Over the last decade, the illustration business has seen tremendous change not only in the way art is created but also in the way it is purchased, used and distributed. The market for illustration has become fragmented with increased competition from outside forces. The proliferation of royalty-free imagery and corporate-controlled stock has discounted work and slowed commissions for original art. With the economic downturn, many clients are freezing their spending or cutting budgets to the bare bones. Health insurance has also skyrocketed, making it difficult for freelancers who don't have the group benefits that full-time employment brings. In these uncertain times, illustrators are looking for stability-something they can grasp onto for the long term.

For the first time, many freelance illustrators are beginning to open up their minds to other options. A growing number of artists are migrating to full-time employment in the highly competitive, yet very lucrative animation and video gaming industry. Others are seeking college-level teaching as a wonderful way to not only give back to an industry that they love, but also obtain a consistent income with great health and retirement benefits. Illustrators can work while still maintaining their freelance careers. To land a tenure-track teaching position, an MFA is often required. With a family and a career, going back to school full-time can seem incredibly daunting, but today there are options.

To meet the needs of an evolving marketplace, Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford has designed an elite, limited-residency MFA program for seasoned illustrators who seek to move their careers to the next level, while earning a masters degree for college-level teaching. Although other institutions offer limited-residency MFA programs, there is only one program in the United States that is exclusively dedicated to illustration. Murray Tinkelman, renowned illustrator, historian and the 1999 Society of Illustrators’ Distinguished Educator in the Arts award recipient, is the director of this cutting-edge program. Tinkelman’s years of experience in the field are an asset, attracting internationally-recognized artists eager to teach under his directorship. “It is taught by professional illustrators who are also dedicated and talented educators,” comments Tinkelman. “The students who enter this program are equally committed to the field of illustration. They come from all over the country, courageously checking their egos at the door and ready to plunge right into the learning process.”

Hartford Art School’s innovative MFA curriculum combines traditional, time-proven philosophies of art-making and visual-storytelling with solid marketing and innovative promotional strategies. The broad range of talent that comes to Hartford to teach and share their knowledge includes: Alice Carter, Jim Carson, Vincent Di Fate, Gary Kelley, Betsy Lewin, Ted Lewin, Dennis Nolan, C.F. Payne, Daniel Pelavin, Jeff Seaver, Chris Spollen, Nancy Stahl, Jean Tuttle and, since the program's inception, I have been teaching the Promotional Strategies class. Throughout the program, students are free to work in their medium of choice and assignments are customized to meet individual career goals; self-initiation and entrepreneurship are highly encouraged. One of the first assignments incoming students encounter is to plan, execute and launch a dream project. Signature illustration for print, animation and interactive is being produced, with a high percentage of the work finding its way in the marketplace.

“I was challenged to produce some of the best work of my illustration career, while maintaining my teaching position at Savannah College of Art & Design,” says illustrator and educator Durwin S. Talon (2008 MFA graduate). “Because Murray [Tinkelman] encouraged me to pursue my dream job, I am completing my first graphic novel.” For his MFA thesis, Talon created Bonds, a story about revenge and redemption, as a three-issue, limited comic book series. The project was picked up by Image Comics and the final issue was published in June of 2009. Other work created during the program by Talon included Beautiful Scars, a collaboration with illustrator and writer Guin Thompson (2011 MFA graduate), that will be published in October 2009 by Archaia Studios Press. Currently, Talon is pitching yet another series called the Black Elephant Saloon slated to be worked on from 2010 to 2011. For each of the projects, the faculty guidance that he received-from concept to launch-proved to be instrumental in making his dream to be a comic book creator a reality.