Kelly Murphy
Hailing from the swamps of New England, Kelly Murphy has been illustrating since graduating from RISD in 1999. She is a New York Times bestselling author-illustrator and a recipient of the E.B. White Read Aloud Award. She has notably illustrated the works of Jane Austen, Beatrix Potter, Richard Peck and Jane Yolen, created book covers for various Newbery Medal-winning novels, designed characters for the Sesame Workshop's show Esme and Roy on HBO and created award-winning art for clients worldwide. Her 40+ books have been translated into 15 languages, earning countless awards and starred reviews and getting featured on “best books of the year” lists by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, People Magazine and The New York Times. She has received awards and medals from the Society of Illustrators, the American Library Association, 3x3 Magazine, American Illustration, Luerzer's Archive, the Chicago Public Library and the Bank Street College of Education. Her illustrations have been exhibited at the Museum of American Illustration, the Gallery Nucleus, the Danforth Museum, the Sundance Film Festival and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Murphy’s clients include Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Discovery Education, Disney Hyperion, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Magnolia Pictures, Penguin Books, Random House, Simon & Schuster and the Sesame Street Workshop.
When not confined to the studio for large amounts of time, Murphy enjoys being outside as much as possible. Her favorite hobbies include gardening, birding and sail racing. She lives in Providence, RI with her husband, Antoine Revoy, and their many cherished pets.
Academic areas of interest
Concept development, color theory, story pacing and narrative development, refining pictorial mood and atmosphere, painting.
Courses
Fall 2024 Courses
ILLUS 2000-03
VISUAL THINKING
SECTION DESCRIPTION
Illustration is visual communication: meaning made visible. Visual thinking, the creative process by which all successful illustration is developed, constitutes the development of an articulate images through thorough, iterative exploration of ideas. This class emphasizes process over finish, idea over application and significance over style-exploring both ways of seeing and ways of showing. Coursework will encourage conceptual invention and application fundamental to an understanding of what the practice of illustration is and can be. The object of the course is to strengthen the students' inventive talents and interpretive skills - and thereby to augment their ability to articulate complex ideas with clarity, eloquence and power.
Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Preference is given to Sophomore Illustration Students.
Major Requirement | BFA Illustration
ILLUS 2000-02
VISUAL THINKING
SECTION DESCRIPTION
Illustration is visual communication: meaning made visible. Visual thinking, the creative process by which all successful illustration is developed, constitutes the development of an articulate images through thorough, iterative exploration of ideas. This class emphasizes process over finish, idea over application and significance over style-exploring both ways of seeing and ways of showing. Coursework will encourage conceptual invention and application fundamental to an understanding of what the practice of illustration is and can be. The object of the course is to strengthen the students' inventive talents and interpretive skills - and thereby to augment their ability to articulate complex ideas with clarity, eloquence and power.
Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Preference is given to Sophomore Illustration Students.
Major Requirement | BFA Illustration
Spring 2025 Courses
ILLUS 3616-01
ART FOR CHILDREN: BEYOND THE BOOK
SECTION DESCRIPTION
Children have an underestimated capacity to process complex stories, and are often misunderstood as an audience. Their hungry minds depend on imagery to make sense of life and to navigate through their evolving worlds. In this course, students will explore a variety of art forms destined to educate, stimulate and delight children-books, displays, characters, games. Assignments will include works for a variety of industries including publishing, advertising, gift/novelty, and focus on a range of age groups: toddlers to teens. Students will be challenged to create opportunities for discovery that are worthy of this curious and gracious audience.
Elective
ILLUS 4012-03
SENIOR PORTFOLIO
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to help students find their way to the professional marketplace utilizing the best tool available - the portfolio. Be it the freelance advertising, editorial or children's book markets, an animation or gaming studio, a publishing house, gallery or other venue, this course will introduce the components of the portfolio necessary for success. It includes development of both a traditional and online presence, discussions on specific industries, copyright issues, client contracts and pricing guidelines. Each student will create new work to augment their existing portfolio, as well as business cards, a resume, a contact list, invoice and letterhead. The course will also include visiting guest lecturers from a variety of industries. The focus will be to complete a portfolio that serves as a professional tool most suited to each individual's talent and aspirations.
Enrollment is limited to Senior Illustration Students.
Major Requirement | BFA Illustration