Parsons the New School for Design, 2 West 13th Street
FIRST YEAR Image: Core Studio & Lab Time: Core Studio & Lab Creating Computing Studio Electives Critical Reading and Writing 1 & 2 Perspectives in World Art and Design 1 & 2
CURRICULUM
SOPHOMORE
JUNIOR
Interaction: Core Studio & Lab Space: Core Studio & Lab Studio Electives History of Design Introduction to Design Studies Liberal Arts Elective University Lecture Elective
Topics Studio: Interactive/Narrative/Non-Narrative Prototyping Collaboration Studio Studio Electives Art History/Design Studies Elective Global Issues in Design & Visuality: 21st Century Liberal Arts Elective University Lecture Elective
SENIOR Thesis 1 Thesis 2 Internship (fall or spring) Studio Electives Senior Seminar Advanced Art History & Design Studies Elective
Design and Technology is a program within the School of Art, Media, and Technology that builds upon contemporary design disciplines. It focuses on new media storytelling and interaction technologies, teaching students emerging design and art practices like programming, computer graphics, animation, game design, motion graphics, and physical computing. Students explore how media drive social, political, and cultural change, approach and solve real-world problems, and present new opportunities. There is no such thing as a “typical� Design and aTechnology student. It is a diverse community of independent thinkers.
JENNI MALLINEN
MEAGAN STEINKAMP
CORDARRO GORDON
So What is DT? DT stands for Design and
What would you say DT is? It’s a lot
How would you define DT? It’s all about
Technology, which is pretty self-explanatory.
like Communication Design but without
interactive technology with tedious work. It
It’s based off of learning about current design
needing to win over an audience. You’re using
can be stressful if you don’t know what you’re
methods and how to apply them to a world
a lot of the same principles
doing. It’s constant work, but the best thing
that’s become more and more tech-driven.
and programs, but not
about it is that you feel satisfied when you do
Do you like it? What I like about DT is that
constantly
to
something well. It feels right. What did you
I can do a lot of stuff that’s similar to what I
convince
viewer.
think Foundation kids are doing, especially
How
see yourself wanting to do when you
in their 2D classes. It’s still an artistic major
your first year in DT
I wanted to be a game designer, but now I
unlike the business major (Design Manage-
compare to Founda-
ment) which people get confused for some
tion students’ workloads? I think they
want to go into Communication Design. Are
do
trying the
you
think
started from where you are now? At first,
there any classes in particular you love?
reason, so it’s been good. How have you
were about the same amount of work, just
Web Design, even though I hated it. It’s the
felt about your first year? I was in a com-
a different sort. I constantly had something
hardest class I’ve literally ever taken, but so
petitive international school that followed the
to do. What do you want to do now than
IB system, so I think I was more prepared for
when you came in as a freshman?
beneficial. What
are the people
a workload than some
I came in wanting to do a lot of the stuff I
like?
other students were. I
did in my high school Graphic Design class
cool. I get along
know
says
but also not really knowing what to expect.
with
this, but it really is about
Now, I want to work in a publishing house.
though, but yeah, I’m not leaving the pro-
time
management.
I have a teacher right now who works for
gram because of the people. Why switch
That being said, I still
Random House, and listening to him talk
out? I thought it was something it wasn’t.
don’t sleep sometimes.
about what he does makes me want to do it.
everyone
They’re everyone
SPLASH PAGE
by Cordarro Gordon for his current Interaction: Core Studio class
Working For Vacation Working for vacation Walking for meditation Watching television for as long as I want People got science but makes no sense, Still can’t do anything for cutting out violence When I think of something, it goes out to space Then it comes back (to me) in another shape We know we are not apes, But we could make sweet seedless grapes Feeling wrong ‘cuz the days are too long, Counting heartbeats 72 in a minute Feeling wrong ‘cuz the days are too long, Counting heartbeats 72 in a minute
Spoon Though the water boils Don’t turn off the heat Can’t find the spoon that we once had The sugar cubes will melt no more We belong as two together We belong as two together How can you take my soul? Stop...I need a new beat Can’t find the spoon that we once had The sugar cubes will melt no more We belong as two together We belong as two together
Flowers I want certain words more than a thousand flowers
I need to talk to an ancient Egyptian to know the transcription To read the prescription for the friction we’ve got Or the options we’ll have maybe God only knows
Memory rubs in my heart like sand on my feet My heart is frozen tonite like blue coral in the sea You are my twilight though not always right You are so kind like the tide by my side Because of time we lost our pride for love I feel I’m alone again in the heat wave I wish we could meet again, You are already miles away
Moonchild Moonchild still lives in my heart. Can I ask you something? Is your life better now? Sometimes I feel you’re sitting next to me and listening to my stories Time always shows me it’s hard to understand how to be myself Moonlight dries your tears, moonlight hides your fears Sometimes I feel you’re smiling at me and telling me your memories Tide always moves fast Can you tell me how to find words inside a shell?
Lint of Love I can’t say I’m good at cleaning it, baby The lint of love, it’s made of ‘dust of confusion’ You see, the president is in trouble Every cent you make is floating in a bubble My heart’s content. I can’t find it in the Bible. Doesn’t say how to take away the lint of love I can’t help myself, I can’t help myself Human beings always hard to believe What you think is not quite alright at the other side of the nation Got two eyes, but we only got one mouth We could live, we could jive, we could live, we could jive Without the lint of love I can’t help myself, I can’t help myself
Speechless I’m so speechless...you saw me crying you’ve never known I’m so speechless...I’ll never come back to you Did you call me? Once in a week? All you wanna do is to be like a sheik Always catching girls like fishing for crawfish You won’t get a dish never, you’re just a selfish Please don’t take me to the bayou I’m not a freak I don’t wanna lose my shoes Do you? You do? I go through your taboo you do now I’m so blue Don’t make my mouth water, don’t make me want to slaughter If you give me a dishwasher, don’t clean my life with your style Cibo Matto
Stereo type a
©1999 warner bros., inc
Cibo Matto, Box 146, New York, NYC 10014-0146, USA www.cibomatto.com 9 47345-2
We can’t avoid the lint of love, And you’ve got to know how to take it awa
Art Direction by Meagan Steinkamp Design and Photography: Meagan Steinkamp
stereo type a
Cibo Matto is managed by MANAGE THIS! (Janet Billig, David Newgarden, Rod Marsden) without them we are CHOPPED LIVER.
I’m so speechless...I saw something I’ve never known I’m so speechless...I saw something you’ve never shown
Sean Lennon and Yumiko Ohno appear courtesy of Grand Royal Records John Medeski and Billy Martin appear courtesy of Blue Note Records Marc Ribot appears courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corporation
CIBO MATTO Thank you everybody who has worked on this album! Special thanks to: Mel Jones, Philomena Papirnik, Arto Lindsay, Chaki/CZA, Karin Berg, Tim Carr, Liz Penta
Sci-Fi Wasabi What’s up B? Wa-sa-bi I’m searchin’ the city for sci-fi wasabi The start button has been pushed already Obi-Wan Kenobi is waiting for me in Union Square My wheel needs repair. The bike lane’s glowing all over the city My bike “specializes” in the nitty-gritty New York City never had equality, it’s reality, economic duality Where are my amenities Tell me my sanity Ain’t no analogy for individuality, I got immunity from multiplicity That’s how we do it. We got your harmony. Where’s you’re identity? Our name is stereotype with an A I got to get the shit straight Your vision of stupidity’s made of vanity Keep your quality up in the sky
You want quantity. I want quality. How can I get up to go through this tragedy There’s no remedy in my satchel. Only some memory...I feel empty Love is like a bubble, easily breakable I can’t take this ache for my own sake I’m cutting the rope from your boat but something still sticks in my throat All songs written by Cibo Matto (© 1999 Soul Urchin Songs, BMI) except “Mortming” written by Dougie Bowne (Flying dogs, BMI), “Lint of Love” written by Hatori/Honda/Love (Soul Urchin Songs, BMI), “Sunday Part I” written by Hatori/Honda/Ellis/Lennon (Soul Urchin/Usagi Music, BMI) Lyrics Reprinted by Permission. All Rights Reserved.
Clouds I’m moving fast like clouds in the sky You can see my tears are dry You’re staying there higher in the sky 7 layers of the air
Additional engineering by: Chaki/CZA, Juan Garcia, John Riegart, Dirk Groebelny, Manny Lecuona, Mikey Bones Malak
We’ve never ever moved together yet so beautiful
printed in the U.S.A
Warner Bros. Records, Inc., a Time Warner Company. 3300 Warner Blvd.,Burbank, CA 91505-4694. 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019-6908, ©® 1999 Warner Bros., Inc, for the U.S. and WEA International Inc. for the world outside the U.S. Made in U.S.A. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. World Wide Web: http://www.wbr.com
I’m moving fast like birds in the sky You can see my eyes turn bright You are staying there further in the sky 7 layers of time I’m proving past and breaking new ground Slowly my eyes open wide You’re staying there and playing new sounds 7 layers of light
King of Silence Can take your pain away if you tear down your fortress of memory I can take your pain away, you don’t always need to be strong I can take your pain away, I know we wear different shoes I can take your pain away, barefoot we will tear the truth You are the king of silence...You don’t need one word to talk to me All I know is we have sympathy Close your eyes and lean your head on me
Produced by Yuka Honda with Cibo Matto Recorded by Chris Shaw, Tom Schick, The Butcher Bros., Martin Bisi at Magic Shop, Sear Sound, Studio 4 Mixed by Chris Shaw (1,3,10,12,13,14), The Butcher Bros. (2,4,5,6,8,9), Zak (7), Dan the Automator (11), Yuka Honda (14) Mastered by Bob Ludwig @ Gateway
There is a hole on Broadway, no control, it’s in my way I feel no goal. Where is my soul? I got no reset for this game A.O.K. gotta find an alley anyway My hair turns grey day by day Don’t erase your points, you’ve got your pace Don’t waste your days, get your innerspace Don’t give me chase, I’m at St. Marks Place Feeling Stromboli, not ravioli I’m charging my energy fresh as a daisy Biologically let your system know what’s up Here comes your twin hopper Yuka Honda knows her water - “Pass the Volvic” No wonder her fingers are smooth like butter It’s specific. No mind traffic CIBO MATTO 1999! I’m Miho Hatori straight outta purgatori Ai? Ai? Alright? I’m passing on your right Don’t be snobby with me Not aioli, surely not Moby Obi-Wan Kenobi told me in the lobby Technically I’m free and I can find the key Our name is stereotype with an A I’ve got to get the shit straight. Can you relate, my mate? Don’t be late, my gate is open Downtown still sends me up in the sky
I can take your pain away if you find a remedy in me I can take your pain away, you can take as much as you want from me I can take your pain away, we have a distance between us Sunday Part I I can take your pain away, every time we find the clue. The bomb in my heart is beating me a B note Maybe my ear dirt is cheating on me, yo ‘Cuz missin’ you on Sunday morning, I need somethin’ new It’s Sunday morning But nothing helps me... I’m just waiting for the milkman to come
Blue Train Don’t lean on me, stay on your side Don’t leave me, be by my side Ain’t no pain on a blue train Touching my skin won’t get you to my core Don’t take my seat don’t make me sore You won’t feel pain for loving me more Just sit where you can always see the door
Sunday Part II Why can’t we dance in the same groove every day? My step starts from 6 to 1, from 6 to 1, you make fun of my honesty But I think consciousness is the same in space... in space... I’m living in the second world, I’m watching, watching you from the second world Don’t complain about it, baby, I can not be perfect for you Still learning every Sunday, I just spend. I just spend...every Sunday... every Sunday
Special guests: Duma Love: vocal, percussion, beat box, turntable Marc Ribot: electric & acoustic guitar Dave Douglas: trumpet Curtis Fowles: trombone Josh Roseman:trombone Dougie Bowne: hi-hat, cymbals Sebastian Steinburg:bass Yumiko Ohno: moog, backup vocals Vinia Mojica: acoustic guitar Seqoia: backup vocals Smokey Hormel: acoustic guitar John Medeski: clavinet Billy Martin: percussion
WORKING FOR VACATION SPOON FLOWERS LINT OF LOVE MOONCHILD SCI-FI WASABI CLOUDS SPEECHLESS KING OF SILENCE BLUE TRAIN SUNDAY PART I SUNDAY PART II STONE MORTMING
I can’t find it, I can’t find it Why do I feel so lonely? I don’t know how to compromise You are my one and only. What can I find ‘til the moon rises? I feel dizzy, you’re so damn sleazy, I know you’ll say “I was busy” Baby, take me out, it’s been rained out so I run to the bank to get my cash And check our savings of love out but it’s closed on Sunday What can I say? I feel blue the rain starts soaking my shoes We’re losing glue I can’t find a clue, I’m knocking on the door Somebody is dancing on the floor, then I know the score, I can’t take it The Knicks winnin’ can’t even make me high, cuttin’ coupons for nothing I can’t find it, it’s been on my mind, I’ve been trying to find it day and night
Stone She’s got a living stone and rain in her hand She doesn’t have an umbrella to cover herself She’s got a living stone and pain in her mind All I can do is sing for her and myself I wish I can take it away to three thousand light years away Don’t be afraid, I’ll be next to you
by Jenni Mallinen for her freshman Space: Core Studio class
SEAT OF CHAIR
Miho Hatori: vocals, shaker, acoustic guitar Yuka Honda: sampler & sequencer, organ, piano, electric piano, syth, harpstichord, vocoder, vocals Sean Lennon: electric bass, synth bass, drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, percussion, synth, vocoder, vocals, 12 string guitar, delay pedal Timo Ellis: drums, bass, vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, 8 string bass, cymbal, slamming door
All songs arranged by Yuka Honda, except “Clouds” by Zak, “Lint of Love” horn arrangement by Josh Roseman
ALBUM COVER by Meagan Steinkamp for her sophomore Core Studio class
IDA C. BENEDETTO, what made you switch from Photo to
I went to college. I’m consistently appalled at what gets passed off
DT? I found the Design and Technology Department by accident. At
as social consciousness in Parsons’ classrooms. This is not strictly
The New School, I presented one of my photography projects, /From
Parsons’ fault. It’s a larger trend in design fields to peddle socially con-
One Farmer to Another: Postcards in Solidarity/, for the India China
scious jargon and promote social projects for PR purposes. Is it ever
Institute. Then chair of DT, Colleen Macklin, saw what I was doing and
hard to keep going, in terms of showing people what you see?
called it interaction design, “just not in the computer.” Her interpretation
In Guatemala, activists were eager to make use of my photos to pro-
fascinated me. We had a few conversations
mote fair trade as a solution to economic
about it, which resulted in me switching de-
disparity. I was more interested in helping
partments. What was it like switching?
them understand they were disservicing
I was in way over my head. The culture of
communities by glossing over dramatic re-
the DT Department couldn’t be more dif-
gional differences or flat out ignoring local
ferent than the Photo Department. DT was
political situations. Little I did seemed to get
messy, collaborative, and geeky. People are
the message across. So, what do you do?
compulsive creators trying new things all the time, even if it means
It’s hard to remain focused when your work isn’t doing what you want
they rarely master anything. It will take me a few more years to fully
or enticing opportunities drag you away from the work you should be
digest what I started learning in DT. That’s a great way to leave school;
doing. Keeping good record of my work and regularly looking through
still motivated to learn.You’ve participated in a variety of social
the stuff that I find rewarding is one strategy. That and being in touch
work. How did Parsons serve you in furthering your personal
with peers who support me without being afraid to criticize my work. I
interests? I was interested in social and economic justice work before
need them to hold myself accountable to my own standards.
/FROM ONE FARMER TO ANOTHER: POSTCARDS IN SOLIDARITY/ by Ida C. Benedetto
/FROM ONE FARMER TO ANOTHER: POSTCARDS IN SOLIDARITY/ continuation
This page: SANTA ANITA LA UNION Next page: /FROM ONE FARMER TO ANOTHER: POSTCARDS IN SOLIDARITY/ continuation
“The best thing I got from school was a serious updating of my goals. Now, instead of just wanting to make work like the people I admire, I want to re-purpose their insight and solutions for the different problems and situations that I am exposed to. The uncertainty of doing new work is more appealing than mimicking greatness. Before Parsons, I felt burdened by uncertainty. Now, I feel like it’s one of my greatest assets.” IDA C. BENEDETTO
Communication Design 10th floor- 2 West 13th St
COMMUNICATION DESIGN* Majors -Advertising -Motion and Broadcast Graphics -Book and Magazine Design -Package Design -Branding -Interactive design -Exhibition and Retail Design -Environmental Graphics Design
Communication Design is one of the largest departments that covers various disciplines from Packaging to Spatial Design. The Parsons Communication Design program provides students an opportunity to learn and expand their talents in the heart of Manhattan with faculty that are currently working in the design field.
Pablo Medina “Cuba” Typeface
13th St New York, NY Home Base for Communcation Design Program
*STUDENT Student Info*
William is currently a hard working junior in Communication Design. What is your main interest within the Communication Design Program? Designing Corporate Identity, web design and processing codes, for example html, javascript, etc.
WILLIAM ANDERSON*
Processing codes sounds very technical for Communication Design. People tend to think Communication Design is all about designing. However, learning how the programs work expands your ability to design, also providing various options for you when applying for a job.
Are there any courses that you enjoyed? Yes, I had a great time learning Branding and design for Corporate Identity (CI) and Packaging. Also I really enjoyed my typography classes. I even got to invent my own font, which I think is awesome. How is the workload of a junior in the Communication Department? I don’t think I have that much of a workload compared to my previous years here at Parsons. Right now I am able to manage school work, an internship and a job at the same time. Wow, That’s an awful lot of work.
It doesn’t matter which major you are in, workload mostly depends on how you organize yourself. If you are not able to manage your time you won’t be able to finish in time, which can be a problem for you as a designer. Is there any significant difference between interning and school? Through interning you get a glimpse of how the real world works. You pick up different techniques from what you’ve learned in school. Advice for students that want to major in Communication Design Try to explore museums and galleries. Inspiration is EVERYWHERE!
as much as you can; “Experience it will help you enhance yourself as a designer � - William Anderson
Q. If you could go back and give yourself advice before coming to Parsons regarding freshman year... what would it be? A. If I could back I’d tell myself that you’re paying to be here so you had better get the most out of every penny. There have been many times where I haven’t exhausted the resources of Parsons or the New School or that I’ve allowed myself to fall into the trap of designing to please my professor and not myself. I’ve learned now that an A might be nice but personal development of process and style trumps the shit out of whatever a professor might give you grade-wise
FRESHMAN YEAR Q. What was your most memorable event from freshman year? A. My most memorable event from freshman year would have to be taking what used to be called Time-based Media, learning a new set of instruments and software to make short animations, short films and time-lapse pieces. The end of the year showing was pretty phenomenal.
KRISTOPHER LOUIE
Q.What is the most important thing an incoming freshman should know? A. The incoming freshman should know a few things. The first is that they shouldn’t take no as a first answer, go for whatever feels right until proven otherwise. Second, don’t shrug off the fact that the person next to you might be your boss or a co-worker in the future, connections are incredibly important to build in college. And lastly, learn to critique well and learn to take a critique well. No one, yourself included, will get better if they just hear, “Yeah, that’s nice.” “I like it.” Ask questions, offer suggestions, but don’t be mean about it.
Q. 5. Does any aspect of freshman year have any foreshadowing as to what the rest of your time here will be like? A. You’re fresh out of high school and everyone thinks college is the time to relax. That’s partially true. If you slack off and if you don’t put any effort and you just waste time, you’ll go through your freshman year producing nothing but shit. Then you’ll go through sophomore realizing you’re producing work that could please a professor but won’t nail you a job. And it just goes on until you wake up and realize that true awe-inspiring design takes time, effort and passion.
“fucked UP”Kristopher Louie
“The Realm of possibility”Kristopher Louie
Q. Have you found an internship yet? A. Yes, I had one internship with Darden Studio, a typographer’s studio owned by Joshua Darden, a type professor at Parsons.
Q. What was your most memorable event from freshman year?
A. Honestly, nothing really stand out to me too much, other than our Flux Factory, NYNYNY exhibition that we did with our LAB classmates. Q. What is the most important thing an incoming freshman should know?
A. Unlike what everybody else thinks art school is not an option for doing NO-work and partying all day. Yes we work our a**es off for every class. So people shouldn’t underestimate the amount of work they’ll be doing.
Q. Does any aspect of freshman year have any foreshadowing as to what the rest of your time here will be like? If yes explain... if no explain.
A. Yes and no at the same time. Depends on the professors and classes you’ll take during your college life. It can be exactly what you wanted, or it can be something horrifying. But again, as a junior I can say that my expectations were different about what I’ll be doing today. Now what I do is completely different. I thought I’ll be ‘the’ graphic designer when I graduate, but I now have a completely different view on what I want.
Zeynep Zarbun
“Sleep enough before you become a Parsons student!”
Zeynep Zarbun- Untitled
“What I Hope Dying Is Like”- Kristopher Louie
FRANCINE SHAMOSH* Student Info*
Francine is currently an enthusiastic sophomore in Communication Design. How were you able to choose your major, Communication Design? I was once confused about what to major in, however, I love, love, love my computer. It is my life, so I wanted to learn more about computers and that is what made me choose Communication Design. Being in foundation year also gave me the opportunity to try out different classes, allowing me to taste a little bit of each major. Foundation vs Sophomore year Foundation year my favorite class was 2D, but because of my teachers I really enjoyed my 3D and drawing class, which were more hands on compared to 2D.
Sophomore year we get to go more in to depth on two dimensional studies. For example motion graphics, typography, and print design etc. It is all about working with the computers and the printers. Why is Parsons a great place to study Communication Design? Parsons has a diverse community, which inspires you to open up to different cultures and broaden your sights. The courses you take really challenge you to experiment and expand your boundaries. If you could go back and give yourself advice what would that be? To always have an open mind, and never judge people too soon because they could turn out to be your best friends, same with teachers. Also you should try your best on everything you do, because you are never satisfied with it.
CARRIE KAWAMURA* Student Info*
Carrie is an energetic sophomore in Communication Design. Was Communication Design your intended major? No, I wanted to do Fashion but, I wasn’t sure back then. However, I noticed I really wanted study Communication Design. How is the workload as a sophomore? There is a pretty descent amount of work, but it is better than foundation year. I even have a internship at SPIN magazine. Do a lot of students transfer from different majors into Communication Design? Yes, a lot of students come from other majors, especially fashion. If you could go back and give advice to yourself? Probably to have an open mind and be vocal while critiquing, it really helps everyone in the class when people actively critique each other’s projects.
What should students prepare before getting into CD? You should be able to be comfortable with the Adobe programs, for instance, Indesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, etc. Also be open to internships. The earlier you start, the more you get to experience.
STEFAN KNECHT*
Was Communication Design your intended major? No, I actually came in to do Fine Arts or Illustration. However after looking up the courses I saw myself more interested in Communication Design.
What part of Parsons should students take advantage of? Teachers! Parsons has a great faculty and I recommend making connection with your teachers. They helped me get all of my internships.
What was your favorite class? I‘m actually enjoying my information design class
Advice to students? If you are going to make a portfolio or anything formal for a presentation try using resources like blurb to make it look professional. Presenting your work in a professional manner is very important for a designer.
Information Design? The purpose of information design is to design a system of organization. It is conceptual but I enjoy learning about it because this type of designing requires a lot of critical thinking. What if you don’t enjoy using the computer, can Communication Design still be an option? Yes, of course. For example when I do my projects I think and think and think, then I just utilize the computer to execute. Once you’re really into the project you really don’t care about finishing your work on the computers. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that as long as you have passion and focus on what you are doing, not enjoying computer works is not a problem.
“Communication Design is not
only about visualizing, it is also about getting to the essence and designing a way to present it.” -Stefan Knecht
Student Info* Stefan currently a hard working junior in Communication Design
JACQUI MOLENDYKE* Student Info*
Jacqui is currently a senior in Communication Design. How is your senior years in Communication Design? It’s been good so far, right now I’m trying making an inspiration book to figure out a theme that I can stick with for my senior thesis project. Compared with your previous years here at Parsons? I actually transferred from a different school two years ago, but, senior year requires more thorough research and patience compared to my previous years. Have you had any internships? Yes, I recently had an internship at the MoMa. I was part of the graphics department for the museum. It is a very different experience than what you do in school. For example? The big difference is that in reality you will be working for clients. You have to be able to work within limits the clients have set for you. For me it was a different setting to design for a specific brand image like MoMa, because there was not only a budget limit, but also the amount of time given was very short to complete each task.
Is there a specific style you have? I just like using CMYK colors and keeping it bright yet simple and modern. However, I am not going to limit myself with a certain style. If you would give advice to students, what would it be? The best thing to do for you and your class is to try to push yourself further to finish with your best, or else the whole class’s critique will suffer.
“ Try to be connected with your teachers, they are your greatest resource.” -Jacqui Molendyke
ZAN GOODMAN Zan Goodman is currently the layout designer at Teen Vogue magazine. She graduated from Parsons in 2008, majoring in communication design. She started working in July 2008 at Teen Vogue. At Parsons she interned for Spin Magazine and Nylon Magazine, which she learned about by going to the Parsons job fair. She also has done freelance graphic design, which connected her to many other job opportunities. At Teen Vogue, Zan does page layouts working with indesign, photo design research, and type research.
“Typeface for graphic designers is like sewing for fashion designers.�
“If you find out what you are interested in, don’t shy away from it, follow what you want, because otherwise it’s easy to get lost.”
JOANNE CHEW Which class did you enjoy? It is not usually common, but I really liked one the Graphic Design courses, where I got to attend a print based exhibition. It was more compact and tight and I really enjoyed it. Where do you work? I work at a small studio that produces designs for booklets and magazines, along with spatial design, which is designing within the space. Spatial design mainly focuses upon the flow of space between interior and exterior environments both in the private and public realm. Have you done any collaborations with any other majors? I didn’t do it but I heard that in Urban Narrative Jane Pirone works with Design and Management What do you encourage Communication design students to do? A Communication Design student should, unless you really know want to do, try to experiment as much as you can, which will ultimately make you more aware of the opportunity you have. Have you done any internships? A dvd magazine, small design studio, JWT advertising agency (I never really had a chance to learn about advertising, but it was an opportunity to learn in the real world about advertising and realize that the work I was doing wasn’t meant for me). Do you have any advice for students seeking internships? Go to the internship fair and see what’s out there for you, look up studios you like and send them e-mails. There is nothing for you to lose, just try! Always talk to people and teachers, keep connected.
“The most important thing is to try as many crazy things with school projects because you’ll never know how precious and liberal this learning environment is until you leave school.”
FACULTY
Professor Richard Salcer Communication Design Professor (Package, Brand Design) What courses do you teach, and how long have you been teaching at Parsons? I teach Package Design I, which is a course in package design and brand identity. I am in my twenty-second year of teaching this course at Parsons. Have you previously taught somewhere else other than Parsons? Yes, but not design courses. I had taught quite a number of years ago in the New York Public School System, teaching elementary and junior high school science. What kind of work do you do besides teaching at Parsons. As a student was it your intended major? Outside of Parsons, I am a self-employed designer and consultant to design firms and corporations in package design, retail environmental graphics and branding strategy. As a student, graphic design was my intended major living the dream, so to speak. What are some misconceptions that students have about communication Design? I believe quite a number of students believe that Communication Design is all about designing for the small screen, web design, motion graphics and all things virtual. Communication Design is also quite involved with the concrete and the physical.
RICHARD SALCER
If you could give some advice to students going in to communication Design, what would it be? Communication design is the program that most closely relates to students graduating as leading thinkers and creative voices in the real world of design. This is because of the integrated nature of Communication Design, which is now known as CDT: Communication Design & Technology. This is the program where everything you learn in other courses is put to use to create great things, whether for the screen or for print or for the environment in which we live. Design and technology have merged, and CDT is the place where a student can see it all come together and make the most of it.
RICHARD SALCER
PABLO MEDINA
What courses do you teach? I have taught at Parsons for ten years and I am currently teaching Experimental Typography: an advanced type class for juniors and seniors and senior thesis. Have you previously taught at another university? If so, how is it different then Parsons? I have also taught at the Maryand Institute College of Art (MICA). Students at Parsons are more culturally saavy, they are more in tune with things going on, you have all of it at your fingertips, it’s Manhattan. What work do you do outside of Parsons? I have worked in advertising and have previously worked at Ogilvy and Mather. What advice do you have for younger students? Always remember why you got into it, why you began to do this in the first place.
“I design typefaces and other types of graphic ephemera: posters, t-shirts, logos, books, but my specialty is typeface design.”
STEVE KENNEDY
What courses do you teach? I am an adjunct professor at Parsons, teaching Typography, Letterpress, Photo Editorial, and some other classes on Saturdays. I have been teaching for seven years. Have you previously taught at another university? If so, how is it different then Parsons? I have taught at numerous other Universities. Parsons is different in that the students are easy to teach. The students are all highly qualified, rarely unprepared, and it is a pleasure to teach students who want to learn. What work have you done outside of Parsons? I have my own studio where I design books and work with advertising. 99% of the work I do is corporate. I have also done work for: Random house Publishers, Simon and Schuster, Computer Associates, House Equality, Maxwell, and production work. Do you have advice for younger students? Do not stop at communication, do more and more, don’t limit yourself.
Special Thanks To Pablo Medina Richard Salcer Steve Kennedy Francine Shamosh Elena Ho Carrie Kawamura Kristopher Louie Stefan Knecht William Anderson Zeynep Zarbun Justin Lucey Jacqui Molendyke Joanne Chew Zan Goodman Thank you for the amazing interviews and photos!
Made By Lab Cluster8 Carmen Ortiz Harim Jung Michael Zoppo
As the elevator doors open onto the eighth floor, your eyes are immediately treated to the sight of colorful display cases, bursting with picture books, character drawings, pop-ups, stuffed toys, and sculptures.
Welcome to the Illustration Department. One-hundred-forty-five students. Thirty-two faculty members. Three years of non-stop illustration.
Wait, what? Parsons actually has another department other than Fashion? It’s true. They exist. But, honestly, who actually knows anything about them? Well, hopefully, you will once you finish this little book of ours. We’ve got it all. The good, the bad, and the awesome sides of the Parsons Illustration Department. Is it actually possible to get a good night’s sleep or will you die under ten tons of homework? Will your peers try to stab you with an Olfa knife when you’re not looking or will you find yourself among a group of amazingly chill people? Interested? The answers are just a page away!
Classes
Drawing “This class isn’t about whether you have the world’s greatest idea or not. It’s about producing good drawings, about technique and about producing work that stands strong aesthetically, even under a critial eye. That’s not to say we just draw a model for three hours straight, ‘til suddenly we are “technically proficient” in accurately reproducing the human form. Creativity is still a huge factor.
This class really pushes the how, not the what.”
Burke
“My Drawing
class focused almost entirely on gesture drawing. Our assignments were pretty
broad, but pretty much all ouf in-class drawing time was spent on gestures. I’m not entirely happy about that.”
Garcia
Concepts “I
can’t say much about my concepts class. I’ve heard
Wendy Popp is amazing. Les Kanturek is also pretty good. I had
Caty Bartholomew first semester. I don’t really think any of our projects were very significant. You would think that concepts class
”
is very “conceptual”, but so far it doesn’t seem to be the case.
Garcia
O
“ ur concepts class is, well, mostly conceptually orientated.”
Burke
Materials and Methods is one of the core classes illustration students must take in their sophomore year. In this course, students learn the methods of using a variety of materials to create illustrations. Through experimentation with different media and inspiration from present and past artists, students develop an understanding of the different conceptual and narrative problems in illustration. The different mediums covered, but not limited to, are acrylic, collage, mixed media, gouache, and prints.
Typography is one of the core classes illustration students must take in their spring semester of sophomore year. In this class, students learn the basics of typography by exploring practical, professional as well as expressive uses of type through experimentation, practice and execution. The class helps students develop and hone basic design skills while essentially helping them creatively incorporate type into their illustrative works.
Examples of assignments: - Design a logo for a cartoon character - Create a t-shirt design
Student & Faculty Interviews
Ian Burke
“I’ve always been an illustrator and I’ve been drawing since before I could remember. It almost seemed natural to choose.” ALEXANDER is a current sophomore in the Illustration Program. He refers to animation as his passion and follows the Animation Track the department offers. The skills he has learned so far has allowed him to land an internship at a video game company. Though he has learned a lot, he recommends that the Animation Track only be taken by students who are really passionate about animating.
SAMANTHA PEARLMAN I'm from Florham Park, New Jersey which is only like 45 minutes from here. During my school years, my art teachers were all really supportive and made sure I was always working harder than the kids that were in the class. But I'd be nowhere without my mom, she was the one who first told me about Parsons and signed me up for the Saturday pre-college classes and the Summer intensive at Parsons. She's very creative so it pushed me to live up to her level. There are only two real reasons why I am where I am today and that’s my mom and my dad; their success in life makes me want to work harder and harder and the support they give is really important to me.
‘ I WOULD LIKE TO DO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL ILLUSTRATION SUCH AS MAGAZINE OR LOGO DESIGN. BUT MY MAIN GOAL IS TO ONE DAY BE AN ART DIRECTOR’
By Samantha Pearlman
Iain Burke
G
“ rowing up on Dawn of the Dead, and Universal Monsters really shows in my work, but I’m also a total music nerd. A lot of
depnding on my mood, I’ll end up with something you might see at Kidrobot: if Kidrobot sold crappy student work.” my work will take a sharp turn towards twee, or
Iain Burke
John Garcia
John Garcia Sophomore
Illustration
“Draw as much as possible. If you want to be a good Illustrator, you have to actually draw.
Draw until it’s all you want to do. If that doesn’t sound appealing to you, drop out.”
From Queens, New York, Sophia is currently a senior in the Illustration program. She enjoys editorial and merchandising work. In her free time, she likes walking her dog Baxter as well as drawing, designing stuff, and cooking.
All artwork by Sophia Chang
CIARA is currently a sophomore in the Illustration Program. She loves working in 3D and enjoys the freedom of exploration in the Materials & Methods class. One of her favorite art forms is stop motion and she has recently been experimenting with its old school techniques. If she could change anything in program, she would create a better sense of communication between the professors and administrators. Still she is very happy with all her classes and thinks that the professors are generally top notch and all her projects have produced great results.
“The best communicative tool I have been given is my ability to create and draw.�
WHY ILLUSTRATION ? The best answer I can give to this question is through the use of a quote from the head of the Illustration Department, Steven Guarnaccia: "Fine Arts is like having a conversation with just yourself, and Illustration is like having a conversation with the entire world." I am interested in communicating globally to make some sort of difference, and I don't ever want to limit my opportunity for making this happen by creating things that are too personal for anyone else to learn something from. The best communicative tool I have been given is my ability to create and draw. CIARA GAY
Well first I choose Parsons without really thinking about my major just because I love the school, I did the summer program going to my senior year in highschool and I love it, then I was thinking about Fashion and all the hype about the difficulty and cut throatness TOTALLY turned me off, who wants to deal with that shit? So I figured out either Communication Design or Illustration and my mum said it’s better to learn to draw the shit out of anything first, then you can choose later to do a masters program in Communication Design, if you want to. But, so far I’m really happy where I’m now and I have No regrets. Samantha Pearlman
I'd switch if I still could but it's too late. In the end we're just going to school to improve our knowledge of the arts and hoping that we can be molded to be a professional by the time we graduate. No matter what school you go to, it's really the students around you, the teachers and what you want to make out of all that. I think every morning a successful student needs to have a positive attitude of wanting to learn and make the most out of what their parents are paying for. Going to art school for college is like going to middle school to be a doctor. You should either be serious or get out. SOPHIA CHANG
As I sort of said before, I chose Illustration because I love to draw and at some point during my life, I realized I could probably make a career of it. As for Parsons? Honestly, I chose Parsons over, say, SVA because I could Duel Major at Lang. I was a big fan of the New School… academi c mentality… well, what it used to be, before Kerry stepped in and royally fucked everything up. But I guess that… a tot al ly di ffer ent int er vi ew. JOHN GARCIA
No matter what school you go to, it’s really the students around you, the teachers and what you want to make out of all that. I think every morning a successful student needs to have a positive attitude of wanting to learn and make the most out of what their parents are paying for. Going to art school for college is like going to med school to be a doctor. You should either be serious or get out. In the end we’re just going to school to improve our knowledge of the arts and hoping that we can be molded to be a professional by the time we graduate.
Sophia
Parsons is unique because of its malleable curriculum that permits you to broaden your skills and talents. For example, I am an Illustration student learning Animation.
Alexander
All artwork by Sophia Chang
The vibe is amazing! Imagine taking all the most laid back kids that attend Parsons and giving them the same classes: you have the illustration department. - Alexander
As for the class of 2010, everyone is pretty laid back. No one’s too competitive. If anything everyone is very encouraging.
- Sophia
Overall I’d say we’re a pretty laid back bunch. But as you might guess, there are SOME weirdos that totally get into it and won’t let their guard down. - Samantha
I would definitely categorize the illustration students as super friendly and supportive. We end up spending most if not all of our critique time being blown away by what each other are capable of. - Ciara
Workload & Time Management
“I wasn’t actually in Illustration last semester, however, last semester was brutal. I was taking 20 credits while also working 30+ hours a week. This, I do not recommend.” Iain Burke “Oh, goodness. The work load is manageable, but you must hone your time management skills. Good
time management is the key to creating successful projects
”
that could possibly be portfolio pieces in the future.
Ciara Gay “Contrary to most generalizations, the Illustration curriculum is more intense than the Foundation program by a long shot. You take 32 contact hours instead of 19 and
the classes are far more demanding, depending on whic teacher
”
you have.
Alexander Smith
“I always thought it was reasonable. In addition to classes, I managed to carry on with my own street art workload, and various other shenanigans while maintaining a healthy GPA.”
AJ Fosik
“That's a difficult question. Foundation year was a shock as far as work
load, but it was also a big adjustment: the city can be a hard place to adapt to, so freshman year was its own species of difficult. But, workload! Sophomore year is totally more work, in my opinion. Maybe because I’m more into it, so I’m working harder? I also think it depends on the professor since some don’t give much work at all, while some give three projects ‐ all
“The
due on the same day.” Samantha Perlman
work load was pretty even throughout all the classes.
The way that I managed my work wasn’t complicated:
did it.”
I just
John Garcia
Background artwork by Sophia Chang
Sometimes I wish that there was better communication between the professors and the administration. It certainly seems that sometimes the curriculum gets altered semester to semester even though the vast majority of the faculty does not agree with the change.
Ciara
Communication/advisors. There is so much happening at the school that you just don’t hear about. They have great people coming to the school and talking all the time, but unless you run into a flyer in the hallway, you usually miss them. Further, there is a lot of great scholarships/competitions that go through the school that they just don’t advertise. For instance, there was recently a call for submissions to the Society of Illustrators student show. They emailed us about this event 2 DAYS before the deadline. The administration knew about this for months, yet they didn’t inform the students about it until 48 hours beforehand.
John
Some great teachers are Nathan Bond, Noel Claro, Nora Krug, and Josh Cochran. These are some great down-to-earth, laid back teachers, who are serious professionals but are normal people as well. They really show who they are as people and have a clear passion. - Sophia
So far I have really enjoyed Noel Claro for Typography, Alan Reingold for painting, and Les Kanturek for Sophomore Concepts, to name a few. - Ciara
For drawing or painting I suggest Alan Reingold. He’ s great at getting you accustomed to projects you might be asked to do in the real world. My painting project for him right now is to paint a label for a juice bottle, which is cool because thats a project that he’s worked on. - Samantha
AJ Fosik Parsons Graduate 2003
Describe your work & Inspiration:
“Wood, paint, existential musings, and nails.”
Which classes did you appreciate the most and why?
“Any class where the professor could guide a really good critique session. Really, almost nothing matters more.”
What would you say about your professors? How helpful were they?
Did you feel as if they truly cared about how successful you were in, and after Parsons? “The professors shake out a lot like the students. The vast majority are average, there’s a few turds, and then there are the ones that shine and make the entire experience worthwhile. The few that mattered had a huge effect on me as I figured out who I was as an artist.”
Do you feel that the Illustration department nurtures growth and
creativity? “Yes.”
Why did you choose Parsons over Cooper Union, FIT, or SVA? “Too hard, too fashiony, too lame, respectively.”
Do you feel confident that you learned as much as possible, and will come away with the resources necessary to start your own career?
“Ha! I’m not sure that’s possible. It was a good start.”
How did you manage your time? “I worked my ass off.
Parsons will definitely prepare you for working your ass off.”
How many hours spent on homework per class?
“I spent, on average, three hours on an assignment and a lot more if it was something I was into, and I always spent way more time than that on my personal work.”
Would you say that the facilities were adequate? “Everything except for that god damned elevator.”
If you tried to get an internship, how difficult was it? “I tried a few times to get internships and to be honest, I never had any success. My portfolio was too weird at the time. Every art director I took my portfolio to was into my work, but had no idea how to use it or how I would fit working for them. In retrospect, I should have just interned for a fine artist and not at design and advertising. I think in some ways I’m probably lucky none of those worked out.”
What do you think Illustration truly is? “Nobody knows. I have no idea. Illustration doesn’t really exist anymore,
there are more opportunities and more freedom to make a living doing art than ever before. I’ve been fortunate in that I have been able to develop my but
work on my own terms. Showing work in galleries has allowed me tremendous freedom and when I get approached by art directors for projects, I usually have almost no constraints.”
AJ Fosik
Nora Krug Associate Professor In the ILLUSTRATION PROGRAM
By Nora KRUG
NORA KRUG is an professor of the illustrationprogram. We were able to have a little chat and she gave us wonderful information about the activities done by the program.
“The most important, it’s a student who thinks about himself in relationship to the world. We are not looking for a person with exceptional skills or fabulous style, but someone able to explore and develop concepts about the world around him.”
Looking for the next genius artist but for a student who is ready to think, and develop their ideas. An important part of the illustration is narrative, you’ve got to be able to tell a story in picture By Nora KRUG and to give context to an image.
Narrative, make you explore different worlds and open your mind. It can give you the curiosity to explore differents classes such as toys design. THE UGLY DOLLS BY DAVID HORVATH
I went to Forbidden Planet a comic book store near Parsons. (A great book store for Illustration people that I highly recommend.) I saw these dolls, and I really loved them. Guess What ? During my chat with Nora I learned that David Horvath, who graduated from Parsons in Illustration is the creator of these lovely dolls... Small world, isn’t it?! THE UGLY DOLLS BY DAVID HORVATH
We all have doubts about our future, however, this program helps us find ourselves by opening many possibilities that could help us discover who we are as artists. We can’t stay stuck with our doubt and fear, we have to react and explore! The Illustration department offers us a lot of possibilities and themes where we can find ourselves: animation, editorial, children books, toys design, the list goes on! After this chat with Nora, I’m so excited to start the program. She explained that exploration was a big and important part of the program. When we think about it, we are going to school to learn, which helps us to find ourselves. In addition, Parsons has International involvement in event shows and festivals around the world. Such as Pitoplasma in Germany where the Illustration program, bring a few student to expose their work.
PICTOPLASMA, Festival Germany
“I think what’s interesting about Parsons is the fusion that we have between the schools: The New School for Jazz and Lang. When I was a student I would have liked to study visual arts as well as classes such as philosophy. The Lang program gives you an opportunity to do both.”
The Class of Visual Music
In this course, Parsons animation in the Illustration department works in collaborative teams with The New School of Jazz. They develop a way to work with music and art in the same time and creates shows. There are several classes like this in the Illustration program.
Interview With:
NATHAN BOND
During our students interviews we asked for recommendations on teachers. NatahanBond was one of the recurring names recommended. We decided to interview him and give you an overview about his concepts, teachings and methods.
What are the skills that you are looking for in your students? NATHAN BOND:Creativity and an eagerness to learn. Personal motivation is one of the most important skills to have as a student, and an artist. Are the courses at parsons are more oriented on helping the student to develop a specific style or it's more about exploring students creativity? NB: Not so much a specific style as much as helping students find their own voice. This is often done through the exploration of their creativity, and then giving them the tools to be able to better express their voice. Your "style" will come to you if you don't go hunting it down. What types of projects do you usually do with your students? NB: There is always a component of technical drawing or painting, but I try to always find a way to let them bring their own ideas into each assignment if they want. How do you teach painting? I know this question is weird, but i'm very curious about it seems to me that painting is the hardest thing to teach . NB:Painting is pretty tricky to teach. Mostly because there is so much information to share. It gets overwhelming fast. I try to have assignments that build in their complexity as the semester progresses. If you go too fast, everyone drowns and gets turned off. I find that the best way for me to share my knowledge is to walk around the class the whole day watching the students paint. Learning how they paint and where they may be running it problems. There are a lot of technical things that can make your painting go south, and if someone can spot at what point you are going off course and help you avoid it before it is too late, you can go further with the experience and learn more int he act of painting each time.
“N.B. with African Passport Mask” Oil on paper, 14”x16.5”
Is your class more about theory or practice? NB:Practice, without a doubt. Theory is discussed to however. What advice would you give a student considering illustration for a career? NB:Learn how to do everything! The more gigs that you can say (with confidence) "Yes, I can do that", the more work you will have. Illustration is a varied field. I really like your sketchbook. It’s a mix of composition, research and drawing, could you give me any advice on working in a sketchbook NB:There are two pieces of advice that I would give about working in your sketchbook. First, work in it a lot and for anything you want. The second is to give yourself permission for your sketchbook to be where both the good and the bad drawings get to live. Never edit your sketchbook. If you can give yourself that permission, to not have to have everything look great, you will find that you will be more expressive, honest, and oddly have better drawings!
By Nathan Bond SketchBook
Through a partnership with Poketo, a design firm that specializes in limited edition art products, accessories, apparel, and decor, the Parsons Illustration department held a competition to create wallet designs. Entries were judged by Poketo founders, Angie Myung and Ted Vadakan, along with American Illustration’s Mark Heflin and the department’s chair, Steven Guarnaccia. 60 entries were made. 6 were chosen as the final winners.
Chris Yip
Emmanuel Tavarez
Sophia Chang
Stella Jiyeun Lee
Pictoplasma
Pictoplasma, a Berlin Festival works with international artists, directors, designers , animators, illustrators. Nora Krug usually takes a few students and travels to Germany. To get the chance to expose their work in the Festival. It sounds like a very exciting experience to meet all these artists, to build a network and learn how to show and talk about your work.
Pictoplasma Festival, Parsons Students
EPIFANÍA ALVARADO: Epifania was born and raised in New York City and currently lives in the Bronx. She has a lovely dog named Yurick, and she is extremely shy yet bad tempered. She fell in love with illustration and the idea of illustrated journals thanks to Drew Weing, Natazilla, James Kochlaka, & Craig Thompson. She really just wants to communicate with you visually. KRISTIN CHAE: From Queens, New York, Kristin enjoys drawing, painting, and reading. In her free time she likes to sit and talk with friends in coffee shops and cafes. She absolutely abhors flying animals, has a thing for nice telephone voices, and is a bit neurotic, but in a cute way.
ARIELLE JOVELLANOS: A commuter kid from Long Island who is named after that one Disney character with the fish tail She’s a major sucker for character animation with lots of inbetween frames, epic key changes in big, belty Broadway showtunes, and looking for hardcore symbolism in books. Her weapon of choice is a toss up between a Wacom tablet or Prismacolor Col-erases.
LEA MAIRET: international student from France. And actually in Fundation year and I hope that I’m going to see you next year.
Big thank you’s, hugs, and high fives to the following: John & Julia Nathan Bond Iain Burke Sophia Chang Noel Claro AJ Fosik John Garcia Ciara Gay Nora Krug Samantha Perlman Alexander Smith
We never could have done it without you!
fine arts
1. drawing 2. painting 3. sculpture 4. studio 5. mfa/career 6. interviews
1.
drawing
Don Porcaro
“We have a firm belief that if you’re comfortable, you can learn more.”
Fine Arts Program In the Fine Art program there is a sense of Freedom in regards to each individual artist. But, because of this freedom, individual students must have a certain drive in order to achieve their desires. Though there are required courses, students are given the liberty to explore the use of different materials and are given little restriction as to how to approach their project. In this program the mixture of sculpture Painting and drawing prepares students for the contemporary art world. Through this program the students are able to explore a variety of media and materials equipping them with tools for their creations.
Courses In sophomore year students are introduced to the basic courses of painting sculpture and drawing as a preparation for the more advanced courses. Here students learn how to work with the materials, the facilities and important techniques on how to use them, are introduced to students in each of the fields. Sophomores also take Visual Thinking where they explore the medium of video and narrative and explore how these elements can play into their individual style. In Junior year the courses become more open to interpretation by each individual. Regardless the first semester students still take painting, drawing, and sculpture. Seniors are granted studios and are given the freedom to explore and refine in their own space.
Kimberly
freedom
“What I love about Fine Arts is the the program gives you and the attitude of the teachers - most of them are really great at being constructively critical without being discouraging. I also love how small the class is. I think there are only about 30 of us in each year. I don’t love the limited resources (since Fine Arts isn’t Parson’s most renowned program I sometimes get the feeling that our funding isn’t enough) but there’s nothing I hate about it.” -Maura Guyote
2.
painting
painting by: kevin yu
“
The senior studios are too small for large pieces. I like to work on large paintings and figurative sculpture. I live in Brooklyn where I have much more space to work.�
Kevin Yu Senior
“
On average, I probably sprend around $60 for each painting. There is free wood in the shop, but it’s crappy.”
sophomore year
students mostly work with oil paints but the projects ultimately depend on their preference.
“Parsons is in a
great location.
if there are things I did not learn from this school, I learned them from walking around.�
Nina Torr Nina Torr Senior Senior
“
If you paint traditionally (in oils), it gets pricey. Painting is not too costly for me. I spend about $40-$50 for a bucket of gesso and I only spend a couple of dollars per yard for fabric.� Elvia Hernandes Junior
Students will take three semesters of painting in which they are able to explore different mediums.
3.
Sculpture
After the Foundation year, students who have decided to move on to the Fine Arts department will take sculpture classes in their Sophmore and Junior year. Sculpture class is one of the required classes in the Fine Arts program at Parsons. Students will work and experiment with different materials throughout the year. One of the first materials that students will use is clay. Students will get assignments such as sculpting a self portrait out of clay. Then students will be introduced to other materials such as metals and woods. For all the Fine Arts students, the department offers an extensive metal and wood shop, which are both located in 25East 13th Street, 4th Floor.
Facilities at 25 East 13th Street
wood shop
metal shop
This wood shop is for Fine Arts students and these machines are there to cut wood. The shop supplies wood, so students don’t have to purchase any wood outside of school. Also, there is always someone at the wood shop to help and demonstrate to students how to use the machines.
This metal shop is open to all Fine Arts students. There is always an instructor/shop technician there who can help and support you with the tools and your work. You might even be able to find materials that you can use, so it is not always necessary to spend a lot of money on supplies.
work space This work space is offered to all Fine Arts students. If you need a bigger space in which to work, you can always work in empty classrooms on the 4th floor.
storage space
class room
Students have some storage space available for them to keep their sculpture works, drawings and paintings.
This is one of the classrooms where Fine Arts classes take place.
photo credit : Zachary Delamaster
“
I’d have to say overall that I am very happy in the Fine Arts program, I’ve learned a lot, and have really begun to develop
my sense of identity
as an artist which I do owe to Parsons.”
Zachary Delamaster sophomore
4.
personal studios
MAGENTA = safe text boundary
“Thereand is a good community in the major, everybody knows each other.” Nina Torr
Nina is an international student from South Africa. She likes painting and making sculptures. She loves the Fine Arts program and she says that it is the best place for her, especially because she can learn a lot just by walking around in the building and looking at other students’ works.
She does not love the noise and dust that gets in her studio space. Since studios do not have doors, Nina has set up a locker for herself inside of the studio. She keeps her valuables, such as her computer inside to keep them safe. Her future plan is to work in America for two years and prepare for graduate school.
“In your own studio, you don’t have to clean up the mess” Lauren Tillette
Lauren enjoys having her own studio. She says “You can paint the wall, put nails in the wall and pretty much do anything you want. The studio becomes yours for two semesters. Usually students paint the wall with white paint at the end of senior year for the next students.”
Lauren likes to work with miniature furniture sculptures and patchworks. She shares the studio space with her friend, whose major is not fine arts but she is very interested in creating her own musical instruments using steel.
determ
ination Fine Arts is a very ambitious major. it is all about self-motivation, determination, and awareness. no one is going to make you do anything. the only person who can do that, is you.
“You can do anything� Jessica Ng
Jessica is an international student from Hong Kong. Fine Arts is her second degree, Literature being her first. She says that the hardest thing is to be motivated. Since the program is very free, you have to know what you are doing. Also you need skills to realize your ideas.
Her advice on having a personal studio is to keep your belongings locked up at all times. Sometimes other students will borrow your supplies. She says that students wait three years to get their personal studios.
“We introduce students to
as many areas as possible� Don Porcaro
Professor Don Porcaro says that the personal studios are open from 9 AM to 11 PM, seven days a week. Seniors have a class for critique of their projects once a week, where they talk about what they have seen at museums together, and then the professors go to each room and help students with their work. In the fall semester, they have two big critiques and one in the spring semester. These critiques are done for thesis and portfolio development.
“ you are required to see
as much art as possible. This week alone I have to see about five shows which is a lot if you’re taking eighteen credits. Conceptual development, discussion, and theory are also very integral to the program.”
Zachary Delamaster
sophomore
MFA
Fine Arts Rayna Savrosa Rayna is currently a student in the MFA Fine Arts program after having completed her BFA in Photograhy at Parsons. She has been studying at Parsons for five years now and strongly believes that Parsons has given her a great opportunity to balance the amount of art classes and academic classes.
Daniela Di Donato Daniela transferred to Parsons from Central Saint Martins in London, where she had previously studied as an undergraduate student. That program has set her up to work as a fine artist and she believes that “learning is important just like knowing the alphabet.�
to Graduate “Go School!
- Rayna Savrosa
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In my experience, preparing yourself for a career in the fine arts department is talked about but not pushed on you; in the end, as I would assume is true for most majors, it’s up to you to seek out internships, jobs, etc. The great thing about Parsons in general is that because almost all of its faculty are part-time, they are still largely involved in the art and design world themselves and can therefore give you a lot of connections/recommendations, but you have to ask for it first!�
Maura Guyote
sophomore
INTERVIEWS
Be Motivated.
Jennifer DiCarlo Junior
Jennifer is currently studying Fine Arts at Parsons and is at the same time getting a degree at Eugene Lang. She motivates herself to achieve her personal goal in the Fine Arts program. She believes that it is important to know what works the best for you in order to keep yourself up in this course. Jennifer thinks that most of the assignments she gets do not have a strict requirement, so she experiments with different materials and using various techniques. Jennifer would advise all students who are willing to study in the Fine Arts program to “have other interests outside of school and to have ideas at all times.�
Maham, who is from Pakistan first joined Parsons as an interior design major. Now Maham is in the Fine Arts program where she finds herself in a more relaxed environment where she can do what she wants to do. She finds painting very meditative and she brings her cultural background into her collections of work. She believes that the Fine Arts program has a very good faculty, however the critiques could be more intense. Maham would advise all freshmen to “travel a lot” and to “take classes in other programs”, because it will give them experience and help them develop.
Maham Akmai
Junior
Ryan Brewer Junior
Ryan had initially started off as a commercial design major outside of Parsons. He chose Parsons because of its location and reputation. “New York City is definitely a great place to be for artists.” He describes the Fine Arts program as very self-driven. He is interested in working with sculpture and incorporating performance at the same time. The Fine Arts program offers great supplies of material, but he thinks there are not enough spaces for students to work, which can sometimes be stressful. Ryan encourages all freshmen who are considering joining Fine Arts to “be yourself and follow what you want to do.”
NATHAN CHRISTIE How many hours do you spend on homework a week?
Do you have any tips for people who are going into Fine Arts?
Never none, but some weeks you spend twelve or more hours each day in the studios and some weeks you spend only a few. It mostly depends on the timelines you set yourself, they are less frequently set for you. Get used to saving plans for the weekends, though - if you aren’t already.
Get used to self-direction and self-reliance early. Someone may be there to hold your hand, but neither you nor they will like or benefit from this. Be on time for class and deadlines. Don’t BS thought or meaning unless you want everyone to know that you’re wasting their time.
Is the workload harder compared to Foundation year?
Anything you wish you had known before choosing your major?
There is much less work, but it’s far more difficult. The tedium of the Foundation program is unmatched.
That everyone can be an artist. Most anxiety sophomore year stems from not knowing whether you really have anything to say.
Are you enjoying this year? Of course. How much do you spend on supplies for class? Supplies are not purchased the way they are during Foundation year; each class has projects for which you know you’ll need a budget (estimating a few hundred dollars for each course works for most people, but you only need to spend as much as you decide you must.) Budgeting each project is something you get used to doing and it changes for each person and each project.
Who’s your favorite professor? Picking favorites closes your mind. What’s your favorite class? Picking favorites stunts your growth. What’s your favorite medium? Picking favorites denies opportunities for learning.
Photograph by Nathan Christie
painting by Heather Weston.
“Trying to be a fine artist is like trying to be a ROCKSTAR.” -Heather Weston.
HEATHER WESTON What class do you like most?
Are students in your class competitive?
Painting. It really pushes your voice and you come up with your own intuitive style.
Definitely, it’s a very competitive environment, but everyone pushes each other so it’s a really great atmosphere. Classes are usually small. There’s only nine people in my sculpture class.
What are some painting projects you’ve worked on recently? People think painting is just using a paint brush and canvas but it’s really not like that. For example, I did a series of hair paintings. I put dye in my hair and dragged my hair across a piece of paper. The idea was to use no tools to paint something. They went from loose gestural paintings to detailed portraits. What can you tell me about the sculpture department? It’s really fun! You work with materials such as metal, wood, plastic, clay, plaster casting and latex. You also learn how to weld. One of our projects was working with broken objects. Anything you can pick up is a sculpture. I like working with metal, I made a tall steel cage and I put an ostridge egg in it. It’s all about thought process.
What scared you about going into fine arts? I didn’t know if I was going to be happy. Who’s your favorite artist? Joel Peter Witken. He photographs dead bodies and arranges them in still lifes which imitate paintings. And obviously I like Caravaggio and Van Gogh! What do you want to do after you graduate? I really want to get my MFA and become a professor. I’m also really interested in collaborating with other artists. I’ve made some really good contacts and am already selling my work.
What do you do in your spare time? I go to Chelsea Galleries every weekend. I hang out with my friends. Sometimes I eat. What’s your favorite thing about this year so far? I’ve learned a lot and I’m really impressed with myself. Also, I’ve made a lot of good friends and I got to meet people with the same interests. Have you always known that you wanted to do art? Yeah! Ever since I was in kindergarten. What’s your advice for someone who’s going into Fine Arts? Go big! Try out weird things you wouldn’t have done before. You get more satisfaction out of being daring and screwing up rather than playing it safe. Don’t be afraid!
“I found out a lot about myself through fine arts.”
Heather Weston.
painting by Heather Weston.
Senior Concentration Senior Concentration is a mandatory year-long course. The entire Senior class meets once a week for an hour or so with two professors, Don Porcaro, and Elke Solomon. The class is set up very casually; Everyone is seated in a circle, and topics are discussed as a conversation between the professor and the students.
Cameron Sheedy
sophomore
What do you like most about your major? I like being able to experiment in an open and receptive environment, and I like how small our department is. You develop really strong and significant relationships with the people you work with. Do you have any tips for people who are going into Fine Arts? If you need a lot of structure in terms of guidelines and rules, you wont be comfortable in fine arts. They give you everything you need to basically design your own work and fulfill “assignments” in your own way. Is there anything you wish you had known before going into Fine Arts? I am highly enjoying this year. After Foundation I was majorly questioning if Parsons was the right choice of school for me, but once I got into Fine Arts, I knew I could stay at Parsons and be happy. How many hours do spend on homework a week? I can’t really calculate how many hours I spend. It depends on what project I’m working on. For the most part though, I am in total control of my time and I rarely get stressed out. The workload is ridiculously less than Foundation, but it also doesnt feel as much like work because I am doing what I want to be doing. Favorite professors? Favorite classes? Favorite mediums? Professors I love: Don Porcaro, David Mann, Susan Hambleton, Lawrence Hegarty, Vinny Gargiulo, Ignacio Lang. I love all my studio classes: painting, drawing, sculpture. I took Expanding Horizons with Susan Hambleton and had a lot of fun. It’s a two credit class but it’s a good elective to take. Also, Visual Thinking: Narratives with Lawrence Hegarty is amazing. He’s awesome. I like oil paint, wood, hardware, paper, and (free) found goods.
Study Abroad The study abroad program for the Fine Arts program is mostly recommended for the second semester of junior year. There are many options for the study abroad program around the world. One of the most popular is the Royal Academy of England. In the study abroad program most students though still in school, are faced with a sense of the professional world.
International students The Fine Arts program has a large number of international students. In the senior class of 2009-2010, 12 out of 27 students were international students from very diverse countries including Australia, Hong Kong, Korea, Russia, South Africa, and many more. Some of them are currently doing their study abroad in Parsons New York, thus creating a very diverse community in this program.
Julian
FREEDOM
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If I had been in fashion I wouldn’t have had the time to experiment and learn about the dying techniques I’m doing now because I would be too busy making my collection.” -Kimberly Sumner senior
life after parsons Professional Practices Course
The Professional Practices course is a new addition to the Fine Arts curriculum. Teachers work with the students to build strong portfolios which they use to apply for jobs. A main goal of the class is to introduce students to opportunities in the professional world.
“We promise that we can give you lots of information and possibilities within the field you feel you fit in best� -Don Porcaro
PHOTOGRAPHY
A simple, click, flash and a memory captured. It is a permanent viewfinder for the mind, capturing the moment from your own perspective. Trapping a special event into a single frame. Photography can be described in many different ways. Parsons offers a four-year photography program, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
TABLE of CONTENTS
Courses Facilities Meet the Director Interviews
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COURSES
FIRST YEAR
Freshman Seminar Design: From Line to Pixel Drawing Drawing & Painting Studio Elective Critical Reading & Writing 1 & 2 Perspectives in World Art & Design 1 & 2
JUNIOR YEAR
Junior Seminar Imagery & Design Studio Electives Internship or Elective Global Issues in Design & Visuality: 21st Century Art History/Design Studies Elective Liberal Arts Elective University Lecture Elective
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Studio & Light 1 & 2 View Camera Design 3: Capture to Print Studio Elective Photo Topics Design 4: Pixel to Cyberspace Sophomore Seminar History of Photography Intro to Visual Culture University Lecture Elective
SENIOR YEAR
Senior Seminar Senior Seminar Lab Senior Thesis Tutorial Studio Electives Senior Seminar (Art & Design Studies) Advanced Art History/Design Studies Elective Liberal Arts Elective
FACILITIES &EQUIPMENT
HOW IT WORKS Every photography student has the availability to check-out equipment raning from high-tech cameras to lens and filters. Every student must their own loops, memory cards, canned air, batteries, scissors, and negative slips. The equipment center does not provide them. There arre both color and black and white darkrooms. Some of the supplies avaiable on loan are filters, negatives, easels, lens for the enlargers, grain focuses, and glass for making contact sheets.
THOMAS WERNER
“The New School bought about a million dollars worth of photography equipment.�
How long has this program been around? The photography program has been around for about 30 years, and includes 6 international school partners from all over the world. Are there electives offered for this program? Yes, each semester, usually a lot more in Junior and Senior Year. Is there a portfolio required for this program? Yes, 8-12 images. We usually look at the technical thinking process, the think and see for example a small series of images on one object.
What Careers have previous alumni received? Fashion photoraphy, exhibition galleries, advertising, magazine photography, and many international jobs such as war photography, human rights photography, curators and photo editors.
INTERVIEWS
“Photography is an art and a mode of document.” - Elan Peskin
ELAN PESKIN Was Parsons the right choice? Does it meet your expectations? Yes, I think Parsons was the right choice but Parsons did not meet my expectation. Do you ever think about changing your major? I thought about switching to film because I thought photography might be too restrictive. What is your most enjoyable project? Stop motion film for Design I! What do you like to photograph? I love beautiful things. Food still lifes are my favorite. How much do you spend on supplies per semester? WAY too much. At least $400 What do you want to pursue when you graduate from Parsons? Any job relating to photography or writing.
JASON KIM “Photography is the art of seeing. It is more than just the click of a shutter, it is a collaboration of wonderful composition, light, and content that make photography come to life.” - Jason Kim How much free time do you have? Not that much, because I work on my other photography beyond my schoolwork. Do you ever think about changing majors? No, because especially in Photography, you have to know what you want. Be sure. What was your most enjoyable project? The long-term assignment, 15-20 photos. There is a lot of freedom and it pushes your creativity. What do you like to photograph? Fashion. “I love simple but strong composition, strong women and androgynous man” What do you think about the faculty? They’re very nice. They are unbiased towards all the works, even though it’s not the same style as what they like. What is your ultimate goal? To be the top fashion photographer. To be signed by Art + Commerce.
WHAT IS PHOTOGRAPHY TO YOU?
“Capturing something to remember the moment” HOW MANY HOURS OF WORK DO YOU GET PER WEEK? “A lot of hours. We’re limited to work because of weird, darkroom hours and classes taking up space, so it adds up to a lot.” HOW MUCH DO YOU SPEND ON SUPPLIES? “Too much. Paper and film goes by so fast.” WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO PHOTOGRAPH? “Portraits and editorials. People are so interesting and each one is different.” WHAT WAS YOUR MOST ENJOYABLE PROJECT? “The long-term independent project. Freedom.”
CHRISTINA PAIK
ANTONIA BASLER “Photography is like a pair of pants right out of the dryer.” “I have had some incredible teachers so far that have far exceeded my expectations as educators and human beings in general. But usually when they tell me to do something I will listen at the time and then ignore it completely. I am continually impressed by the work that is produced by the students younger and older than I. Its a very energetic and lovely atmosphere at times.”
Photographs by Antonia Basler
NICOLE ZONSIUS WHAT IS PHOTOGRAPHY TO YOU?
“A visual frame of the world. A captured moment in a frame.” HOW MUCH DO YOU SPEND ON SUPPLIES? “It is a pricey profession. Fourty dollars a week in film. A box of fifty dollar photo paper will last a semester.” WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO PHOTOGRAPH? “The traditional black and white documentary style. Still life that’s purposeful. ” WHAT’S YOUR DREAM LIFE AFTER PARSONS? “To do editorial and documentary. Maybe in a studio or assisting.” ANY ADVICE?
“Be open to try everything and anything.”
Photographs by Amrita Singh
AMRITA SINGH “If you want to be a photographer, you will be in debt. Be prepared.” “I recently shot for the NGO, Sense International India that does advocacy for the multi-disabled-deaf: blind and developmentally delayed. I shot at their partner school in Delhi, The National Assocation for the Blind, focusing on themes like touch, discovery and capturing the relationship between students and teachers. The images will be used for community advocacy and for Sense’s annual reports and website. I enjoy capturing the positive work people are doing and it was great to build my own relationship with the students and to face the challenge of working with people who cannot see you.”
This book was created in Laboratory, one of the four studio classes offered in the Foundation Program at Parsons The New School for Design. The project, called Seeing the Future, tasks groups of freshmen with researching the student experience within the schools and programs at Parsons. This book is based on their research, interviews, site visits and observations. sds.parsons.edu