The graphic design area offers a distinctive program in the art and practice of print- and digitally based graphic design and experimental publishing. The program approaches graphic design as a vital field of professional art practice that gives shape to culture through a variety of media, including: print and digital books, magazines, brochures, posters, billboards, motion graphics, web and interactive design, type design, exhibition design, packaging and other two-, three-, and four-dimensional manifestations While graphic design usually solves visual communication problems through words, symbols, and images, its applications can be commercial, political, educational, literary, subversive, personal, and experimental.
To prepare for the range of options in the graphic design field, the program provides a hands-on studio environment with emphasis on the marriage of formal and conceptual skills. After the freshman foundation studies, a three-year sequence of courses begins with training in fundamental principles, skills, theory, and history and progresses toward more advanced and applied applications. Experienced, professional faculty members help students find their own voice and approach to design in a facility that encompasses a broad array of print and digital technologies. The program challenges students to consider the role of the artist/designer as creative collaborator, if not the originator of project ideas.
In collaboration with the printmaking program, courses in the art of the book and experimental publishing are offered in the facilities of the School of Art+Design’s Center for Editions. The graphic design major is rigorous yet flexible and encourages overlaps with other areas in the school.
This website was created by students of Purchase College, SUNY for the Advanced Web Design: Special Projects elective in Spring 2015 under the direction of faculty member Jessica Wexler. This course brought together students from the Graphic Design, New Media and Arts Management departments to explore how the Graphic Design major can visually reflect upon itself.
Our website invites the user to play. Its palette, like the department it represents, is dynamic, changeable, changing, vibrant, bold and eccentric. The design system values multiple perspectives. It includes an editing toolbar that allows the user to change the color, logo, gradient, pattern, and content view.
The site was designed by Alex Apostolides, Brandon Shefton, Danielle Leggard, Krystalina Tom, Nicholas DiChiara, Shannen Craft, Danny Fabricant, project managed by Emily Green and developed by Corey Tegeler.
A custom content management system was designed and developed for the production of this site. Click on the link above to take a look. Though only site administrators can make changes to the site, the backend functions as an alternate display of the site's content and a transparent view of its architecture. You can also see the code here.