2023

What are the top illustration schools in Indiana for 2023?

Top Indiana Illustration Schools - 2023 College Rankings
RankingSchoolCity
1Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette
2Indiana University-Purdue University, IndianapolisIndianapolis

Our 2023 ranking of the top illustration schools in Indiana. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.

1. Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
Purdue University

The College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University houses the NASAD-accredited Patti & Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance. Within the Rueff School is the Department of Art and Design, home to the Studio Arts Program with a Major in Drawing and Illustration. A 15 credit-hour Art and Design Studio Minor with an Illustration and Drawing Area is also available.

Leading to a BFA, the Studio Arts Program explores Mixed Media, Life Drawing, illustration, Etching, Printmaking, Silkscreen, Painting, Drawing, Relief, Monoprint, and Lithography. The Program also provides opportunities to choose electives in areas such as textiles, ceramics, sculpture, and metal.

Course examples across programs include Life Drawing I, Relief Printmaking, Digital Illustration, Advanced Painting, Illustrative Drawing, Etching and Intaglio Printmaking, Drawing II, History of Design, Photo Silkscreen, Computers in Art, Experimental Drawing.

Graduates of the Studio Arts-Drawing and Illustration Program at Purdue University are prepared to pursue careers in Illustration, Animation and Film, Publishing, and Education. Program alumni are also prepared to seek positions at Galleries, Museums, and other cultural institutions.

Established in 1869, Purdue University serves approximately 50,885 students from all 50 states and 130 countries. The school provides more than 400 programs across 11 colleges and schools. Purdue University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The Art, Design, and Performance Programs at Purdue are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST).

2. Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

Herron School of Art and Design (Herron) at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) has been educating students for over 120 years. Serving more than 650 students today, Herron provides 21 Majors leading to 14 degree programs, along with seven Minor and Certificate Programs. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), Herron School of Art and Design houses dozens of classrooms, more than 70 studio spaces, 10,000+ square feet of exhibition space, numerous labs, critique spaces, and fabrication facilities.

For students who would like to pursue a career in Illustration, Herron at IUPUI has a Drawing + Illustration BFA Program with the option to add a Minor in Book Arts, Studio Art and Technology, Graphic Design, Art or Art History. On its own, the BFA Program provides extensive studio experience in both Illustration and Drawing + Illustration. Course examples include Drawing I-IV, Intermediate Illustration I-II, Digital Rendering, Building & Making, Image & 4D Studio, Narrative Drawing, and Professional Practice in Visual Arts I-II.

Students will complete Advanced Drawing & Illustration I and II (Capstone), and a Senior Thesis to graduate.

Graduates of the Drawing + Illustration BFA Program at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis are prepared to pursue positions such Children's Book Illustrator, Storyboard Artist, Cartoonist, Packaging Designer, Editorial Illustrator, Toy Designer, Product Designer, Scientific Illustrator,  Concept Artist, Technical Illustrator, Exhibition Designer, and Game Artist. Some program alumni go on to launch their own studios or freelance businesses, while others attend graduate school.

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). However, beginning Fall 2024, IUPUI will become two distinct institutions once again. For now, IUPUI serves 27,000 students, making it the third largest four-year university in Indiana. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the school provides more than 550 academic programs across 17 degree-granting schools.

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