Graphic Design
see some student work from graphic design here
Graphic Design is a dynamic, rewarding and challenging discipline to study. Marshall University’s Art and Design Department empowers students interested in the graphic arts with the skills and context needed to flourish in a globally competitive marketplace. With one foot in the traditional arts and one in the chosen field of emphasis, students work in an engaging environment where technical and conceptual problems are continuously presented before them. Through the practice of solving these problems, students develop their own individual strengths, gain social and historical context, make connections between disciplines, as well as develop a personal portfolio of work.
Students can choose between three areas of emphasis: Print Design, New Media, and Illustration. In all of these emphases students are provided with industry standard equipment, software and techniques.
Marshall University’s Graphic Design faculty recognizes the notion of the “citizen designer” in the their pedagogical practice. Whether it is in the form of advertising, news, entertainment or art, Graphic Design has a powerful effect on the way the public is aware of their political and social environment. As a result, student work constantly explores this responsibility of artists and designers to affect change in the world in which they produce work and live.
Graphic Design is an ever-expanding field that encompasses a vast array of ways to present audiences with information. Correspondingly, media technology is constantly proliferating, and as it does, the demand for designers who create content for that media is constantly expanding. Students studying today can choose to work in publishing, merchandise marketing, signage design, web design, motion graphics design, animation, as well as many other multimedia possibilities. As such, a designer’s most valuable assets are versatility and the ability to adapt to change. Graphic Design students in Marshall University’s Art and Design Department acquire these abilities and combine them with their prowess at solving problems inside a contextual framework. This is where creativity and innovation emerges, and it’s what makes this work so rewarding.
Equipment and software avialable to MU Art & Design students:
- 25 Apple iMacs (20" displays, 2GHz Intel Processors, 180GB HD, 2GB RAM)
- Adobe Creative Suite 3 (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash, Dreamweaver)
- Quark Express
- Final Cut Express HD
- 5 Canon ZR 700 DV Camcorders
- 1 Canon XH-A1 High Definition Camcorder
- 44" HP Ink Jet Printer
- 2 18" Canon Ink Jet Printers
- 1 HP Laserjet Color Printer
Click here for the current open lab hours.
Please feel free to contact any of the graphic design faculty with any question you might have about our program or the discipline itself. We’d be happy to hear from you.
Graphic Design Faculty:
Mary Grassell
Hayson Harrison
Brent Patterson
Gallery of Graphic Design Student Work
Graphic Design Courses
art 219 Computer Skills for Art. 3 hrs. I or II.
This course introduces the computer as a creative and practical tool for artists and designers. Vector, raster, editorial, multimedia and presentation graphics software will be included. Conceptual design will be emphasized. (PR: ART 214)
art 312 Graphic Design: Studio Skills. 3 hrs. I or II.
Practical studio skills: Typography, application of design principles in print and digital media, and introduction to the computer as a design tool. Also, the designer’s relationship to clients and other professionals. (PR: ART 219)
art 314 Graphic Design I. 3 hrs. I or II.
Sign combinations and visual structure, in relation to meaning of visual messages. Assignments include posters, advertising, information design, and corporate identity. Introduction to materials and procedures in the design process. (PR: For art majors -Sophomore standing, ART 214 and 312. For JMC majors - JMC 241, MKT 341)
art 316 Graphic Design II. 3 hrs. I or II.
Applies the use of type and images to design for advertising, editorial, or instructional purposes. Involvement with extended design and layout problems. (PR: ART 219, 314)
art 317 Illustration. 3 hrs. I or II.
Conceptual and technical development of illustrations for editorial and advertising purposes. (PR: ART 218, 255)
art 318 Art and Design for Web Sites. 3 hrs.
This course will focus on the art and design considerations of creating dynamic interactive websites. Adobe Creative Suite 3 will be utilized to deliver multimedia over the internet through a web browser. (PR: ART 316)
art 445 Graphic Design for Corporate Identity. 3 hrs. I or II.
Application of graphic design, including typography, photography and illustrations in developing and implementing identity systems. (PR: ART 316)
art 453 Electronic Media in the Visual Arts. 3 hrs. I or II.
Hands-on experience with digital image-making. Survey of recent developments in imaging technology. Topics will include 3D imaging, interactive video/audio, and projected media. (PR: permission of instructor)
art 454 Designing for Multimedia. 3 hrs. I or II or S.
Current topics and techniques in multimedia design. Topics include dynamic animation, integrated digital video and sound, interaction design, information design, website design and advanced image processing. (PR: ART 316 or permission of instructor. Basic knowledge of current graphics software)
art 475 - 479 Advanced Studio Sequence. 3; 3; 3; 3; 3 hrs. I, II, S.
To be used to complete studio specialization and may be repeated. By permission only.
art 489 Graphic Design Portfolio. 2 hrs.
This course will cover the preparation of a professional graphic design portfolio for presentation upon graduation. Included will be a resume development, printwork, and multimedia components. (PR: ART 316 or permission of the department)
art 490 Apprenticeship/Field Training. 1 hr. I, II.
Student is placed in a supervised work situation, offering the opportunity to perform professional design work. This will include 160 hours during the semester.
art 491 Graphic Design Workshop. 3 hrs.
Students in the workshop will engage in actual design problems with non-profit groups or small businesses to gain graphic design experience. (PR: Permission of the department)
The complete BFA curriculum checklist is here.