graphic design
School of Visual Communication Design
In the ages of Ferdinand Magellan and Marco Polo, explorers set out to span distances unimaginable to the populous. Whether charting vast oceans or emerging landscape, they carried with them the prospect that, upon their return, the world as they knew it would change. The stories they would tell, the information they would relay and the places they would depict had the potential to expand the realm of possibility. In this spirit, space travel has redefined our contemporary idea of what is possible. Will people one day travel to and live on Mars? What will this mean for the human experience?
At a packed house on Nov. 30, 2016, graduate students in the School of Visual Communication Design's Master of Fine Arts program hosted a gallery opening showcasing their work on Surveys, an exhibit inspired by #NASA_Orion Spacecraft Program. The design exhibition immersed visitors with the goal of challenging people’s thoughts, feelings and perspectives of space travel. Divided into three specific installations, Surveys presented a variety of media including archival video, documentary audio, and found objects. The exhibition was on display in late November and early December in the main gallery of Kent State University's Art Building. #journeytoMars
"It's been a whirlwind semester for this team of eight graduate students, culminating in one amazingly immersive exhibition comprised of three parts: “Place into Words,” a video/audio installation in which multiple persons describe "the most beautiful place is..." while we see videos of Earth juxtaposed with footage of the Mars landscape, “The Overview Effect," a custom-built wall that invites visitors to peer at videos through dome-lenses and see perspectives of Earth from space, and “The Human Factor," an environment showing the passage of time when a family member is away on a space mission for a long period of time," shared VCD Assistant Professor Jessica Barness.
The student team included Jordan A. Kauffman, Alex Catanese, Alan Walker, Zuzana Sue Kubišová, Omari Abijah Souza, Joshua Bird, Erica Lull and Cassandra Reese.
Aimee Crane, a 2012 MFA alumna from the School of Visual Communication Design, is a designer at NASA and served as the group's point person on the project and the go-between with NASA.She was at the gallery opening, along with a few NASA colleagues. Check out the video showcasing the event, and watch for more from Crane on her professional work on the NASA Orion team.
Reduced tuition rate available for those who sign up by April 15
Kent State University’s School of Visual Communication Design will host its annual pre-college design academy, Inspire, which explores all areas of graphic design, from June 20-24. During Inspire, students engage in projects combining basic research tactics, brainstorming and creative thinking, while they envision, innovate and experiment. Working in the disciplines of print design, three-dimensional design, interaction design, photography and illustration, attendees collaborate with other creative students.
During this weeklong college preparatory program, students will work with nationally recognized faculty and select graduate instructors; access the School of Visual Communication Design facilities, including computer labs equipped with design software and the historic Type High Press; gain insight into college life, expectations and demands; meet and collaborate with other creative students; learn about future career opportunities from current design professionals; and exhibit their work in a gallery reception for friends and family at the end of the week. Students can participate in daytime-only sessions or day and overnight sessions.
Inspire provides a unique opportunity to get a head start and an introduction to design, while experiencing college. Inspire is for high school students and incoming college freshmen – a great opportunity to meet future classmates before entering college.
A parent whose son participated in the design academy last year shared this comment: “I wanted to tell you what an impact the Inspire camp had on my son. He loved it and enjoyed all of the experiences with various media across the week and the interaction with other participants. Most importantly, we feel he was actually ‘inspired.’ He wants to pursue graphic design at Kent State, which he fell in love with.”
Visual communication design at Kent State is one of the largest and most comprehensive in its course offerings in the United States. The program is nationally recognized for its outstanding quality in design education. Alumni work appears regularly in design exhibitions and in published annuals of regional, national and international competitions. Kent State’s School of Visual Communication Design is a nationally recognized program in design education.
Those who register for Inspire by April 15 will receive a reduced tuition rate. Slots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Assistant Professor Jillian Coorey and Associate Professor Gretchen Rinnert, both in the School of Visual Communication Design, are the faculty directors of the program. For more information, applications and pricing, visit http://vcd.kent.edu/inspire. Contact inspire@kent.edu with questions.
For more information about Kent State’s School of Visual Communication Design, visit www.kent.edu/vcd.
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Photo Caption:
Students attending Inspire, Kent State University’s Design Academy, work on their individual graphic design projects before joining their peers for a brainstorming session. During Inspire, attendees learn about print design, three-dimensional design, interaction design, photography and illustration.
Media Contacts:
Jennifer Kramer, jlkramer@kent.edu, 330-672-1960
Emily Vincent, evincen2@kent.edu, 330-672-8595
College of Communication & Information
The School of Visual Communication Design (VCD) at Kent State University will host its annual pre-college design academy, Inspire, which explores all areas of graphic design, from June 20 – 24. During Inspire, students engage in projects combining basic research tactics, brainstorming and creative thinking while they envision, innovate and experiment. Working in the disciplines of print design, three-dimensional design, interaction design, photography and illustration, attendees collaborate with other creative students.
During this week-long college preparatory program students will work with nationally recognized faculty and select graduate instructors; access the VCD facilities including computer labs equipped with design software and the historic Type High Press; gain insight into college life, expectations and demands; meet and collaborate with other creative students; learn about future career opportunities from current design professionals; and exhibit their work in a gallery reception for friends and family at the end of the week. Students can participate in daytime only sessions or day and overnight sessions.
Inspire provides a unique opportunity to get a head start and an introduction to design while experiencing college. Inspire is for high school students and incoming college freshmen—a great opportunity to meet future classmates before entering college.
A parent whose son participated in the design academy last year shared this comment: “I wanted to tell you what an impact the Inspire camp had on my son. He loved it and enjoyed all of the experiences with various media across the week and the interaction with other participants. Most importantly, we feel he was actually "inspired." He wants to pursue graphic design at Kent State which he fell in love with.”
Visual communication design at Kent State is one of the largest and most comprehensive in its course offerings in the United States. The program is nationally recognized for its outstanding quality in design education. Alumni work appears regularly in design exhibitions and in published annuals of regional, national and international competitions. VCD is a nationally recognized program in design education.
Those who register for Inspire by April 15 will receive a reduced tuition rate. Slots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, applications and pricing, visit http://vcd.kent.edu/inspire. Contact inspire@kent.edu with questions, and for more information about Kent State’s School of Visual Communication Design, visit www.kent.edu/vcd.