Texas A&M ranked with top illustration schools in nation

Texas A&M is one of the top illustration and drawing schools in the country, according to a new ranking complied by [The Art Career Project] (https://www.theartcareerproject.com/schools/illustration/) , an online resource for student and professional artists.

On the list, “Best U.S. Schools for Illustration and Drawing 2018,” Texas A&M is the state’s top school, the nation’s second-highest ranked public university, and 18 ^th overall.

The website compiles its top picks via a comprehensive annual review of colleges and universities offering art and design education.

Texas A&M illustration and drawing classes are just two of the many areas of expertise bolstered by the broad foundational knowledge that comprises the university’s visualization degree programs.

“Although we are primarily focused on the use of technology in art and design, we also want our students to develop as artists and become fluent with traditional tools that illustrators and artists use, because it’s all instrumental to their professional success,” said Tim McLaughlin, head of the Department of Visualization.

The ACP recommends the department’s three degree programs for a focus on imaging, media systems and high-tech information, which prepare students for careers in many artistic fields.

As a public institution, Texas A&M is also a financially responsible choice for aspiring artists, said McLaughlin.

“Texas A&M University has worked hard to keep the cost of completing a degree inexpensive relative to many of the alternatives — we’re a great place to launch a career,” he said.

Texas A&M’s [undergraduate] (http://viz.arch.tamu.edu/undergraduate/) visualization degree focuses on the processes of creation, design and development of the visual experience, the [master of science] (http://viz.arch.tamu.edu/graduate/#ms) in visualization requires students to develop advanced expertise in a specific focus area, and the [master of fine arts] (http://viz.arch.tamu.edu/graduate/#mfa) in visualization, one of only a few of its kind in the nation, provides technology-infused visual arts training.

The Department of Visualization is regularly recognized by the industry for student excellence. It has been previously lauded as one of the most elite video game design schools in the world by The Princeton Review and ranked as a top animation school by [Animation Career Review] (http://one.arch.tamu.edu/news/2015/5/4/texas-m-uss-top-animation/) .

Visualization graduates, or “Vizzers,” can be found working as creative talent for Hollywood’s leading animation and special effects studios including [Pixar] (http://www.pixar.com/) , [Blue Sky] (http://blueskystudios.com/) , [Walt Disney Animation Studios] (http://www.disneyanimation.com/) , [Industrial Light and Magic] (http://www.ilm.com/) , [Dreamworks Animation] (http://www.dreamworksanimation.com/) , [Rhythm & Hues Studios] (http://www.rhythm.com/home/) and [Reel FX] (http://www.reelfx.com/) .

Graduate visualization students master the latest technology and initiate professional connections by working with industry pros during a yearly [summer industry workshop] (http://one.arch.tamu.edu/news/2017/9/18/ilmxlab-vizzers-vr-games/) , creating virtual reality video games and animated short films. Using a workflow process similar to the kind used at professional studios, students gain insight and real-world.

The work of the Department of Visualization’s students, faculty and alumni can be found [online.] (https://vimeopro.com/vizlab/showcase)

Sarah Wilson
swilson@arch.tamu.edu