At OCAD University, you’ll develop the creative, technical and human skills to distinguish yourself in a creative industry transformed by AI. Working closely with faculty and practicing illustrators, you’ll strengthen your drawing, concept development, storytelling, and visual communication skills, learning to create artwork that connects with broad audiences while exploring traditional and digital techniques.
Illustration is everywhere—from books, magazines and graphic novels to advertising, branding, packaging, games, animation, entertainment, and digital media. Through hands-on studio projects and interdisciplinary learning, you’ll develop your own distinctive creative voice, learn to adapt your practice across a range of media, and build a professional portfolio that reflects your interests and ambitions.
While new tools and technologies continue to shape the creative landscape, the Illustration program is committed to developing critical literacy around AI and its implications for creative practice. In a world increasingly saturated with AI-generated imagery, we emphasize the value of originality, creative intention, skilled craft, and the distinct human perspective and authorship, which are more valuable than ever.
At OCAD U, you'll learn how to use creative tools and emerging technologies while developing the storytelling ability and human perspective that will distinguish your work throughout your career. You’ll also gain the business and client-management skills needed to build a career in a creative studio, in-house for an organization, or as an independent freelancer.
Whether you’re illustrating children’s books, creating editorial artwork, developing characters for games and animation, designing visual identities or inventing entirely new forms of visual storytelling, you’ll graduate with the skills, portfolio and confidence to build a creative career and shape what’s next.
Program Highlights
At the End of this Program...
At the end of this four-year program, you will earn a Bachelor of Design (BDes) degree.
Admissions Requirements
- For Ontario high school students, a minimum overall average of 70%
- Portfolio
- Statement of Intent
- Official transcripts
- See detailed academic requirements here
Jobs You Can Get
Graduates of the program work at:
- Publishing, editorial and children's media
- Advertising, branding and graphic design firms
- Digital studios, games and interactive media
- Cultural, community and public organizations
- Freelance illustration and creative entrepreneurship
- Visual art practice, art direction, and other creative roles
Internships & Experiential learning
OCAD U offers so much more than co-ops because creative careers take many forms. Our career services help you build a professional community, valuable experience and skills you need for a meaningful career. Get access to:
- Short experiential learning placements from among hundreds of organizations
- Creative in-class projects with real-world industry partners
- Exclusive summer internships
- Gallery exhibitions of your work
- Freelance creative opportunities
- Jobs after graduation
What You'll Do in the Program
In first year, you’ll take intro classes in topics such as:
- Observational drawing
- Design principles
- Illustrative concepts
- Observational painting
- Art and design history
In second year, in addition to your required courses you can study topics such as:
- Graphic design for illustration
- Human form and function: anatomy
- Graphic design history
- Media studio: digital
Third year will feature more advanced courses, and open electives such as:
- Graphic novel illustration
- Book illustration
- Storyboarding
- Concept art
- Animated illustration
In fourth year, you'll have the opportunity to complete a year-long thesis project, developing an original portfolio designed for self-promotion.
You can showcase your work at GradEx - OCAD U’s Graduate Exhibition, the biggest free art and design exhibition in Toronto with more than 40,000 visitors.
Minors
In all undergraduate programs, you can choose a minor to go along with your major. A minor gives you the opportunity to pursue a focused secondary field, helping you expand your practice, skills and knowledge. They can make you stand out to employers, graduate schools, or in grant applications by showing expertise in more than one field.
You don’t need to choose a minor on your application; once you start at OCAD U, you can choose from over 90 electives to build towards one of our 25 focused minors. Learn more about Minor Programs here.
Meet our alumni
Started in 2009, the archive spans seventeen years of work produced by the program’s Thesis students and serves as testament to the hard work of students and faculty alike.
Illustration, 2021
Production Designer at Indigo Books
Take the Next Step
Meet Michael Martchenko
