Thesis Explorations – Entry 1 January 14, 2013
Posted by Kaleena Tucker in : Uncategorized, Unit 1 , comments closedAlthough it’s still very early in the process, I was originally thinking of topics involving branding and identity design. After visiting the SCAD online library, I was impressed with the diversity of topics and was quickly reminded of my interests in graphic design curriculum. I am currently teaching intro level design courses and can see the importance of a structured, and extensive curriculum. I see first-hand how lack of order, outdated software, and obsolete industry standards can make a huge negative impact on students. I think I’d like to dive into this a bit more as I continue to research this area.
Here is a list of Thesis files that I found interesting in the library:
- Sustainable graphic design education: building value and meaning in student learning by fostering citizenship (2010), by: Venancio A. Luz
- Speak of the devil: discussing self-taught culture’s role in graphic design (2010), by Lynn Ann Schneider
- Changing graphic design pedagogy: educator objectives, student realities, and professional expectations for twenty-first century workplace (2010), by Nicole R. Roberts
- The consummate curriculum for the undergraduate graphic design student in the United States (2011), by David Short
- Culturemarks: brand imagery as an American visual language (2011), by Elizabeth S. Heywood
- Style for the sake of substance (2012), by Judson Prescott Hermans
- Spontaneus: leveraging ubiquitous computing to create dialog in public space (2012), by Phillip Mark
These are a few (very rough) areas that I’d like to explore (so-far):
- The design educator’s challenge to stay ahead in an ever-changing field.
- How important is graphic design curriculum?
- Can enthusiasm and passion be taught in graphic design?
- Developing a curriculum for an ever-changing field.
- Technology vs. Conceptual thinking. Which is more important to teach young designers?
- How to teach problem solving to design students?
Unit 1 Part 1 – Socially Motivated Typography September 15, 2011
Posted by Kaleena Tucker in : Unit 1 , comments closed
Designer’s Couch (http://designerscouch.org/view-collection/Type-Served-IV-69-Inspirational-Typography-138) is a cool website that houses a collection of inspirational typography, among other things. That site is where I discovered the UN’s 2015 Millennium Campaign to End Poverty. A detailed viewing of the campaign can be found here: http://hyperakt.com/work-detail/167 . The work was created by ad agency Y&R and is a good example of a socially motivated typographic design solution because it connects with its viewers on two levels: macro and micro. On the micro level, it appeals to our intellect. Repetition of people is used to build each letterform – creating visual texture and tonal qualities, as well as building the foundation for the idea that it takes people from all round the world to make a difference.
It is at the macro level that we are able to understand the “Make It Happen” message that Y&R Design Director, Greg Crossley developed. In red, words like: “Eradicate,” “Achieve,” and “Make” connect emotionally with the audience. They are all verbs, suggesting action on the part of the viewer.
The emotional response that we might have is probably due to the fact that at the core of this message is an uncomfortable truth. The truth is, the fight to end poverty is often a cause that we excuse ourselves from participating in because we don’t always see it in our neighborhoods. And without it staring at us in our face, we are blissfully blind to its existence in our larger communities and beyond our borders. This campaign tells us in a direct way that we cannot simply be idle. We must act if there is ever going to be a difference.
A dynamic sum of its parts – both in message and execution, the typographic solution presented in this campaign is hard to ignore.