What is TAD?

The Art Department has recently partnered with Aspen University to offer a 4 year BSFA degree and a 2 year AA degree, which gives us the ability to fully compete with traditional art and design schools while offering our multi-faceted delivery at a much lower cost. The non-accredited 36 month program is still being offered.

The Art Department was created in 2009 by founders of the award-winning Illustration Academy and leading art education portal, Conceptart.org. It is largely based on the track record of success and the performance model of The Illustration Academy, established in 1995. The Art Department has since become the first career-driven, virtual and real world art and entertainment development school for both digital and traditional media, designed and delivered by today's top industry professionals. The 36 month program immerses students in their chosen focus; Drawing and Painting, Illustration, or Entertainment Design 2D and 3D, guided by a faculty of award-winning artists and illustrators, and leading industry pros from the film and game industries.

Unlike other online educational institutions, all classes at The Art Department are taught LIVE, giving students an opportunity to interact with their instructors and classmates, ask questions, and participate in each lecture or demonstration in real time. Those who cannot attend live courses are able to watch in-depth class recordings, available on-demand anywhere around the world. This three-year program has an international reach, and has begun to transform the typical art school classroom environment into a real-world training ground, led by an elite team of some of the most successful artists practicing in the industry today.

For those seeking the most immersive program TAD has to offer, students may elect to participate in one of the three TAD studio locations, found in Austin, TX, Kansas City, MO, and Richmond, VA. Studio students enjoy 24-hour access to fully-equipped studio space, where they interact with their peers and instructors on a daily basis, with the potential opportunity to collaborate and receive guidance on TAD projects as well as any other personal or contracted work.

Current students and alumni of The Art Department have already made their mark on the art world, garnering awards from such institutions as Society of Illustrators, Spectrum Live and seeing their work published in magazines and galleries worldwide, and contributing their expertise to the NBA, Riot Games, and other entertainment giants. With such amazing success from our inaugural classes, we can only imagine the amazing work that our future students will generate.