Become a Graphic Designer in Chicago, Illinois
Nicknamed "The Windy City", Chicago is a progressive city located on the shores of scenic Lake Michigan. Chicago is home to the American Academy of Art, which has been providing professional art education since 1923.
There are many questions you must be asking yourself about going to graphic design school. How much is it going to cost? Is financial aid available? How long does it take? What type of degree will I receive? Will I be able to find a job? All great questions and answers are available.
Below is some basic information about the American Academy of Art's graphic design program. To see if this school is the right fit for you, click on the “Request More School Info” button, fill out the short questionnaire and a representative from the school will contact you to answer any additional questions about the school, costs, financial aid and how to apply.
American Academy of Art - Chicago
332 S Michigan Ave # 3
Chicago, IL 60604
About The American Academy of Art - Chicago
The American Academy of Art focuses on important fundamentals of art as the basis of instruction. All students start with the basics of drawing, composition, linear perspective, and color theory. With this base of classical art education, the students can then progress into more technologically current areas of art.
In addition to its tradition fine arts programs, the Academy also offers bachelor’s programs in Graphic Design, 3D Modeling and Animation, Design, Illustration, and Multimedia and Web Design. Students use the classical training they have combined with technology to make their visions come alive. A lot of emphasis is placed on studio time – there is no substitute for practicing the arts. Students have ample studio time for working.
Graphic Design Program
This a bachelor’s level program, which will prepare students for work in a variety of fields, including art director, creative director, production assistant, package designer, digital layout and production designer, and more. Design students learn to develop products which target a specific audience, develop critical thinking and analytic skills, as well as the technical skills necessary for success.
Important components of the program involve learning to evaluate clients’ needs and desires and design products accordingly, as well as being able to successfully manage projects. In addition to art fundamentals, Graphic Design students work on 2D design, visual communications, electronic imaging, packaging design, web design, interactive media design, digital pre-press and production, as well as courses in humanities and science.
3D Modeling and Animation
This bachelor’s program incorporates art fundamentals, such as drawing and sculpting, and blends them with 3D digital technology to create models and animations. Students learn to plan a project from conception to completion and develop schedules to meet deadlines. This gives them a taste of real world work experience.
3D Modeling/Animation students become proficient in using camera angles, lighting, motion, digital video, and sounds to create scenes, as well as using editing skills to polish it. Classes include, electronic imaging, computer graphics foundations, 2D animation and digital video, storyboarding, figurative sculpture, 3D modeling and animation, web design, and interactive media. Students also complete courses in general education fields.
MultiMedia and Web Design
The Multimedia and Web Design program culminates in a bachelor’s degree. In this course of study, students learn to create interactive media that is targeted to a specific audience. Students work to identify a target market and develop a product for that market. All the while, meeting deadlines and staying focused is emphasized. Using industry-current technology, students manipulate images, plan layouts, and create web designs.
Courses include 2D design, computer graphics foundations, electronic imaging, 2D animation and digital video, web design, multimedia, interactive multimedia design, and more. Skills learned by students, such as applying graphic design concepts, using typography, photography, illustration, web programming, interface design, and video and animation, are geared towards preparing them for the work world and the competitive design field.
Note: All bachelor’s programs require the completion of 126 credits over eight full semesters.
Licensing and Accreditation
The American Academy of Art is in the process of becoming accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Faculty and Facilities
The faculty is one of the American Academy of Art’s best assets. They understand the ins and outs of the art world, whether it is fine arts or computer-generated arts. Studio time give students time to work and for teachers to help guide or advise them in a personal way. The Academy sets high standards for its faculty members, and most have master’s degrees. All have extensive teaching and professional experience.
The campus of the American Academy of Art is located in Chicago’s downtown, only a short distance from the Art Institute of Chicago. It is equipped with classroom space and labs, for both fine arts and digital arts. In addition, students are offered a housing program, which allows them to live with two or three roommates in a furnished apartment close to the campus. The Academy’s proximity to freeways and public transportation make it easy to get to.
Financial Aid
The Academy participates in federal student aid programs. Interested students should fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine if they meet financial aid requirements. The Academy encourages students, even before they are notified of acceptance, to speak with financial aid representatives to discuss payment options.
Going to College in Chicago, Illinois
Hog Butcher for the World,
Tool maker, Stacker of Wheat,
Player with Railroads and the Nation’s Freight Handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the Big Shoulders…
Carl Sandburg wrote those words of the great city of Chicago. It is a place that personifies strength, steel, and progress. It has the most diversified economy in the country, with strong business, finance, manufacturing, and convention sectors. Chicago is the largest city in the Midwest, and the third largest city in the United States, which contributes to its ranking as an alpha world city.
Chicago is a center of business, finance, and manufacturing. The city itself is home to eleven Fortune 500 companies, and the metropolitan area has twenty-one more, as well as twelve Fortune Global 500 companies, and seventeen Financial Times 500 companies.
But there is another side of Chicago; it is a center of culture and art. There are theaters, performing arts centers, symphonies, ballets, museums, and jazz and blues clubs. It was named the “Best Sports City” by The Sporting News in 2006. CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox each directly own and operate stations in the city, making it the third largest media market in the country, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. Students of the American Academy of Art will find this a stimulating and rewarding place to study, live, and work.
More Information
If you are interested in this program and would like to find out more, please request information from The American Academy of Art - Chicago, Illinois.
