Illustration’s Emerging Stars

In just four years, the U’s reanimated illustration program has gone from blank canvas to masterpiece-in-progress—growing from five students to nearly 60 and nurturing a new generation of visual storytellers.

“We weave illustration-specific skills with the broader art curriculum,” explains Michael Hirshon, assistant professor of illustration. “Students learn technical skills across disciplines, then focus those abilities on illustration challenges—developing concepts, telling stories, and bringing ideas to life.”

The program’s palette includes editorial illustrations, book covers, advertisements, and more. It also keeps pace with industry trends, embracing digital tools and emerging technologies. “We’re preparing students for the evolving landscape of illustration,” notes Hirshon, who has also had a successful art career, with work appearing in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and many other top-tier publications. 

Relaunched in 2020 after being sunsetted more than a decade ago, the program housed in the College of Fine Arts in the Department of Art & Art History helps students become entrepreneurs as well as artists. They engage with visiting professional illustrators and take courses to learn essential business skills like building websites, negotiating rates, and filing taxes for gig work, says Danielle Horlacher BFA’24, a scientific illustrator for the U’s College of Engineering. Recently, Horlacher’s illustrations for a study on a novel type of battery helped the research gain the cover of the prestigious Energy & Environmental Science journal. “Good illustration can bridge the gap between groundbreaking research and public and academic recognition,” Horlacher remarks.

The program helps students draw a line from the classroom to a career, adds Hirshon. “And I believe that in the world of art, creativity and practicality can make a perfect picture.”