Animation/Illustration Degree

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Visual Storytelling Starts Here

Fredonia’s Animation and Illustration program offers a unique blend of rigorous artistic training, cutting-edge technology, and creative freedom. Whether you focus on animation, illustration, or both, you’ll build strong drawing skills, explore narrative storytelling, and develop your own artistic voice in our state-of-the-art facilities. Prepare for a career in the visual arts with hands-on experience and expert mentorship from faculty.

What You'll Gain:

Creative Development: Hone your drawing and storytelling skills through experimentation with mixed media and narrative techniques.
Cutting-Edge Facilities: Access 24/7 studios in the renovated Rockefeller Arts Center and work with advanced tools in our state-of-the-art visual arts spaces.
Individual Artistic Voice: Build a unique artistic identity through intensive studio work, supported by personalized faculty mentorship and guidance.
Hybrid Skill Set: Gain interdisciplinary skills in both traditional and emerging media, making you versatile and competitive in the evolving art marketplace.
Professional Preparation: Develop a portfolio that showcases your technical, conceptual, and creative talents, positioning you for success in various art and design fields.
Career Opportunities: Graduates excel as art directors, working artists, designers, and creative freelancers, with many entering fields like special effects, web design, and gallery management.

Career Opportunities for Animation/Illustration

Animator
Compositing Artist
Creative Director
Motion Graphics Designer
Storyboard Artist

Art Director
Concept Artist
Illustrator
Multimedia Artist
Visual Development Artist

What does a 4-year degree look like?

View Example 4-Year Curriculum

What are all the required and elective courses offered to obtain this degree?

View Full Curriculum

ARTS 280 Introduction to Illustration

An introduction to editorial illustration. The class will explore technical, aesthetic and conceptual principles, as well as research and historical examples. Projects include thumbnail sketches, semi-comps, and refined drawings for final presentation on paper.

ARTS 285 Introduction to 2D Animation

A broad introduction to fundamental principles of motion utilizing traditional and digital 2D animation techniques. Topics explored include basic filmmaking terms and editing, a variety of traditional animation methods including flip books, line drawn, rotoscope, cutout, and collage animation as well as history of the medium.

ARTS 485 Advanced Animation/Illustration

An upper level studio course under the Animation/Illustration sequence, which follows Intermediate 2-D Animation and Intermediate Illustration. Students will be encouraged as artists to produce a mature body of work through readings, technical exercises, oral and written presentations, and independent research.

It's Different Here

2 Media Labs

With Mac Pros and iMacs equipped with Intuos Wacom tablets, the Adobe production suite, Cinema 4D, Final Cut Pro, Zbrush, Dragonframe, and ToonBoom Harmony Advanced.

Serious Tech

Our studios also include animation stands, a dedicated illustration drawing room, and a shooting studio for stop motion work.

Connections

MoCCA and the SUNY-wide Film Festival, and other special events, provide opportunities for film screenings and career development.

Why Animation and Illustration at Fredonia?

Concept art example from student artist. Animation/Illustration program students develop skills in a wide variety of media and specialties.

Scholarships

The Visual Arts and New Media Department awards 13 scholarships each year to incoming and upper-level students.

Fully Accredited

Our program is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)

Concept art example from Fredonia art student. Animation/Illustration degrees prepare Fredonia students to work in a variety of fields and lead creative projects in many fields.

Visiting Artists

Our Visiting Artist Program offers exposure to a variety of art and design professionals from around the country and world during special lectures and gallery openings.

Art Director

Art directors are responsible for the visual style and images in magazines, newspapers, product packaging, and movie and television productions.

Average Salary: $106,500 per year
Job Outlook 2023-2033: 5% growth
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor's degree

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Animated scene from student art project. An Animation and Illustration degree opens doors to careers across the world of art and creativity.

Special Effects Artists and Animators

Special effects artists and animators create images that appear to move and visual effects for various forms of media and entertainment.

Average Salary: $99,060 per year
Job Outlook 2023-2033: 4% growth
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor's degree

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Cryo-Suit animation. Getting an Animation and Illustration degree from Fredonia puts you in the driver's seat in your career.

Concept Artist

Special effects artists and animators create images that appear to move and visual effects for various forms of media and entertainment.

Average Salary: $114,466 per year
Job Outlook 2023-2033: Varies by specialization
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor's degree

Indeed

big ideas in a small, wide-open place

Animation & Illustration

Application Process

Animation and Illustration in the News

A handful of students (from left): Pamela Pantin, Belinda Paine, Aurora Endres, Michael Morales, Calysta Standard, Ella Maines, Kaylee Gabalski, Rylee Crandall and (keeling) Quentin Moss are relieved and sleepily celebrating after having recently submitted their films for judging. The students, from two different teams, were encouraged to bring along overnight gear, such as blankets, pillows or stuffed animals. That created an opening for the actor/filmmaker Danny DeVito cutout, who took on the role of team

Visual Arts and New Media

Students gather valuable experience through international ‘24 Hour Animation Contest’

Valuable collaborative experience was a key takeaway for Visual Arts and New Media students in the...

Visual Arts and New Media

Student’s animated short film screened in New York City film festival

A film created by junior Animation and Illustration major Luke Johnson has been screened at the...

Emily Neiswonger scans the Williams Center Multipurpose Room as she sets up a video camera to record the NASA/GLOBE student presentations.

Visual Arts and New Media

Video production agency hires SUNY Fredonia student to record NASA/GLOBE meeting

A Film and Video Arts/Animation and Illustration major gained resume-building experience documenting...

Student Story

I'm grateful I was able to live in a welcoming, collaborative art community in my formative years. Learning alongside such talented peers from all different majors taught me the value of teamwork, which has really strengthened my unique artistic voice.

— GiAnna Ligammari