黑料社

When Ruby Millet shows off the images she has designed on her computer screen, her enthusiasm for what she has learned about art and design is contagious. She has spent more than a month this summer exploring her creativity and expanding her passion for drawing into an interest in graphic design.

A recent graduate of , Millet was a part of the University鈥檚 Summer Studio: Discovering Graphic Design. Her work reflects much of what she has learned in the program, including the importance of balancing bold colors and designs with simpler elements, such as fonts.

鈥淚 wanted to learn how to do graphic design for business, and I thought this was a great opportunity,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 cool, and I鈥檓 excited to be here. I learned how to pair something simple with something dramatic to create an image.鈥�

鈥楢rt & design is thriving at our institution鈥�

Offered free of charge to creative students from New Haven and West Haven, Summer Studio was created by Haddad & Partners, a Fairfield, Conn.-based digital design agency, in collaboration with , a champion of the Connecticut creative community. One of the University鈥檚 summer youth academy programs for high school students, Summer Studio, provided an opportunity for students to explore topics such as composition, typography, and animation.

鈥淭he goal of Summer Studio was not only to introduce local minority and underrepresented students to graphic design, but also to show them and their parents that one can make a good living and have a good career being a graphic designer,鈥� said Guy-Serge Emmanuel, M.F.A., chair of the University鈥檚 Art and Design Department. 鈥淔or the University, it鈥檚 a chance to give back to the community and also a chance to show that art & design is thriving at our institution.鈥�

The program aims to prepare students for college, as well as for careers in the field. For the first time this year, Summer Studio offered students the opportunity to earn three college credits.

鈥淭his is something I was interested in because I like art,鈥� said Victor Adeniji, a rising senior at in New Haven. 鈥淕raphic design is a very vast environment, and every lesson we鈥檝e had has been exciting. We鈥檙e learning the basics of everything, and it taught me that going into graphic design is complex, but not as scary as it seems.鈥�

鈥業t鈥檚 something different all the time鈥�

As part of the program, students gain hands-on 黑料社 using while building their design portfolio. They learned from University faculty members, such as Prof. Ken Lalli, who helped them build their skills.

鈥淚t鈥檚 all about inspiration and generating the spark that leads to passion,鈥� said Prof. Lalli, an adjunct professor in the University鈥檚 Art and Design Department. 鈥淲ithout a taste of that, you don鈥檛 know if you like it. For these students, this is that taste.鈥�

Students also interacted with other Chargers during the program, including Bayley Fair 鈥�22, a recent graphic design grad who served as a teaching assistant. Now an intern with , Fair is excited to show students that they can pursue a career in art and design.

鈥淎s a designer, you put designs into the world, and people don鈥檛 always realize there鈥檚 a person behind creating them,鈥� said Fair. 鈥淚n this field, it鈥檚 something different all the time, and there are different paths. It is versatile. I love that we鈥檙e making an impact on these students鈥� lives, and it鈥檚 nice to see them get excited about their future.鈥�

鈥楾here鈥檚 a whole world out there鈥�

The desire to introduce students to the many career paths in art and design is what inspired DJ Haddad, owner and executive creative director of Haddad & Partners, to develop the program.

While growing up in Waterbury, Conn., Haddad, whose mother was an art teacher, liked to draw and paint. Despite his passion and his talent, the messages he received about a career in art were not always positive or encouraging. He was told he鈥檇 be a 鈥渟tarving artist.鈥� But, he says, he found an 鈥渋ndirect route鈥� to a career in art through the field of graphic design.

鈥淚f it was hard for me, then it is certainly hard for kids who don鈥檛 have access to facilities, or for first-generation students,鈥� Haddad explains. 鈥淚 hope to open their eyes to the possibilities in graphic design.

鈥淚f you walk into a grocery store, you don鈥檛 realize the work that goes into the design of a cereal box,鈥� he continues. 鈥淚 want students to see that there鈥檚 a whole world out there. They don鈥檛 have to be a 鈥榮tarving artist.鈥欌��

鈥榃orking with digital tools is great鈥�

Created to break barriers, Summer Studio aimed to help diversify the field and address underrepresentation by providing students access to tools and education. They also interact with mentors in industries such as advertising, entertainment, and media, exploring myriad possible careers in art and design.

鈥淚鈥檓 in awe of and impressed by how much this program has grown this past year,鈥� said Melanie Uribe, director of education for AIGA-Connecticut. 鈥淚t prepares students for what to expect in their future. I hope it exposes them to a world of creativity and innovation and gives them a sense of the creative community in Connecticut.鈥�

The program culminates in an exhibit and graduation ceremony at the University, during which participants present their design and animation projects.

Millet, the student from West Haven, is looking forward to sharing what she has learned, as well as the appreciation she has gained for working with digital media.

鈥淚t鈥檚 neat that so much of this is digital,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 like using my hands and being creative, and digital is cool. Working with digital tools is great. You鈥檙e seeing it on a screen, and you can delete it if you make a mistake.鈥�