Fine Arts

• Participating in a traditional fine arts program provides you with a background to become a successful comic book artist. Such programs provide coursework in drawing, painting, sculpture and photography. Fine arts degree programs also require the study of art history, which provides an understanding of the social and cultural conditions that inspire contemporary art movements, including comic arts. You can also register for comic arts independent study courses if the college you attend does not offer such coursework.
  
  

Comic Art

• The commercial success of graphic novels and films has prompted an increasing number of colleges to offer comic art and graphic storytelling majors, according to "USA Today." Colleges with comic art degree programs provide coursework in story boarding, comic character drawing, typography and script development. Such colleges also allow students to explore career options by providing internships with leading comic book publishers, magazines and newspapers.
  
  

Illustration and Graphic Design

• Illustration courses of study provide students an opportunity to fine-tune figure drawing techniques. Such programs, unlike pure comic art programs, do not provide in-depth coursework that expands knowledge of comic book production. Instead, they develop your skills as a strong illustrator, which could make your work stand out among the competition. Similarly, while graphic design coursework does not directly focus on comic book production, you can learn publication layout and design skills, a knowledge base you need to produce comic books.
  
  

Degrees and Careers

• Whether you earn an associate, bachelor's or master's degree in comic art or a related field depends on your desired career path. You might not need more than an associate degree if you already have ideas for comic books in progress and need additional technical knowledge to see your books to fruition. If you plan to work for a comic book media company, you might need a bachelor's degree in the field, especially if the company generally hires candidates with college degrees. A Master of Fine Arts degree helps you establish yourself as a comic arts industry expert and could help you gain employment as a college professor in conjunction with a strong portfolio.