Animation & Illustration Certificate of Achievement

The Certificate of Achievement in Illustration and Animation provide students with a strong foundation in visual storytelling, drawing, and digital media. Through a sequence of hands-on courses, students learn essential skills in traditional and digital illustration, character design, and introductory animation techniques. The program emphasizes practical, project-based learning and helps students build a beginning portfolio suitable for entry-level creative work or further study in related fields. Students benefit from supportive instruction, access to industry-standard software, and opportunities to develop their artistic voice within a collaborative community college environment.

Illustration & Animation AA and Certificate

Annual Capacity and Estimated Completers (Once Fully Established)

REQUIRED CORE (Capacity Context – Not Bottlenecks)

ILLUSTRATION EMPHASIS:

ANIMATION EMPHASIS (Primary Bottleneck)

ELECTIVES (Supportive Capacity)

Summary of Estimated Annual Completers

Completer projections are based on annual capacity in required emphasis DMA courses (annual seats = sections × cap), multiplied by a conservative 20–25% program completion yield to account for non-program enrollees and typical stop-out/attrition.

1. Create original visual work that demonstrates foundational skills in drawing, visual storytelling, and digital illustration using traditional and industry-standard tools.
   

2. Apply introductory animation and character design techniques to produce short narrative or concept-driven motion projects.
   

3. Develop a beginning professional portfolio that demonstrates technical proficiency, creative problem-solving, and an emerging personal artistic voice suitable for entry-level work or transfer.

The Animation and Illustration REQUIRED CORE - 12 units                                                            

ART006 - Design Principles in 2-Dimensions - 3 units                                                                        

ART007 - Design - Color - 3 units                                                                        

ART014 - Drawing - Beginning- 3 units                                                               

ONE of the following courses                                                               

ART015 - Drawing - Intermediate- 3 units                                           

ART005 - Life Drawing - Intermediate- 3 units                                                   

EMPHASIS - 6 units                                                           

Illustration Emphasis                                                          

Complete the following number of units: 6                                                           

DMA020 - Introduction to Digital Illustration- 3 units                                         

DMA021 - Digital Illustration - Intermediate - 3 units                                                         

Animation Emphasis (Total 6)                                                           

DMA031 - Introduction to Animation - 3 units                                                    

ONE of the following courses:                                                            

FTV010 - Introduction to Cinema Studies - 3 units                                                              

FTV013 - Screenwriting: Beginning - 3 units                                                       

THEA001 - Acting 1              - 3 units                                  

ELECTIVES - 6 units (may use any course not used above)                                                          

DMA009 - Introduction to Digital Design - 3 Units                                                             

DMA010 - Graphic Design - Beginning - 3 Units                                                

DMA011 - Graphic Design - Intermediate (Being Revised) - 3 Units                                                 

DMA032 - 2D Animation - 3 Units                                                      

DMA033 - 3D Animation and Modeling - 3 Units                                                               

DMA040 - Motion Graphics - 3 Units                                                  

DMA100 - Design Bootcamp - 1 units                                                 

DMA101 - Adobe Illustrator Bootcamp - 1 units                                                 

DMA102 - Adobe Photoshop Bootcamp 1 units                                                   

DMA103 - Portfolio and Publication Bootcamp - 1 units                                                     

DMA110 - Digital Illustration Bootcamp - 1 units                                               

DMA120 - Animation Bootcamp - 1 units                                                            

DMA130 - Digital Textiles Bootcamp - 1 units                                                    

The proposed Associate of Arts and Certificate in Illustration and Animation directly supports Solano Community College’s mission and master planning goals by expanding access to high-quality, career-relevant and transfer-oriented education in the visual and digital arts. The program aligns with the College’s emphasis on student success, workforce preparation, equity, and responsiveness to regional needs, as articulated in the Solano Community College Educational and Facilities Master Plans and also aligns with the college’s mission,, to educate a culturally and academically diverse student population, helping them achieve their goals.

This program strengthens Solano College’s curriculum offerings by building upon existing coursework in digital media, illustration, and animation, creating a cohesive pathway that leads to a defined credential. The structured sequence supports students who seek entry-level employment in creative industries, transfer to four-year institutions, or further skill development in emerging digital media fields. By formalizing this pathway, the program improves completion rates, clarifies educational goals, and supports guided pathways initiatives outlined in the master planning framework.

The proposed program is consistent with the objectives of California community college education by emphasizing project-based learning, portfolio development, and access to industry-standard tools, while remaining accessible to a diverse student population. The curriculum reflects statewide priorities for career technical education and transfer preparation, in compliance with Title 5 requirements.

Regional demand for visual communication, digital content creation, and animation skills supports the need for this program within Solano County and the greater Bay Area. The program is designed to complement existing offerings at neighboring colleges by focusing on foundational illustration, character design, and introductory animation, rather than specialized or upper-division training. This ensures the program meets local workforce and transfer needs without causing undue competition.

The Illustration and Animation program will be subject to Solano Community College’s regular program review process, including consultation with faculty, administrators, and advisory partners as appropriate. This ongoing review ensures that curriculum, facilities, and equipment remain aligned with institutional goals, accreditation standards, and evolving industry practices.

The program primarily utilizes existing facilities, classrooms, and digital media labs, along with currently available industry-standard software. Any future equipment or facility enhancements will be addressed through established planning, budgeting, and review processes, consistent with district and state guidelines.

Overall, the proposed program advances Solano Community College’s master planning priorities by expanding educational opportunity, supporting workforce development, strengthening transfer pathways, and responding to documented community and student interest in illustration and animation.

 Educational Master Plan Goals, and this Certificate

This updated AA and CTE Certificate option support the educational master plan of our college in multiple ways.

GOAL A: DEVELOP WORKFORCE-READY CAREER AND TECHNICAL GRADUATES

C.2 Align curriculum with that of feeder high schools.

Currently our graphic design course, Introduction to Digital Design, is articulated at 5 different high schools in the Solano County. The schools are all listed below:

Vintage High School

New Technology High School

Buckingham Charter

Benicia High School

Vanden High School (Introduction to Animation, most recent articulation, started in 2024)

Students who take the aligned course at their high school, and register as students at Solano College, are able to receive college credit for Introduction to Digital Design, which is our feeder course into the program, and a pre-requisite, in our new revision, to Graphic Design 1. 

C.5 Create and provide students with model pathways to guide them to program

Completion.

This certificate’s updated requirements will better facilitate program completion, by ensuring that students have access to the courses in a clear pathway, allowing them to take all classes in sequence.  

Colleges within Solano Community College’s service area offer related coursework in art, design, and digital media; however, existing programs differ in structure, emphasis, and pathway clarity.

Diablo Valley College (DVC) offers programs in art, digital media, and graphic design that support transfer preparation. These offerings are comprehensive but require students to navigate multiple discipline areas to complete lower-division preparation.  See catalog pages in Attachments. 

Napa Valley College offers programs in art and graphic design. While animation coursework is available, it is offered as an elective rather than as part of a defined animation or illustration-animation pathway, limiting structured preparation for students seeking this focus. May Jong was consulted as to our pathway as well, and wrote "Napa does offer Animation, but it is an elective, not a degree. "

The proposed Illustration and Animation AA and Certificate at Solano Community College differ by providing a clearly defined, integrated pathway that combines illustration, character design, and introductory animation within a single award structure. This approach improves access for local students, supports guided pathways, and reduces the need for extensive cross-district commuting.

UPDATE: 3/10/2026: Santa Rosa College:

This certificate was returned to drafts due to a concern with similar offerings at Santa Rosa JC.  We consulted Rachel Smith, Director of Workfore Programs and CE Grants, on March 5. Clay Atchison, Faculty in the 3d Modeling and Animation Program at SRJC, wrote the following: "The proposed program appears to focus on 2D Animation in contrast to SRJC's 3D Modeling & Animation program.This doesn't seem to me to be an undue concern, and I'm happy to see a nearby college offering such a program!"

Faculty Brian Antonson, Faculty in Film and Media Arts Production, wrote: I don’t have see any issues from Film & Media Arts side of things.  We are doing almost entirely all live action in our productions, so Illustration and Animation is related but a different thing.  We do offer courses in Screenwriting, Cinema Studies, Performance, etc, like you are offering in your major.  But I don’t think that is what you are talking about."

Faculty Communication and Collaboration -

In February 2026, Solano College faculty consulted with Joanna Denning (Diablo Valley College) and May Jong (Napa Valley College) regarding program alignment and student pathways. These discussions focused on lower-division curriculum comparison and opportunities for students to complete required coursework across campuses when needed. Both faculty expressed interest in continued collaboration to support student transfer and degree completion. Input from these conversations informed the design and sequencing of the proposed program. May Jong has also joined our Solano Digital Media Arts Advisory Committee. 

Regional Need and Justification

While neighboring colleges offer related coursework, no nearby institution provides a consolidated illustration and animation pathway serving Solano County students. The proposed program expands regional capacity, improves equity of access, and complements existing offerings without causing undue duplication or competitions. 

Transfers

Transfer preparation is an important component of the Illustration and Animation Associate of Arts and Certificate program. While not a required part of the pathway,  the curriculum emphasizes foundational skills in drawing, visual communication, digital media, and introductory animation that align with lower-division preparation for transfer to four-year institutions offering programs in design, art, animation, and related fields.

The program maintains professional relationships and ongoing dialogue with faculty at UC Davis, which offers a strong design program, as well as San José State University and California State University, Sacramento. These relationships support curricular alignment, informed advising, and awareness of evolving transfer expectations.

In addition, the program is guided by an advisory panel composed of alumni and educators, as well as professionals and community members  from a range of institutions and professional backgrounds. Advisory input helps inform curriculum development, portfolio expectations, and student pathways, ensuring that coursework prepares students for successful transfer as well as entry-level professional opportunities.

Students are encouraged to work closely with faculty and counselors to identify appropriate transfer pathways and to develop portfolios that meet the expectations of receiving institutions.