Designing for the changes you want to see – an introduction to advocacy and inclusive design. 

Learn how to turn text into data visualizations, by comparing two argumentative essays, using free and easy-to-use tools. Each participant will create a  sketchnote that shows the insights made through our text analysis.

W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington were famed black educators and thought leaders from the early 20th Century. They presented contrasting visions for the education of blacks in the south. W.E.B. DuBois believed that a liberal arts education was the best path to creating a flourishing future. Booker T. Washington stressed vocational and craft-based work instead, as the most practical way to move forward. In this workshop, we'll compare texts created by both authors, to see what simple, free, and easy-to-use tools can do to help us see big-picture insights into these worldviews. We'll see what's similar, what's different, what's mentioned most frequently, correlations, and storytelling arcs in the writing. We will also discuss pitfalls: what parts of verbal expression are difficult to analyze through these tools. At the end of the workshop, with guidance, each participant will make a simple sketchnote by hand that shares key insights from the workshop.

As low-budget, low-tech, author-designed texts, zines are well situated to the creative constraints of the past year. We'll dive into some of the zine projects that were born out of this time, looking at examples of digital zines, print zines, and community-based zine collaboration / swap projects that address lived experiences of pandemic life, BLM and social justice organizing, and more. We'll end by looking at a few resources to support zine-making for those interested in making their own #quaranzine.  

Image: Beyond the Sunflower Fields, a collaborative zine by the New Paltz community on living through 2020.

As students, we are taught the basic rules of Graphic Design. But what happens when we bend or even break these rules? This workshop is a chance to go beyond that we are taught to follow, while still trying to make something intriguing. We will experiment with different rules while we learn to trust our own instinct in what makes "good design". All levels of experience are welcome so if you've ever been interested in testing the boundaries of design beyond what we're allowed in class, this workshop is for you. Open to everyone, regardless of major.

Join BFA Graphic Design senior Adriana Fratini for Community Cooking: Dessert Edition! For her senior thesis project, Adriana has been running a weekly online cooking club to help students feel more connected during the pandemic and is creating a zine with all of the recipes and participant outcomes. During this event, Adriana will lead the group in making a simple but delicious dessert. No fancy equipment needed and a supply list will be provided one week prior. Bon Appetit!

Estimates, pitching, contracts, networking, clients, sub-contracting, accounting, taxes, morals, partnerships, lawyers, insurance, peers, life / work balance, equity, start-ups, etc… These are the ever-evolving elements and sometimes “chores” of being an Independent Freelance Graphic Designer.  

It’s a roller coaster ride with your feet dangling… Sometimes upside down.

This Q/A workshop will cover some small tricks and tips that alumni Rob Mostransky has personally picked up along the way upon venturing out on his own pursuit of working for himself.

This discussion-based workshop will cover best practices for job hunting and internships, putting together your portfolio, networking tips, and more! All students interested in design-related careers are welcome to attend.