Visual and Digital Arts
Program Details
Humber’s Visual and Digital Arts diploma program offers you the opportunity to develop a well-rounded skillset applicable to a broad range of visual arts disciplines. At the Art Commons, Humber’s dedicated art facility, you will learn to plan and produce effective visual material and facilitate modes of interactive expression and communication.
Using state-of-the-art software and tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere, you will develop skills in painting, drawing, illustration, digital art, photography, video and installation art. While honing your artistic abilities, you will gain knowledge about anatomy, colour, composition, figurative expressions and art history. You will apply your skills and learn to create traditional and experimental fine art projects. Throughout the program, you will participate in collaborative projects with your peers, gain opportunities to exhibit your work, take part in installations and join in critiques. With its focus on experiential learning and critical thinking, this program is an excellent launching point for more advanced creative pursuits.
Current students, please make sure to review your MyHumber Academic Progress report to confirm which courses you should register into for your Winter semester. Courses with in-person requirements will likely also have online components. Humber may need to change plans for in-person learning, subject to government and public health directives and/or additional health and safety considerations.
Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:
Produce creative life and representational drawings and paintings, illustrating volume, proportion, perspective, mass and texture with descriptive lighting.
Create representational digital drawing, paintings and illustrations, using application software such as Photoshop, Illustrator and Painter.
Assess the artistic merit of artwork using an analysis of the creative application of established principles of design and composition.
Construct pictorial compositions using visual perspective to achieve accurate proportional relationships.
Light compositions to reveal three-dimensional form.
Create figurative pictorial compositions, using principles of human and comparative anatomy.
Critique technical principles of composition in representational drawing, painting and illustration, through analysis of rendering.
Prepare and present a traditional and creative art portfolio containing both original work and computer generated reproductions.
Research and create reference materials to support successful completion of a work of art.
Reproduce, with fidelity, colour as encountered in nature, mixing traditional and digital media.
Develop a career plan and self-promotion skills suitable to the digital media industry, using materials such as a résumé, cover letter, contact list, e-portfolio.
Develop and present a digital art project proposal and manage the project, using effective oral and written communications skills.
The Humber Advantage
The newly constructed Humber Art Commons was designed to foster creative collaboration and experimentation. The flexible space allows Art Foundation students to conceptualize, create, and exhibit work all in the same place.
Launched as a live lab, the Art Commons building provides students with a creative space to explore and discover new techniques. Located at Lakeshore Campus on Lakeshore Blvd, the building acts as a hub for art students. The open concept allows for a modern studio space flooded by natural light. The space has been modelled on the general concept of transformability. Four large multi-purpose rooms on two floors can be turned into any kind of collaborative space depending on need.
Take a 360 degree tour!
For mobile and tablet users, open the video in the YouTube app. For optimal viewing experience use Firefox or Chrome. Currently Safari does not support 360 videos.
Watch the video and discover how Noni Kaur inspires her students to think outside the box and create more than what they think they are capable of.
Watch the video to find out how Humber prepared Mac for the professional aspects of being an artist.
Watch the video to discover how the Visual and Digital Arts program at Humber helps students explore their creativity and express their ideas.
Watch the video to see how the In Situ event was an immersive and interactive evening that showcased music, photography, performance, dance, improv, mime, spoken word, mural and graffiti art, installation art, design and more by some of the GTA’s best emerging artists!
Expert Faculty
Visual and Digital Arts professors are accomplished artists, designers, entrepreneurs and art historians. They represent the full spectrum of creative career paths available to students upon graduation. Program co-ordinator Cole Swanson is an interdisciplinary artist who has been featured in gallery exhibitions, residencies, and festivals on four continents. Professors include Noni Kaur, Marc Colangelo, Golboo Amani, Steven Cober, Eva Kolcze, Neil Harrison, John Stuart, Carolyne Topdjian, and Tobias Williams.
Marc Colangelo
Your Career
Although the Information Age has created an explosion of career opportunities for visual and digital artists, the competition is keen. It is an exciting career that encompasses creativity, challenges, new insights and dynamic ways of critical thinking. But employers agree: professional drawing and painting skills reinforced with fine art principles and critical-thinking skills will distinguish an applicant from the crowd.
Enjoy exciting entry-level positions in the visual, graphic and media arts industry with your newly acquired skillset. Use your creative and technical skills as an illustrator, contemporary artist, concept artist, advertising layout artist, storyboard artist, digital illustrator, visualizer, artist representative, gallery or artist supply assistant, graphic artist, photographer’s assistant, or art teaching assistant. Be self-employed as a freelance artist, illustrator or art instructor in an arts and crafts association or organization. Many of our graduates also pursue higher education within media studies and the visual arts, given that they will be equipped with a comprehensive portfolio to showcase their acquired skills.
Related Programs
Program Availability
Assembling Your Portfolio
Watch the video to learn some useful tips on how to assemble a portfolio for the Visual & Digital Arts program application.
Creative Arts & Design Success Stories
A Q&A with Kait Rak
Wed, January 27, 2021
Kait Rak graduated from Humber’s Photography program in 2013.
Young Lion Reflects on the Ad Industry and Humber Experience
Wed, January 27, 2021
Ellen Porteous is a 2017 graduate of the Bachelor of Creative Advertising and is currently working as a copywriter at boutique agency, Abacus.
No news at this time.
Faculty of Media & Creative Arts News
Maria Saba Wins 2020 Writers-in-Exile Scholarship
School for Writers
Mon, October 26, 2020
Meet thethe recipient of the 2020 PEN Canada-Humber College Writers-in-Exile Scholarship, Maria Saba.
Industry Insights – Three Questions for Three Leaders
Tue, October 20, 2020
We spoke with three industry professionals and heard their thoughts on how the industry is changing and what students can do to keep up and stand out.
No news at this time.
Every attempt is made to ensure that information contained on this website is current and accurate. Humber reserves the right to correct any error or omission, modify or cancel any course, program, fee, timetable or campus location at any time without prior notice or liability to users or any other Person.
On October 21, 2019, the Provincial Government of Ontario announced the renaming of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU). Both names may appear on this website.
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HOW TO APPLY
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
EQUIPMENT & DEVICE REQUIREMENTS
FEES & SCHOLARSHIPS
PATHWAYS
CONTACT US
Post-Admission Requirements
Once you have been accepted, and have confirmed your offer, you may need to complete a further set of requirements related to your program (Post-Admission Requirements).
Equipment & Device Requirements
| Details and Specifications | Minimum Specs | Recommended Specs |
| Processor | Laptop - Intel i5 (Quad 4) | Laptop - Intel i7 (Quad 4 or higher) |
| OS | Windows 10 or Mac OS | |
| Memory | 16GB RAM | |
| Storage | Hard drive 250GB | SSD (Solid State Drive) preferable |
| Other | Tablet, Creative Cloud software licensing, Art Supplies - Cole Swanson working with supplier to see if a kit can be created for purchase |
Contact Information
If you have questions about these Equipment & Device Requirements contact:
Cole Swanson, program co-ordinator
416.675.6622 ext. 3505
cole.swanson@humber.ca
Fees
The 2020-2021 fee for two semesters was:
- domestic: $6,615.32
- international: $15,874.00
Fees are subject to change.
Fees by Semester
Domestic Fees International FeesAdditional Costs
Approximately $750 - art supplies; $230 – $350 - digital tablet (for third/fourth semesters); access to a digital camera (third semester).
Scholarships
Humber Scholarships
Find out more about scholarships and bursaries that you may be eligible for, visit Student Scholarships.
Humber Bursaries
Bursaries are available for Certificate, Diploma and Degree programs primarily based on financial need, visit Humber Bursaries.
External Awards, Bursaries & Scholarships
Find out more information about external scholarships and bursaries, visit External Awards.
Indigenous Student Awards, Bursaries & Scholarships
Humber offers a variety of bursaries and scholarships for Indigenous students, visit Indigenous Student Awards.
Pathways
Pathways are academic routes that students can take to move from one credential to another.
PATHWAYS OUT TO ANOTHER PROGRAM:
TO A PARTNER INSTITUTION
Bachelor of Applied Management
Graduates of any two-year diploma program at Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, who have attained a cumulative grade point average of 70% or greater will be eligible to enter year three of the four-year Bachelor of Applied Management (BAM) at the University of New Brunswick, Saint John.
Depending on the diploma program, students may be exempted from study in certain courses and therefore, requested to take alternate courses offered by the Faculty of Business.
Please note: Admission to the academic programs listed is at the sole discretion of the partner post-secondary institution. Please contact the institution for detailed admission requirements.
For more information please contact: admissions@unb.ca.
How to Apply
Applications to Humber are made through ontariocolleges.ca. Be sure to submit your application by the equal consideration deadline of February 1. You may apply after February 1, however, post-February 1 applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis depending on the availability of the space in the program. To check program availability refer to the Campus/Availability listing on Humber's program pages or ontariocolleges.ca.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
If you’re an international student, you can apply directly to Humber via our International Centre.
