Illustration Faculty

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley, California, Art Practice & Eng.Lit.)

Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Massachusetts College of Art and Design (Boston, Massachusetts, Illustration)

David Ball is an illustrator and mixed-media artist based out of San Francisco. As an illustrator, he has been published by many national and international clients such as PC Gamer, Playstation, Wired, Business Week, Bloomberg Personal, Banzai, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Graffito Books and many others. As an artist, he shown extensively with galleries throughout the United States in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Austin, Chicago, New Orleans, New York.

Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

Early on, C.B. Canga discovered that a piece of paper and some crayons opened up a magical door to distant lands, and daring adventures. His passion for creating compelling images continues to this day, where he has worked for many publishing houses, magazines, and companies such as: Disney, Nintendo, Sega, National Geographic, and Scholastic, to name a few. He is best known for the award winning board game series Forbidden Island. He is always in search of intriguing concepts and stories to bring to life.

In 2002 he received his BFA in Illustration at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. A few years later he returned there to teach drawing classes in the Illustration department.

In his spare time, he likes to travel and sketch the various people and locations he stumbles across. This hobby had led to countless sketchbooks stacking up in his studio like Jenga blocks.

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, School of Visual Arts (New York, New York, Illustration)

Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Art Center College Design (Pasadena, California, Illustration)

California born Chang (b.1957) graduated the Art Center College of Design in 1981. Upon graduation he worked as a staff illustrator for Atari Inc, later working as a freelancer illustrator in Los Angeles and New York for 20 years. He transitioned to fine art painting in 2000. He is best known for his painting depicting the farmworkers of Monterey County. His painting inspired by artists of the past, such as Francois Millet who painted fieldworkers of 19th century France. He has been honored with solo exhibitions at the Monterey Museum of Art, the Butler Institute of American Art in Ohio, the NUMU museum in Los Gatos and most recently the Triton Museum in Santa Clara, Ca. His paintings have been purchased by the Monterey Museum and the Hilbert Museum of California Art for their permanent collections. He is a Signature member of the California Art Club and a Master Signature member of the Oil Painters of America. One of fifty artists to receive this honor in the US. Flesk publication published a monograph book on his art in 2012.

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

Thomas Denmark brings over 20 years of experience as a concept artist, art lead, and art director in the video game industry, having worked with renowned companies like Totally Games (LucasArts), Disney Interactive, and Electronic Arts on iconic titles such as Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance, The Sims, Disney’s Tangled, and The Godfather. His extensive illustration portfolio includes books, cards, and games for major IPs like Game of Thrones, World of Warcraft, Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and Star Wars. As the Creative Director of Night Owl Workshop, an independent publisher of books and games, and a freelance artist based in Marin, Thomas is passionate about sharing his creative expertise with students.

Education: Master of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

Angela Dominguez  was born in Mexico City and grew up in North Texas. She now resides on the east coast with her boyfriend, Kyle, and their petite dog, Petunia.

She is also the author and illustrator of several books for children including the beloved Stella Díaz series. She is a New York Times Bestseller, Sid Fleischman winner, and a two-time Pura Belpré Illustration Honoree. Her books have garnered acclaim from the New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, Best Picks from Amazon, and several State reading lists.

Her latest books include the third Lolo & Birdie book,  I Want More! ¡Quiero más!, and Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers. Gabby is Angela’s debut into the world of comics and mischief.

Angela is a proud member of SCBWI, PEN America, and represented by Wernick and Pratt Literary Agency. As a child, she loved reading books and making a mess creating pictures. She’s delighted to still be doing both.

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, Rhode Island, Illustration)

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, School of Visual Arts (New York, New York, Media Arts)

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

Education: Bachelor of Arts, San Francisco State University (San Francisco, California, Art)

Alexandria Gold is a Pacific Northwest-based artist who has been writing and illustrating children’s books for small press and educational publishers since 2014. She is also the artsy and crafty creator behind Ria Art World, a world of miniature crochet characters that aim to make her audience smile and warm their hearts. The miniature animated adventures can be followed along at @riaartworld

Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

Thomas Gronbukt has worked at the Academy of Art University for more than 20 years teaching a variety of different classes. He is a watercolor and figurative artist whose work is deeply inspired by the human form, the natural world, and a life lived in motion. As both an instructor and practicing artist, Thomas brings a unique blend of technical skill and expressive intuition to the classroom, guiding students through the nuances of watercolor and the art of capturing emotion and movement in figure drawing.

When not in the studio or teaching, Thomas can often be found scaling rock faces or exploring wild landscapes—an adventurous spirit that infuses their art with a sense of freedom, resilience, and connection to the earth. Whether working with beginners or experienced artists, Thomas creates a supportive and dynamic learning environment that encourages curiosity, confidence, and creativity.

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts, California College of the Arts (Oakland, California, Illustration)

Jorge Mascarenhas is an illustrator from Boston whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Penguin, Random House, Abrams Books, and many others across the U.S. and abroad. His art has been recognized by leading competitions including Communication Arts, American Illustration, Spectrum, and the Society of Illustrators, earning multiple awards. Alongside his illustration practice, Jorge teaches at the graduate, undergraduate, and high school levels, serves as Membership Chair of the Society of Illustrators LA, and lives in Laguna Niguel, California, with his wife and two sons.

Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts, San Francisco State University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

Julie is a native Californian, born in Palo Alto and Currently residing in Pleasant Hill, Ca. in the East Bay. She holds a Bachelor Of Fine Arts In Illustration from the Academy Of Art University. Also an AA degree from Foothill Junior College, Los Altos Hills, Ca.

Julie’s work has brought her recognition as a freelance illustrator and educator. She has designed and executed national and regional ads and promotions for major consumer packaged goods, consumer electronics as well as sports organizations. Her work has also been seen in major newspapers and magazines. She has designed and illustrated many greeting cards, wrapping paper and fabric designs. Julie has taught classes at The Academy Of Art University, College Of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, Sacramento State University and the Design School in Montreal, Canada. Julie worked for the San Francisco Chronicle, Determined Productions in SF which was a Licensing firm with the rights to do art on products for such intellectual properties as The Beatles, Felix The Cat and Snoopy among other properties. This is where Julie got the interest in Licensing her own work. She is currently represented by Art Licensing International. She has products in her Society 6 shop as well as fabric patterns in her Spoonflower shop.

Education: Master of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

Over the last twenty years George has been employed as an illustrator at American Games, creating artwork and promotional pieces for the pulltab, scratch off and lottery games they produce.  In addition to his full time job,  George has been teaching the art of Illustration to both graduate and undergraduate students for the last two decades while working as a freelance illustrator; designing t-shirts, posters, corporate logos as well as cover art for the various magazine publishers.

When he isn’t working, this father of four enjoys renovating his family’s home, and is a huge film fan.  He enjoys collecting autographed photos from the actors, directors, writers, artists and musicians whose work he enjoys.

Education: Bachelor of Arts, State University of New York at New Paltz SUNY (New Paltz, New York, Creative Writing)

During his 13 yrs. at Marvel, Carl Potts was Exec. Editor, overseeing 1/3rd of Marvel’s titles.

Top comics creators he mentored include Jim Lee, June Brigman, Whilce Portacio, Scott Williams, Larry Stroman, Jon Bogdanov, Art Adams and Mike Mignola.

When he should have been sleeping, Carl also wrote and drew comics and covers including Punisher War Journal, Venom, Doctor Strange, Prowler, Shadowmasters and Moon Knight. For Marvel’s Epic imprint, he created Alien Legion and Last of the Dragons.

Alien Legion was recently optioned by Warner Bros. for a feature film. Tim Miller is directing.

He authored The DC Comics Guide to Creating Comics: Inside the Art of Visual Storytelling.

He has given seminars on sequential visual storytelling at Princeton University, Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD), SUNY Purchase, NYU, Syracuse Univ., The Society of Illustrators, Google NY, Blizzard, Blue Sky, Ogilvy & Mather, Psyop, R/GA and School of Visual Arts

Robert Revels is a professional artist, illustrator, and senior art educator with over 25 years of experience teaching illustration, digital painting, and visual storytelling at the collegiate level. His work sits at the intersection of traditional draftsmanship, contemporary digital production, and narrative-driven design—preparing artists for both current industry demands and the evolving future of illustration.

He is the founder of 88th Fables and 88 Concepts, creative studios focused on original intellectual property, world-building, and visual development for illustration, publishing, and entertainment. Through this work, Robert remains actively engaged in professional creative practice, ensuring his instruction stays current, relevant, and aligned with real-world production pipelines.

As an educator, Robert is known for his clarity of vision, curriculum design strength, and ability to translate complex visual concepts into structured, repeatable systems. His teaching emphasizes storytelling, design intent, and artistic decision-making—helping students move beyond surface-level execution toward purposeful, professional-grade work. He brings a leadership mindset to the classroom, encouraging students to think not only as artists, but as visual communicators and creative leads.

Robert’s students have gone on to work at major studios including Pixar, Disney, Industrial Light & Magic, Marvel Studios, and other leading organizations across animation, film, games, and illustration. Many now hold senior artist and art direction roles, reflecting his long-standing focus on foundational excellence and long-term career growth.

He is particularly interested in the future of illustration education—how departments can balance rigorous fundamentals with modern workflows, emerging technologies, and original IP development. Robert believes strong programs are built on clarity, mentorship, and relevance, and he is committed to evolving curriculum in ways that support both institutional goals and student success.

Robert continues to develop original narrative projects alongside his teaching, bringing a forward-facing, industry-informed perspective into the academic environment.

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

20+ yrs. as Director and designer in brand and corporate identity

Education:

Master of Science, Ohio University (Athens, Ohio, Journalism)

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Art Center College Design (Pasadena, California, Illustration)