Chippewa Valley Times

Illustration has been a common thread uniting students in UW-Stout’s School of Art and Design for many years. Now, they can pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration, the first degree of its kind in the Universities of Wisconsin.

The program, approved last spring by the UW Board of Regents, gets underway with the fall semester. Classes begin Wednesday, Sept. 4. Enrollment is open.

“This had been on our wish list for a while,” said Professor Dave Beck, who was director of the School of Art and Design through the spring. “We wanted to develop it in a way that reflects our own sensibilities in SOAD and the university's polytechnic mission.”

Erik Evensen, professor in the department of design, is the program director. “Being able to express ideas visually is a standard expectation in the art and design professions. We welcome students with an interest in visual storytelling,” Evensen said.

“I want this program to be something I would have wanted to enroll in as a student. Most of the coursework was already there. We just needed to imagine how it would come together as a new program,” he added.

Emulating industry practice and emerging trends, the program will include coursework from the departments of visual and performing arts and design, which make up the School of Art and Design.

Illustration builds skills in drawing, painting, printmaking, comics and other areas of art and design. Graduates can expect to find work in industries such as advertising, publishing, entertainment and as self-employed artists and consultants.

Before entering academia, Evensen was a graphic designer and illustrator in New England. He has also worked in the comics industry on properties like “Ghostbusters” and “Back to the Future” from IDW Publishing as well as his own independent graphic novels.

For years, UW-Stout alumni have found themselves practicing illustration as a career without having a degree in the discipline. They include:

- Eliza Wheeler (2006 graduate), children’s book illustrator and Sendak Fellow

- Chris Grun (1995 graduate), art director at DreamWorks Animation

- Mitch Gerads (2005 graduate), Eisner Award-winning illustrator for Marvel and DC Comics

They entered the industry after pursuing different majors at UW-Stout and had to learn some illustration skills independently.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that Professor Evensen has pulled together a new program plan and that students will be able to develop skills that are unique to fields of illustration,” Wheeler said. “The UW-Stout art program continues to be an educational gem.”

Sam Kalda, a UW-Stout lecturer who has an M.F.A. in illustration from Fashion Institute of Design and who has worked with The New York Times, New Yorker magazine, Disney Digital, Barnes & Noble among others said illustrators are “multihyphenate creators — artists storytellers visual communicators."

“As such education an illustrator interdisciplinary blending studio art practices design processes faculty programs within Stout’s School Art Design well-positioned offer breadth knowledge," Kalda said.

Students will be able build portfolios emphasis traditional areas such advertising publishing well concept art entertainment industry UW-Stout's existing coursework comics available

“The B.F.A illustration give students path study create comprehend vastness visual communication," Mary Climes assistant professor studio art teaches comics curriculum "It’s job expose traditions image-making like printmaking graphic digital drawing prepare future illustration."

The B.F.A. builds on School six other programs school largest Upper Midwest serving more than 1 300 array extends Graduate Studies Master Fine Arts which Evensen directs

In addition debuting four other programs this fall Bachelor Science degrees biology chemistry physics Master Professional Studies entrepreneurship sustainability

“I am proud faculty staff working hard continue adapt expand polytechnic offerings meet needs workforce," Glendalí Rodríguez provost vice chancellor Academic Affairs

graduates demand A report found 99% graduates employed soon earning degree record average starting salary $58 000 best among higher education institutions west-central Wisconsin