| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis | Indianapolis |
| 2 | Purdue University | West Lafayette |
Our 2022 ranking of the top illustration schools in Indiana. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) houses Herron School of Art and Design (Herron), which has been educating art and design students for 120 years. Serving more than 650 students today, Herron School of Art and Design provides 21 majors, minors, and certificate programs across dozens of classrooms and 70+ studio spaces. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), Herron also provides access to 10,000+ square feet of exhibition space and numerous labs, critique spaces, and fabrication spaces.
For students seeking a career in Illustration, Herron School of Art and Design at Indiana University-Purdue University has a Drawing + Illustration BFA Program with the option to add a Book Arts or Production Minor. The curriculum, which consists of extensive studio experience in both Illustration and Drawing and Illustration, includes courses such as Building & Making, Image & 4D Studio, Drawing I-IV, Intermediate Illustration I-II, Digital Rendering, Advanced Drawing & Illustration I and II (Capstone), Narrative Drawing, and Professional Practice in Visual Arts I-II. A Senior Thesis is required to graduate.
Graduates of the IUPUI Herron Drawing + Illustration BFA Program are prepared to launch their own studios or freelance businesses or pursue salaried positions such Editorial Illustrator, Toy or Product Designer, Comic Artist, Animator, Scientific or Technical Illustrator, Children's Book Illustrator, Storyboard or Concept Artist, Graphic Novelist, Packaging Designer, or Set or Exhibition Designer, among others.
Indiana University (est. 1820) and Purdue University (est. 1869) merged in 1969 to create what is known today as Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), IUPUI serves 27,690 students enrolled in more than 550 degrees and majors across 17 degree-granting schools.
The College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University houses the Patti & Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance, home to the Department of Art and Design. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the Department has a Fine Arts Program that offers a Major in Drawing and Illustration. Courses for the program explore illustration, mixed media, art history, computer art, drawing and life drawing, monoprint, printmaking, etching, alternative processes, painting, silkscreen, relief, and lithography.
Leading to a BFA, the Drawing and Illustration Major also provides opportunities to choose electives in areas such as textiles, ceramics, sculpture, and metal.
Graduates of the Drawing and Illustration Program at Purdue University are prepared to pursue careers in Illustration, Animation and Film, Publishing, and Education, as well as at Galleries, Museums, and other cultural institutions.
Purdue University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Established in 1869, the school opened its doors five years later with a faculty of six and 39 students. Today, Purdue employs nearly 2,300 faculty members that serve close to 50,000 students from all 50 states and 135+ countries.
More than 400 programs are offered across the main campus in West Lafayette, Indiana and three regional campuses, which house eight colleges and schools, Purdue Polytechnic Institute, Exploratory Studies, and Veterinary Medicine.
