École Émile Cohl

Overview

École Émile Cohl is a private institution of higher art education located in Lyon, founded in the 1980s and named in tribute to Émile Cohl, a French pioneer of animated film. It has built a solid reputation in the field of narrative arts and drawn imagery.

Pedagogy and disciplines

The school's hallmark is its rigorous approach to drawing: observational drawing, life model, anatomy, perspective, colour and volume form the foundation of the early years. This academic base is then applied to professional specialisations.

The main areas covered are:

• illustration (publishing, children's books, press);
• comics (bande dessinée) and visual storytelling;
• animated film (2D and 3D);
• video games, concept art and character/set design;
• computer graphics and digital image professions.

Strengths

The school awards state-recognised diplomas (qualifications listed in the RNCP) and places strong emphasis on professionalisation: workshops, projects supervised by professionals from studios and publishing, internships, films and end-of-studies portfolios. It is regularly present at industry events (animation and comics festivals).

Good to know

Admission is based on a portfolio of personal work and an interview; a good level in drawing is expected, which explains why many candidates go through a preparatory year. As with any private institution, it is advisable to check tuition fees and the detailed curriculum directly with the school.