Overview The future is a mysterious place. And, sure, it’s hard to prepare for the unknown. But one safe bet is to see yourself in the future doing what you love. Figuring out if you love art and graphic design is on you. Doing it well is where we come in.
We start by giving you a steady diet of art and design. We don’t believe in putting off the courses and opportunities you want. Jump right in and take studio arts and design classes, become a member of our highly active Graphic Design League, or join the design staff of one of our great student-produced publications. At Lasell College, this interactive approach is called Connected Learning. Whether you’re interested in majoring in Graphic Design or minoring in Graphic Design, Photography or Studio Arts, we leverage every opportunity to make each lesson relevant to the real world. Read more about how we do this in the following pages. Also, be sure to check out the student profiles for just two examples of how our students are ready to charge into the future with all the skills, and heart, they need.
Graphic Design
Graphic Design The whole world is pictures. This is truer now than ever before. Think about how often we encounter images, and therefore design, in our daily lives — from printed material, to billboards and signage, to our tablet screens, computers, and phones — even the dashboards of our cars. As imagery continues to play such an important role in our lives, it’s not hard to see how graphic design skills are increasingly valued in the job market. The opportunities come in a variety of flavors: publication design, print design, interactive and UX design, motion graphics, web design, and the list goes on. With Connected Learning as a guiding principle, you begin a hands-on pursuit of these opportunities from day one at Lasell College. Your first semester will be mostly art and design courses, and it just gets better — with classroom projects that result in portfolio pieces, internships, collaborations with real world clients, and staff opportunities for POLISHED and TARNISHED magazines. Yes, you’ll be making plenty of pictures. But start with this one: picture your future as a successful graphic designer.
Graphic Design Minor
Graphic Design Minor Whether you intend to put your design skills to use in your non-design classes or work closely with graphic designers in another profession, a minor in Graphic Design is a good idea. With just six courses, you’ll be able to walk the walk with some real skills using industry standard tools like Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator. You’ll also be able to talk the talk after learning the basic principles of design and color. Courses include Imaging for Graphic Design, Graphic Design I, and Typography I. You can also choose from a variety of electives in areas such as digital photography, interactive design, and publication design. Set yourself apart from the Photoshop novice or that guy taking pictures with his phone and posting them on Facebook. Ask a department faculty member about getting started on your Graphic Design minor.
Minor
Photography
Photography Minor Why not build upon all those likes your photos are racking up on Instagram? You’ve got a great eye and excellent timing, a strong sense of composition. But you also rely on auto-settings and a lot of luck. Time to take control of the camera so you can produce awesome images under any circumstances. Photography is not only a great art form on its own, it is an incredibly powerful ingredient in Graphic Design. Photography Minors experience a variety of approaches through courses in Fashion Photography, Art Photography, Photojournalism and photography specifically for use in your designs. Ask a department faculty member about getting started on your Photography minor.
Minor
Studio Arts
Studio Art Minor Maybe you’ve been drawing and painting your whole life. Why stop now, even if you’re a Sports Management major? Or maybe you’ve never sculpted a cathedral out of wire, or printed an image from something you carved into linoleum, but you’re all about giving it a try. The fact is, having art skills is great for making art, but it’s also valued in other disciplines. Employers (and, yes, Sports Management professors) know that making art encourages creativity, and creativity is one of the most sought after qualities in every profession. At Lasell, you can walk away with a minor in Studio Art after taking only six classes. These classes are roll-up-your-sleeves, hands-on classes, like Studio Drawing or Painting. There’s also some Art History, so you know where art has been, and an art principles course, so you know how to take it to new places. Ask a department faculty member about getting started on your Studio Art minor.
GDL
Graphic Design League Lasell College’s Graphic Design League (GDL) was formed in the fall of 2005 to encourage a spirit of unity, collaboration, and professionalism in Lasell’s graphic arts community. GDL promotes connected learning experiences for students on campus, and beyond. Here are some of the activities that GDL engages in:
Building Community By Design Typeface: New Caledonia Medium
• Real client-based design opportunities • Design and production of POLISHED & TARNISHED Magazines • Gallery exhibitions • Visiting artist series • Networking opportunities with graphic design professionals
Typeface Designer: William Dwiggins Color: Pantone 179C, Black & White Web Color: ff6633
Some of the benefits of becoming a member of GDL are: • Accelerates learning through peer collaborations • Single source for graphic design career opportunities • Raises the bar on professional standards • Helps you to build a better portfolio and resume
Visit us at: www.GraphicDesignLeague.com
This version has the letterforms with a 3 pt stroke for use when a small logo is required
Awards
Publication
Student Publications Print is ALIVE & WELL! Marketing campaigns that have a balance of social, digital and print assets are the most effective. POLISHED and TARNISHED Magazines are two of Lasell College’s premier publications — written, edited and produced by students. Year after year they are recognized by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) for excellence in a variety of categories. CSPA accepts thousands of submissions from schools across the country, and our students are regularly honored with Silver and Gold Circle awards for writing, layout and photography. Visit us online at: www.PolishedFashion.com and www.GraphicDesignLeague.com
Student Profile Joseph Santoro is a student designer who has an advantage. He learned early that a graphic design project evolves from good to great by integrating thoughtful typographic solutions with imagery that commands attention and successfully delivers a message.
Joseph Santoro How have your courses helped you identify the area of design that most interests you?
Being able to take a variety of classes helped me identify the areas of design that interest me the most, which for me are typography and web design.
What has been your favorite Connected Learning experience as a design student at Lasell College?
I’ve gotten the chance to be a part of several reallife design projects, some of them being contests for cash prizes, and others being opportunities with organizations and clients, such as the Room 40 Group and the Cambridge Police Department — all of which made excellent portfolio samples.
Has the program’s relatively small class size (in student numbers) been a benefit to you as you progress through the program?
It’s great because it gives our professors the time to get around to everyone in class when you’re not sure how to do something. Also, you get to know the other students in the class — making for easier critiques, which are important for the development of successful designs.
What do you see yourself doing in three years and how has the program prepared you for it? A lot can change in three years, but I know that I’ll always have the tools and skills to design in the future.
Promotional poster design by Joseph Santoro
Student Profile
Grace Tweedie Do you work outside of the classroom as a designer?
Yes! It’s really important to do work outside of the classroom to develop your own style. You have more opportunities to discover what it is you really want to accomplish as a designer. Class assignments offer experiences that strengthen your skills, but client-based projects make better portfolio exhibits. Either way, it is important to let your true creativity shine through in every challenge you take on.
Grace Tweedie combines two of her major interests — graphic design and fashion styling — any chance she can. Her design work offers a great example of how adaptable a career in graphic design can be. She brings her love of photography as well as her ideas for typography and visual composition to every fashion shoot she directs.
How can you get the most out of your experience here?
Be involved! The Graphic Design League and POLISHED Magazine are two great student-lead organizations at Lasell. Joining them will strengthen your design skills and help you to grow as a designer. Not to mention you will get a lot of great pieces to add to your portfolio. You get the chance to work with clients, art directors and other designers. Take leadership! There is a wide variety of student leadership roles that offer you great experience and a nice head start in the industry.
Can you tell us what you are currently working on?
I’ve always loved fashion, which is the reason I originally came to Lasell College. Very soon after I arrived, I declared myself as a Graphic Design major and couldn’t be happier with that decision. I realized I could be a graphic designer within the fashion industry and get the best of both worlds. Working as a designer and assistant art director for POLISHED Magazine helped me develop my current dream to be an art director of a fashion magazine.
POLISHED Magazine feature layout design by Grace Tweedie
Contact: Prof. Ken Calhoun at KCalhoun@lasell.edu or Prof. Stephen Fischer at SFischer@lasell.edu
1844 Commonwealth Avenue Newton, MA 02466 Tel: (617) 243-2000 www.Lasell.edu