Integrating theory into illustration education: an interdisciplinary approach enhanced by artistic research in Istanbul

Abstract

Focusing on the roles of theoretical engagement and artistic research in illustration education, this article presents a case primarily based on an undergraduate illustration course in the Media and Visual Arts Department of Koc University. Authored by the instructor of the illustration course and a former student in the course, this article provides insights on theory's potential to stimulate illustration processes. In addition, it expands on this topic by carrying out eight structured interviews with instructors at other universities to contextualize the case study in relation to current illustration education in Turkey. This study deliberates on the innate presence of theory in illustration, the ways that theoretical arguments may be embedded in illustration, and how a flexible approach in education may facilitate the integration of theory and illustration with a personal flare.