VCD Program Highlights
Here you will find information about recent activities of Purdue's Visual Communication program, including faculty and student news, and events.
Typography Contributions
Onur Fatih Yazicigil, VCD MFA 2019, has been making notable contributions to the design world as a typographer. Some of his recent noteworthy projects include: Kit Rounded / Sans (Darden Studio, NY, Adobe Fonts, 2023), a typeface system that shifts the norms of designing rounded typefaces based on conventional sanserifs. The typeface is available on Adobe Fonts; Pergamon, The Typeface & Book (2023), another typographic project. The book is available from Katherine Small Gallery in the USA and Yem Publishing in Turkey; and Arabic Typography: History and Practice (2022), a book on Arabic Typography, which delves into its historical practices with foundry type as well as contemporary digital practices. The book is available from Niggli Verlag in Switzerland and Homer bookstore in Turkey. In 2011, he co-founded ISType and served as a board member at ATypI from 2013-2019. He has also given lectures on various typography topics. Typography serves as a vital communication tool in design and contributes significantly to visual communication and branding. Congratulations, Onur!
MFA Student Wins International Color Design Scholarship Competition
Stevi Eggers, Interior Design MFA, 2022, was selected as the Inaugural Color Design Scholarship Competition winner, held by the International Association of Color Consultants/Designers (https://www.iaccna.com). The winning project titled “Rooted In Friendship” was inspired by a world that longs for calm and renewed connection, explains Stevi. In her essay, she wrote that “the multi-hued color palette intends to balance the past two years of political, social, medical, and economic chaos.” The work was part of the AD612:Color Theory course with Prof. Petronio Bendito and consisted of a two-part essay and color project to support knowledge and understanding of color and its application. Congratulations, Stevi!
VCD MFA Student Receives Awards in Mobile/Web Application, Social Responsibility, and Green Message
HyoSun Ko, VCD MFA, 2021, won the Silver Award in Mobile/Web Application Design for The Bean app at IDA2021 International Design Awards held by Farmani Group, Los Angeles, USA (Faculty Advisor: Prof. Petronio Bendito). Her graduate project, ”DODO_Do now, do together” (Faculty Advisor: Prof. Li Zhang, chair). was selected as one of the winners in Social Responsibility at C2A_Creative Communication Award 2021, and also won in Green Message from 51st Annual UCDA Design Awards 2021_Print and Digital Competition. Congratulations, HyoSun!
VCD Outstanding Senior and Sudler Award Nomination
The VCD faculty meets annually to nominate qualifying students for the Art and Design Outstanding Senior Award and Purdue Sudler Award. During the occasion, the VCD Outstanding Senior is selected. To qualify, students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above, have an exemplary design portfolio, and demonstrate engagement and leadership skills. We congratulate these students for their outstanding commitment to their studies, design, and vision:
Hannah Wolfinbarger: VCD 2020 Outstanding Senior and Art and Design Outstanding Senior winner.
Sara Lewandowski: VCD 2020 Sudler Award Nominee.
Excellent Design Awards: Assistant Professor Hyungjoo Kim
Two posters by Assistant Professor Hyungjoo A. Kim are on display at the highly competitive Nanjing International Peace Poster Biennial 2019. The posters Humanity: Making A Big Heart and One Color as Two, North and South received Excellent Design Awards. The jury members comprise of award-winning international designers: Kan Tai-keung (Hong Kong, China), Finn Nygaard (Denmark), Ahn Sang-soo (South Korea), Oded Ezer (Israel) and Fang Cao (China). The exhibition is on view from December 13, 2019 through May 13, 2020. Congratulations, Professor Kim!
Top 20 Best Visual Communications Degree Programs 2019
The Graphic Design Degree Hub produces an annual ranked list of Graphic Design schools and programs nationwide. The ranking takes into account graduation rate, student to faculty ratio, tuition rate, accreditation, and rankings. Purdue VCD ranked #7 on the list!
Visual Communications Design 2019 Senior Exhibition
Take a look at the installation of the VCD Senior Exhibition – Class of 2020. For additional photos, including the reception, visit us on Instagram.
Newell Brands recognizes VCD alumni with 2019 Process Impact Award
VCD Alumni, Daniel Ellrich, received Newell Brands’ 2019 Process Impact Award during its annual design day and awards ceremony. Daniel told us: “I think I heard the word process in VCD classes 500+ times, but I’m glad I did. (…) Hopefully, this serves as some form of validation for you as it did for me. Yay, Purdue VCD.” Congratulations, Daniel! We are proud of you and wish you continued success. https://www.newellbrands.com/our-brands
Purdue Conference of the Future
VCD faculty and graduate student projects were exhibited at Purdue Conference of the Future. The conference was part of Purdue University’s 150th anniversary and took place at the Honors Hall, between September 26-27, 2019.
Music Vision and User Experience Design: Chinese-style electronic music visualization project explored graphic design, dynamic graphics, and music to comment on the relationship between Chinese and western culture (Fanfei Zhou, VCD MFA, 2019) and UX project exploring AR (Augmented Reality) designed to break restaurant paper menu language barriers (Di Wang, VCD MFA, 2019). The works were presented by Professor Li Zhang.
ArtWaves: The interdisciplinary neurofeedback UX project is an experimental interactive system that examines the relationship between brain signals, computing, design, visualization, and visual expression. This project was conceived by Petronio Bendito, Associate Professor of Visual Communication Design and computer scientist Tim Korb, former Assistant Head in the Department of Computer Science, both at Purdue.
VCD Student Wins 2018 Graphic Design Academy Award
Fanfei Zhou, VCD MFA, 2019, won the Excellence Award in students' group at CGDA2018 Graphic Design Academy Award Competition held by China Graphic Design Association. The Second CGDA2018 Graphic Design Academy Award is designed for students, recent graduates and professional teachers at art institutions in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, the Asia-pacific region and the world and received a total of 1,408 entries from many countries and regions. Congratulations, Fanfei!
1st Wednesday @ Noon: Li Zhang: Design Discovery
VCD Student Wins 2017 Sudler Prize & Graphis Award
Congratulations to Megan Morris, a senior in the School for Visual and Performing Arts for winning the 2017 Sudler Prize, Purdue University’s most prestigious undergraduate award in the Arts. Megan is majoring in Visual Communication Design and minored in both Dance and Anthropology. She interned with Purdue Convocations this year and was also Director of the X Works Dance concert. Her student work was awarded a Silver Medal from Graphis “New Talent 2017” (Faculty Advisor: Professor David Sigman). Based in New York, Graphis is an international publisher of books on communication design and promotes the best graphic design, advertising, photography and art illustration worldwide.
VCD Student Wins ADDY Awards
Zoe Lang, VCD student (Class of 2017 Candidate), won two Student Gold ADDYs and the Student Best of Show ADDY from the American Advertising Awards for her Submerge package design and campaign. She also took home a Student Silver ADDY for her Mixology iPhone Wallpapers poster design. The Mixology design also received the Design and Juror awards in the 2017 Undergraduate Exhibition. Ms. Lang thanks all her VCD Professors, especially Petronio Bendito and Hyungjoo Kim. The faculty is very proud of her many accomplishments. Congratulations, Zoe!
Color Expressions | Exhibition
Prof. Petronio Bendito curated Color Expressions (March 7-April 22, 2017). It features artworks from Purdue Galleries Permanent Collection and works on loan from the Roberts family and Purdue Special Collections. In conjunction with the exhibition, VCD students are designing apps to enhance the experience of gallery visitors.
Good News: National Ranking
We are happy to report: Joel Ebarb , Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and International Programs, delivered some good news (09/22/16): "Purdue’s national ranking for undergraduate teaching is #13 in national universities (N = 310). We’re keeping some good company and should celebrate. As I learn more and more about the faculty in our college and our communal efforts to deliver an outstanding educational experience to all students at Purdue, I know we are an important part of what makes our university great. Thank you for your continued commitment to undergraduate education. (Note: They only display the top 20, and the methodology is based on a reputational effect as reflected by college presidents, provosts and admissions deans.)"
Gold Awards: Professor David Sigman
The poster that Professor Sigman designed for the Contemporary Dance Company’s Spring production Spring Dance Works was selected for publication in both the 2017 Graphis Poster Annual and 2017 Graphis Design Annual (Photography provided by Mark Simons from Purdue University’s Office of Marketing and Media). The Graphis Annuals are ranked among the top international design publications.
Graphis Poster Annual 2017: 96 posters were selected for Gold Awards from the 628 posters published in the 2017 Annual.
Graphis Design Annual 2017: 119 designs were selected for Gold Awards from the 1002 designs published in the 2017 Annual.
David Sigman shared his work and ideas during the 1st Wednesday@Noon lecture series (see video) on April 6, 2016 in The Patti and Rusty Rueff East Gallery, PAO Hall, Purdue University. Check it out!
Creative Challenge International Exhibition
The Creative Media Contents Education Program at Keimyung University, South Korea, hosted the 'Creative Challenge,' an International exchange exhibition (Dec 2015). It featured student and faculty works from Coventry University (UK), Keimyung University (South Korea), MICA - Maryland Institute College of Art (USA), Purdue University (USA) and SVA - School of Visual Arts (USA). Current and recent VCD students Zoe Lang, Jordyn Nott, Liz Quick, Nancy Sells, Jimmy Zubik had works exhibited in the show. A full-color catalog documented the exhibition at the Geukjae Art Museum, in South Korea.
VCD Student Receives Three Addy Awards
Lindsay Courtney, VCD student (Class of 2015), won the Gold Addy by the American Advertising Awards for her sustainable packaging project. She also entered two professional works into the competition and was able to take home a Silver Addy for logo design and a Gold Addy for Integrated Branded Content. Ms. Courtney remarks that the guidance she received from VCD Professor Li Zhang was "a huge inspiration" in the design process of the sustainable packaging project. Congratulations, Lindsay!
The Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Design
Petronio Bendito, Associate Professor of Art and Design in the Visual Communication Design program, contributed to the recently published (November, 2015) The Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Design, which "provides a comprehensive guide to design, with entries on key topics in the history and theory of design, addressing a range of design forms including graphic, textile, furniture, metal, ceramic, fashion, stage and film, vehicle and product design, as well as national histories of design and key design movements. It provides up-to-date peer-reviewed coverage of the last 250 years of design history, with global coverage by leading international design scholars and design historians."
VCD Rankings
According to Graphic Design Degree Hub, The visual communication design program at Purdue ranks among the top 20 programs in the nation (2014). For a full list of the top 20 programs, visit its website. The site also remarks that Purdue University is ranked as one of the top 25 [currently 21] public universities in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report." Purdue University offers world-class education to our students. Animation Career Review lists VCD in the Top 25 Public Graphic Design School Programs in the US (2015). For the full list and an explanation of ranking criteria, visit their website.
Social Issues Poster International Exhibition
2nd Purdue University International Student Poster Exhibition: This exhibition challenged students to research social issues and produce a poster design addressing it. The exhibition enabled students to use their poster designs as a visual voice for their researched social issue. The works selected for recognition have very strong visual messages and impacting meaning, which commands attention and a call to action for the social issue it represents. September 21 – October 9, 2009.
Adi Goodrich Interdisciplinary Workshop
Visual Communication Design students participated in a cross-disciplinary workshop in the Rueff Galleries titled “How To See” with Adi Goodrich - renowned designer for Target, Apple, Wieden + Kennedy, Adult Swim, Saatchi & Saatchi, Michel Gondry, Toyota, RCA, Sony Music, Nickelodeon, and more. The workshop allowed students a resourceful opportunity to interact with a practicing design professional and learn new design methods.
College of Liberal Arts / For the Honor: Li Zhang
"Li Zhang, Professor in the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Visual and Performing Arts and chair of the Department of Art and Design, was named an endowed honorary professor in the School of Art & Design, Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, China. Li was also named an honorary professor in the School of Design, Art & Media, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, China. She will work to strengthen our institutional connections and facilitate collaborative research and other activities of mutual interest."
College of Liberal Arts / For the Honor: Petronio Bendito
"Petronio Bendito, Associate Professor of Art and Design in the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Visual and Performing Arts, was an invited speaker and panelist at Designing Soul, a global conference on color and materials design held at Aalto University in Helsinki, Finland. Professor Bendito presented on "The Future of Digital and Physical Design Dynamics"including aspects of his research projects "Natural Disaster Color", computational color design, and color algorithms alongside other artists and designers from a multitude of fields and businesses, including Nike, Patagonia, and Microsoft."
Art and Science Exhibition
The Intersection of Art and Science: Merging Reason and Emotion through Mathematical and Computational Thinking. The exhibition features works from an international community of artists who combine mathematical and computational thinking with artistic and creative reflection in their work. September 14 – December 22, 2017. Co-curated by Visual Communications Design professor, Dr. Petronio Bendito and Dr. Tim Korb from Computer Science. Students in VCD will be using the exhibition as a platform for learning opportunities. Activities will include: app design, websites, writing, and more. [learn more]
Type Directors Club Exhibition
The Type Directors Club selected works from six VCD students for its annual exhibition (2005) of typographic excellence in New York: Anastasiya Arkhipenko, Rachel Bosley, Chase Campbell, Eric Grzeskowia, Jennifer Neese, and Nick Vandeventer.
Motionary: Kinetic Typography
The Motionary showcases Purdue VCD student works. Students studied Lakoff & Johnson's metaphor theories presented in "Metaphors We Live By", researched and created animated metaphors primarily with type. The Motionary received the "Best 2D Gesture Award" (2003) by the IDEAS festival and was presented at SIGGRAPH (2004).
Interdisciplinary Faculty Collaborations
The online exhibition "A History of Concert Dance at Purdue University 1931-2011" includes the collaborations between the Dance Division and Visual Communications Design Faculty: Li Zhang, David Sigman, and Petronio Bendito. To view the online exhibition click here.
