FULL PROGRAM IN ILLUSTRATION/COMICS 2026/27
Head of Department: Daniel Lima, Madalena Parreira
Full three-year program dedicated to the development of technical and artistic skills in Illustration and Comics, understood as graphic and narrative areas of thought and expression. In addition to the core subjects – illustration, comics, drawing, graphic workshop – the complete course covers several specialized, technical and theoretical areas, essential to the development of a substantive and versatile graphic culture as well as autonomy in the creation and production of originals, books and editions.
Options of further development: Advanced Project in Illustration/Comics; Advanced Course in the Visual Arts or other.
Teachers: Daniel Lima, Madalena Parreira, Amanda Baeza, André Pereira, Tiago Baptista, João Carola, Inês Machado, Ana Braga, Teodora Boneva, Carolina Celas, Nuno Saraiva, Catarina Lente, Pedro Moura, Jorge Nesbitt, Margot Vilaça, Marcelo Costa, João Miguéis, João Catarino, Mariana Pita, Catarina Sobral, Tiago Guerreiro, Tiago Albuquerque, Francisco Sousa Lobo and Constança Arouca
Fee 10 x 230€ + 200€ (Enrolment) + 10,70€ (Insurance) (for enrolments until 15th september)
Admission No requirements. By order of enrolment.
Program Training program in Illustration and Comics where drawing and printing play a crucial role. Participants will develop their capacity for graphic expression through exercises that relate word and image. Concentration skills will be developed through exercises in observation drawing.
Disciplines
Notes
Materials not included, More information in the Student Guide:https://arco.pt/site/en/student-guide/enrolment-and-fees
Fee 10 x 230€ + 200€ (Enrolment) + 10,70€ (Insurance) (for enrolments until 15th september)
Admission Illustration/Comics 1 or equivalent training. Portfolio presentation. Interview.
Program Medium duration exercises aimed at the development of a personalized graphic expression through the systematic use of both analog materials, such as gouache, watercolor, Indian ink, etc., and digital programs (Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign). Development of a small individual project in Illustration and Comics.
Disciplines
Notes
Materials not included, More information in the Student Guide:https://arco.pt/site/en/student-guide/enrolment-and-fees
Fee 10 x 230€ + 200€ (Enrolment) + 10,70€ (Insurance) (for enrolments until 15th september)
Admission Illustration/Comics 2 or equivalent training. Portfolio presentation. Interview.
Program Developing personal projects with orientation in the form of practical classes; development of the students’ skills in specific areas, such as digital illustration, children’s illustration, storyboard, etc.
Disciplines
Notes
Materials not included, More information in the Student Guide:https://arco.pt/site/en/student-guide/enrolment-and-fees
Price 450€ + 45€ (Enrolment) + 6€ (Insurance)
Admission Interview
Schedule Tuesdays from 15h00 às 17h30
Type occasional
Program
On-campus classes
Illustration exercises meant to strengthen the formal strategies of image construction. Resorting to the technique of silkscreen reproduction students will plan, structure and finalize a publication with graphic unity.
In the context of this course Level III students will have a more individualized approach to the work proposals.
This course includes the Political Cartoon workshop.
Teachers
Price 130€ + 13€ (Enrolment) + 1,80€ (Insurance)
Admission No requirements. By order of enrolment.
Schedule Fridays from 14h30 to 17h
Type occasional
Program
On-campus classes
The workshop aims at producing graphic materials by using some of the traditional techniques of Scientific Illustration (graphite on paper and polyester, watercolor on paper, watercolor and graphite, India ink on polyester and scratchboard).
Teachers
Workshop: Books, Authors, Editors & Publishers
Date 30 Oct, 27 Nov and 18 Dec 2026; 29 Jan, 26 Feb, 19 Mar, 30 April, 28 May 2027 (once a month)
Price 25€ + 1,80 (Seguro) por sessão
Schedule Fridays rom 10h30 to 13h
Type annual
Program
On-campus
Guest artists, editors and cirtics with experience in the filed of Illustration, Comics and Publications.
Notes
Teachers
Drawing for Illustration and Comics
Date 27 Nov 2026 to 5 Feb 2027
Price 220€ + 22€ (Enrolment) + 6€ (Insurance)
Admission No requirements. By order of enrolment.
Schedule fridays from 14h30 to 17h
Type occasional
Program
On-campus classes.
Intensive course in observation drawing with an emphasis on the techniques used in Illustration and Comics. Students will work with materials such as India ink, gouache, watercolor and acrylic paints.
Teachers
Price 110€ + 11€ (Enrolment) + 1,80€ (Insurance)
Schedule Mondays 15h to 17h30
Type occasional
Program
This workshop proposes the creation of an illustrated mini-encyclopedia (Minipedia) from A to N, based on the fictional categories of the Chinese encyclopedia, fruit of Jorge Luis Borges' imagination, entitled ‘Celestial Emporium of Benevolent Knowledge’.
We elaborate a series of 14 illustrations through logical disagreement exercises that promote a playful relationship between text and image.
Participants will end the workshop with a paginated and photocopied edition of their Illustrated Minipedia.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Teachers
Illustration/Comics Workshop – A Visual Expedition
Date 19 Feb to 16 Abr 2026
Price 220€ + 22€ (Insc) + 6€ (Seg)
Schedule fridays from 14h30 to 17h
Type occasional
Program
On-campus classes.
Creation of a piece to be shown in a group exhibition, opening possibilities for object-books and installations. Image, text and material will be worked as a whole while exploring a personal visual space/universe.
Taking as a starting point the analysis of an artistic work with which the participant identifies him/herself (film, book, painting, sculpture, etc.) a Visual Archive/Notebook is developed as a basis for the exploration of the theme, your Space.
Questions are suggested (for instance: what does my space look like? What exists there? Who inhabits it? How is the weather in my space? What does one hear in my space? What does one feel in my space?) in order to trigger answers, more direct or more metaphorical. These answers are registered in the Notebook and feed the exploration of that Personal Visual Universe.
Teachers
Price 220€ + 22€ (Enrolm) + 6€ (Ins)
Schedule Tuesday from 10h30 to 13h
Type occasional
Program
On premise classes.
Workshop dedicated to the creation of original scripts. Adapting texts to the specific languages of Comics or Illustration. Examples of the history of script in the graphic arts. Narrative construction techniques with simple structures that emphasize visual articulation.
Teachers
Price 550€ + 55€ (Enrolment) +6€ (insurance)
Admission Interview
Schedule Thursdays from 15h to 17h30
Type semestrial
Program
On-campus classes.
Various exercises explore the adaptation of short texts to the language of Comics. Students will develop a personal project with the teacher’s orientation.
In the context of this course Level III students will have a more individualized approach to the work proposals.
Notes
Teachers
Children’s Literature Illustration Workshop
Date 13 Oct 2026 to 26 Jan 2027
Price 260€ + 26€ (Insc) + 6€ (Seg)
Admission No requirements. By order of enrolment.
Schedule Tuesdays from 18h to 20h
Type occasional
Program
On-campus classes.
We will explore aspects of graphic expression and its relationship with the word which are specific to Illustration within the context of children’s literature. Practical exercises in editorial illustration for children and in the illustrated album.
Teachers
Workshop in Creative Writing: from Aesop to Brian Bilston
Date 16 Oct to 18 Dec 2026
Price 200€ + 20€ (Enrolment) + 6€ (insurance)
Schedule Wednesdays from 18h00 to 20h00
Type occasional
Program
On-campus classes
Creative writing workshop applied to the picturebook. Participants will carry out practical exercises in creative writing, or writing and illustration, and learn techniques to unblock writing.
The motto for this workshop is found in short texts that will be read in class: from Aesop's fables to the surprising poems of Brian Bilston, by way of Mayakovsky's children's books, The Characters, by Theophrastus, or A Book of Nonsense, by Edward Lear. An approach to these and other texts will help to recognize the mechanisms of narrative and writing, serving as an inspiration to the students.
At the end of the workshop, students are expected to hand in a final work where they put into practice the knowledge acquired.
Teachers
Advanced Seminar in Illustration
Date 27 Jan a 19 Jun 2026 *
Price 4 instalmentsx 175€ + 70€ (Enrol) + 4,50€ (Ins) ou 700€ + 60€ Enrol) + 2,50€ (Ins)
Admission
Submission of portfolio and/or selective interview (Pdf with 10 images and short bio, up to 8Mega) to secretaria@arco.pt by January 20th.
Admissions after the start of the course are exceptional, by interview.
Schedule Tuesdays and Fridays 18h to 21h30h*
Type occasional
Program
The Advanced Seminar in Illustration aims to consolidate technical and artistic skills in Illustration.
The structure of the seminar is based on the realization of a medium-term project of an illustrated album, oriented towards the possibility of editing and with direct monitoring by the editor André Letria / Pato Lógico
The program includes creative writing sessions, project layout, illustration techniques and technologies and individual tutorials.
Notes
*Session dates :
Jan
3ª feira • 27 Jan
6ª feira • 30 Jan
Fev
3ªf eira • 3, 10, 24 Fev
6ª feira • 6, 13, 27 Fev
Mar
3ª feira • 3, 10, 17 Mar
6ª feira • 6, 13, 20, 27 Mar
Abr
3ª feira •7, 28 Abr
6ª feira • 24 Abr
Mai
3ª feira • 5, 26 Mai
Jun
Última aula - 6ª feira • 19 Jun
Teachers
Price 180€ + 18€ (Insc) + 6€ (Seg)
Schedule Tuesdays from 15h to 17h30
Type occasional
Program
On-Campus classes.
History of satirical drawing from the 18th-Century onwards. Studio: the formats, the various materials and the support surfaces. Political cartoon up to the present day (national and international).
Teachers
Price 130€ + 13€ (Enrolment) + 1,80€ (Insurance)
Schedule Tuesdays from 1830h to 20h30
Type occasional
Program 5 sessions - stripped of any prejudice. Preliminaries: the Crazy Horse in Paris, as firm as the Eiffel Tower. Guided tour to a bar in the Intendente neighborhood: Pompei and the Pigalle right next door. The making of a short erotic story: from idea to live model drawing. Setting up the striptease show with a special guest.
Teachers
Price 220€ + 22€ (Enrolment) + 6€ (Insurance)
Schedule Tuesdays from 18h to 20h
Type occasional
Program
On-campus classes.
Introduction to the work of contemporary illustrators and Comics authors, allowing for an approach to the historical and formal contents of both Illustration and Comics. The course is constituted by small specific formation units..
Teachers
Workshop: Illustration Portfolio
Date 6 May to 17 Jun 2027
Price 110€ + 11€ (Enrolment) + 1,80€ (Insurance)
Schedule Thursdays from 18h00 to 20h00
Type occasional
Program
On-campus classes.
How to build a simple portfolio for the Illustration job market. The digital formats. Managing social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.). Managing the photo sharing apps (Flickr, Instagram, etc.) and video sharing apps (YouTube, Vimeo, etc). Building a Blog (Blogger, WordPress, Tumblr, etc) and a microblog (Twitter, etc)
Teachers
Illustration workshop: final artwork
Date 10 May to 7 Jun 2027
Price 110€ + 11€ (Enrolment) + 1,80€ (Insurance)
Schedule Mondays from 18h to 20h
Type occasional
Program
On-campus classes.
From the thorough discussion and manipulation of an image or sketch until the creation of a final artwork, the workshop aims to familiarize participants with the demands inherent in the collaborative work between the artist and his editor.
Participants will use multiple digital editing and compositional tools. Photoshop will help to obtain an image for a specific editorial purpose.
Notes external participants must bring portfolio.
Teachers
