online colleges of fine arts include University of Phoenix, National University, Full Sail University, ITT Tech, The Art Institutes, DeVry and Stratford Career Institute.  Many online art schools also provide convenient local campuses and resource facilities. 

Working as an Illustrator in Rhode Island

Commercially creative Rhode Island artists often do illustrations for local graphic design firms like Aptech Graphics in North Providence, Pixie Graphics in West Greenwich, Hodge Graphics in Warwick, Option Graphics in Pawtucket and Fantasy Design & Graphics in Johnston, to name a few.  Local illustrators with a rebellious style might join Rhode Island tattoo facilities like Ronnie's Tattoo in Providence, Marco's Tattoo in Wakefield, Powerline Tattoo in Cranston or Altered Images in Foster. 

Talented technical illustrators sometimes work for local engineering firms like A&K Engineering in Cranston, Avante Engineering in Warwick, Construction Engineering in Riverside, Creb Engineering in Harrisville and Carrigan Engineering in Narragansett, among others.  Some precision artists are employed by Rhode Island-based medical illustration services such as Sturtevant Illustrations in Warwick and Greenville, Classic Wildlife Design in Wakefield or Medical-School-Illustrated in Bristol. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides no current data pertaining to the incomes of professional illustration artists employed in the state of Rhode Island. 

Skills of a Professional Illustrator

Aside from possessing mad drawing skills, most professional illustrators are also very experienced graphic designers with a solid work history in advertising, marketing, packaging design, page layout, photography and photo editing.  Professional illustrators are also fully versed in one or more digital illustration design programs.  Popular varieties include e-Picture Pro, Harvard Draw, Silhouette, Adobe Illustrator and Visio.