How to Choose the Best Illlustration College for You or Your Teenager

There are several factors that make an illustration college the best and the perfect fit for you. One of them is location because of the opportunities for internships, mentors and the increased likelihood of being discovered. The center of the illustration industry is in New York City and some of the best illustration colleges are there. Among the best illustration colleges New York City has to offer are Pratt, Parsons and School of Visual Arts (SVA). The cost of living in New York City is very high so while these illustration schools may be among the best, they might not be the perfect fit for you.

If you are not interested in living in New York City, there is an excellent illustration college in the New York City vicinity, the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Five recent RISD alums recently were honored by the prestigious New York Society. The medium that is your specialty is also something you will want to consider when choosing the best illustration college for you. At RISD they still place a strong emphasis on the traditional disciplines of drawing and painting.

One of the best illustration colleges not in the vicinity of New York City is the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore. Baltimore is still a major city but the cost of living will be cheaper, especially rent. In 2008 their Master of Fine Arts program was rated in U.S News and World report and it tied for fourth. In March 2009, six MICA students were chosen to be a part of the Society of Illustrators 2009 Student Scholarship Competition exhibition at the Museum of American Illustration in New York.

If you know the direction you would like your illustration career to take, this can really help when deciding which of the best illustration colleges is the perfect fit for you. You can choose your area of emphasis be it animation, concept art or comics and work backwards from there. Find the best illustrators in your specialty and research where they went to illustration college. Additionally, some of your most beloved illustrators may also be professors and that can help your decision of which illustration college is the perfect fit for you as you can have the opportunity to study directly under their tutelage.

The best illustration colleges are not exclusive to the North Eastern part of the United States and its cold winters. For great warm weather and one of the best illustration colleges you can attend the Ringling College of Art and Design in sunny Sarasota, Florida. Ringling College of Art and Design was founded in 1931 by John Ringling of the Ringling Brothers Circus. This "best of" illustration college has prestigious alumni and faculty. Notable alumni include the co-founders and presidents of both Massive Black Inc. and ConceptArt.Org. Their prominent faculty includes Thomas B. Allen the Hall of Fame Illustrator.

Considering factors of faculty, location, cost and your specialty medium with help you make one of the most important decisions of you illustration career. Good luck!

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