Comics

Master of Fine Arts in Studio, Comics

Our new Master of Fine Arts in Studio, Comics program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and innovative pathway for aspiring comic artists. Recognizing that developing narrative comics is a multi-faceted art form, the curriculum provides students with the opportunity to work across various disciplines, including painting, drawing, writing, reading, and narrative expression. Foundational Comics Seminars, combined with student-selected studio electives and faculty advisors, allow students to explore and experiment while developing their individual narrative voices and visual languages.

Drawing Outside the Lines

The MFA in Studio, Comics program leverages Chicago's vibrant narrative comics community to provide an interdisciplinary environment for creativity across the departments of Printmedia, Painting and Drawing, Writing, and Visual Communication Design. Recognizing that developing narrative comics is a multi-faceted art form, the curriculum ensures students are well-versed in various disciplines, including drawing, writing, reading, and narrative expression. The foundation of Comics Seminars combined with individually selected studio electives and advisors allows students to foster the poetic nature of comics, providing the breadth necessary for artistic development.

The program builds on existing courses in Printmedia, Painting and Drawing, Writing, and Visual Communication Design, offering a broad platform for students to launch their ideas and bring innovative concepts to life. The program is distinguished by its non-commercial, experimental approach, encouraging students to explore innovative language, multidisciplinary experimentation, and resilience. While recognizing the importance of commercial viability, the program focuses on the narrative, positioning students to develop their narrative voice in the ever-evolving world of comics.

Breadth and Depth of Study

Comic faculty teach students to investigate the relationships between idea and realization, tradition and innovation, and art and craft. Unique to SAIC, graduate students may take courses across disciplines and work with graduate advisors in any department to broaden their skills and the content of their work. Additionally, students participate in interdisciplinary critiques with panels composed of faculty and visiting artists from all fields, alternating with disciplinary critiques, allowing a broad context for critical feedback. Comics graduate students develop cohesive bodies of work, displaying well-developed content and superior technical skills for their practices.

Graduate Projects

The cornerstone of SAIC's graduate studio program is its focus on tutorial-guided studio practice. Each semester in addition to selecting from graduate advisors in the department, you will select from more than 100 graduate faculty advisors at SAIC, representing a myriad of disciplines, approaches, and intellectual positions. Ultimately, it is the student's work that drives the choice of advisor, and both disciplinary and interdisciplinary work is supported and advanced. Faculty from the academic programs in Art History, Arts Administration and Policy, Art Education, and Visual and Critical Studies also serve as graduate advisors, providing yet more expertise in support of SAIC Graduate Projects.