ABOUT
@bu_graphicdesign
@bostonpainting
@pmp.bu
@bostonsculpture
@buvisualnarrative
he/him
Charles Castro
THE TANGIBLE
As a designer and visual artist, my main goal is to highlight the diverse nature of graphic design by blending my unique design approach and principles. I want to break free from traditional boundaries and offer a more comprehensive perspective on visual communication by combining formal techniques, emotional depth, and analog mediums often associated with fine arts. I aim to go beyond the usual by using precise formal techniques that not only enhance visual appeal but also emphasize the importance of methodological rigor in graphic design.
Adding emotional meaning to my designs is crucial, creating a connection that goes beyond aesthetics and resonates with viewers on a deeper level. Stepping away from a purely digital form of making, I’ve embraced analog mediums in my design work, opting for a hands-on, traditional approach that pays homage to timeless artistic methods.
By incorporating analog tools and techniques, I hope to dissolve boundaries between disciplines, encouraging a broader understanding of graphic design. In essence, my aim is to set a new standard for graphic design—one that goes beyond aesthetics to embrace a holistic and interdisciplinary approach. Through the intentional integration of design methodology, formal techniques, emotional resonance, and analog mediums, I hope to redefine the possibilities within the field and contribute to a more enriched and nuanced design landscape.
Risograph prints, set of 9, each 11 x 17 in.
Inkjet print on paper and vellum, 4⅛ × 7½ in.
Newsprint, fiberboard, various dimensions.
Printed poster, 40 × 60 in.
she/her
Qianyue (Rachel) ChenMICRO NARRATIVES
In the bustling landscapes of urban environments, traffic cones are not merely functional objects but repositories of micro-narratives that weave the intricate tapestry of city life. Far from being mundane markers, these cones are silent witnesses to the daily rhythms of urban dynamics, serving as focal points for a complex interplay of individual stories that illuminate the urban experience.
Traffic cones are seen as both the fabric and the scaffolding of the city, marking sites of future transformation, and serving as canvases for public expression and interaction. In their striking orange hue, they punctuate the cityscape, guiding the flow of urban life while also inviting moments of creativity and personal connection. These objects, positioned at the intersection of change and continuity, embody the dynamic stories of development, adaptation, and community engagement that characterize the urban condition.
It’s essential to remember that the grand narrative of urban living is composed of countless small objects like cones. Each one, though seemingly insignificant on its own, plays a crucial role in shaping the collective experience of the city. Through their presence, traffic cones contribute to the larger dialogue about space, identity, and belonging in urban environments. By paying attention to the micro-narratives these objects encapsulate, we gain a deeper appreciation for the intricate layers and diverse textures that make up our shared urban landscapes.
Poster, 8 ½ × 11 in.
Poster, 19 ⅝ × 27 ⅝ in.
Instagram Filter (@rach_qyqy).
Poster. Dimensions 18 × 24 in.
Video. Dimensions 1600 × 900 px.
she/her
Yidie (Tico) Chen
In this rapidly evolving digital era, humans have become visual creatures surrounded by a variety of aesthetics. However, within my surroundings, there is a group of individuals seemingly abandoned by design trends. Throughout my career in design, I have come to realize that the elderly are swiftly being replaced by fresh blood, struggling to keep up with the waves of design.
My grandfather is one such individual. His daily encounters with design are limited to newspapers and advertising pamphlets. Many times, he has asked me what graphic design entails, and I have found it challenging to give him a clear verbal response. This motivated me to start this thesis, aiming to blend the art created by his hands with my understanding of design and aesthetics. I aspire to showcase the transformative power of graphic design by integrating his daily thoughts and memories into captivating posters and digital art, thereby redefining perceptions of aging.
Drawing inspiration from my grandfather’s experiences, this thesis delves into the personal narratives of the elderly, exploring how graphic design can become a vibrant link in preserving and sharing the rich tapestry of individual stories. By fusing the unnoticed artistry of the elderly with my design perspective, this thesis seeks to bridge the gap between generations, emphasizing the potential of graphic design to transcend age barriers and contribute to a more inclusive and interconnected society.
Poster series, each 24 × 34 in.
Poster, 22 × 34 in.
Print on kite, 12 × 12 in.
Print on kite, 12 × 12 in.
Typeface Design Blender model.
Typeface Design Blender model.
she/her
Kristen DavisSTRUCTURE
The handmade and the digital can be combined under the umbrella of graphic design. They can be combined to explore the natural structures of the world, including the patterns of nature and the structure of human anatomy. My work is a combination of handcrafted, digital, and the in-between thanks to my Cricut machine. The goal is to make new discoveries about the beauty of the natural world by combining these three making processes. I explore what it means to design and be designed.
I explore new ways to combine the handmade with the digital. My thesis also aims to uncover how the natural patterns and structure of the world can be represented in these mediums. Does the way these patterns are presented affect the way the viewer perceives them? Does the approach to making result in a more abstract and artistic result, or is it more designed and graphic? I hope to be able to answer these questions by creating a body of work that will represent different forms of designing.
Natural patterns and anatomy have been explored through many different creative lenses. There are many designers who combine the analog with the digital. The art of papercutting is a less explored topic in the design world, though it does exist. Combining craft and design is a complicated task due to the complicated production process and difficulties related to mass production and distribution.
I am more comfortable exploring creativity through the lens of an artist than a designer. I approach my thesis from a graphic design standpoint, finding ways to marry in the handcrafted through different experiments. My thesis is a combination of experiments with the goal being to discover something new about the making process and how different mediums affect the viewer’s perception of the subject.
Cut paper, 22 × 50 in.
Cut paper, 16 × 16 × 16 in.
Posters, digital illustration, each 11 × 17 in.
Posters, digital illustration, each 11 × 17 in.
Posters, digital illustration, each 11 × 17 in.
Posters, digital illustration, each 11 × 17 in.
Digital, 40 × 60 in.
she/her
Alexina FederhenBUILDING A BETTER BRAND
Branding is everywhere and has the power to change us as people and as a society. It is what we interact with every day, and it affects our mood, our decisions, and our habits. Designers have an ethical responsibility to create with intention and purpose to make the world a better place.
Humans have an innate desire to surround themselves with items that define them. Identity and place are so closely connected that they inform each other. We create our environment based on our identity as individuals and our personal values. Environmental psychology studies how we shape our environment and, in turn, how our environment shapes us.
Brands are more than just the products we use; they’ve become our built environment. As a result of the pandemic and our reliance on a digital world, we have disconnected from communities and lead more isolated lives. Brands have the power to connect us, not to the actual products, but to groups who share certain values communicated by those products. Brands have become ecosystems with the power to create communities.
My thesis explores the three dimensions of brand design. Brand designers need to adopt a new way of thinking about design identity that is more rooted in architectural design—a solid foundation, a reliable structure, and a user-friendly interface. Brand design should not just be a market strategy to sell a product. I approach it as an architect would—a physical grounding in the structure of design to create a foundation for the client that the business will build off. It must be tied to the identity of the client and the target audience. Every project, every problem, every solution is an opportunity to create a three-dimensional solution—concept/vision, target client, storytelling as wayfinding—and change the world for the better.
Book, 10 × 7½ in.
Cookbook, 7½ × 5½ in.
Website.
Poster, 36 × 24 in.
Silkscreen print, 17 × 11 in.
she/her
Dhwani Garg
My work examines my role in graphic design and potential contribution to the vast terrain of typefaces and explores how type scale can intertwine through form and system within various frameworks. I explore various typefaces that can serve as a catalyst for my designs.
Growing up in India, where design elements take form in various shapes or sizes—be it in costumes, home decor, or even household items, design is an integral part of my experience. This has made me naturally drawn to the idea of proportionality. This innate inclination has fueled my passion for exploring the intricate connection between design elements and proportions.
Through my practice, I experiment with type scales as a tool to explore new narratives within my designs. I am of the opinion that even the smallest point sizes wield significant impact and contribute to the formation of larger forms and compelling narratives.
My methodology examines the fusion between readability and captivating visual allure. It signifies a departure where typefaces are not just carriers of words but also the handlers of design, marking their transition from conveyors of words to convoy of expression, prompting a profound reconsideration of their significance to my work.
Selected spreads, perfect bound, 11 × 17 in
Posters, each 18 × 24 in.
he/him
Arjun LakshmananDIMENSION OF SENSES
We, as humans, are an advanced civilization with the capability to think and perceive things in the world. With the help of our five senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing), we collect information about our environment and our brain interprets this input. The brain’s interpretation can be considered a sixth sense of the body, linked to intuition and instinct.
My research aims to narrow the divide between understanding the connection of our senses to perception and how perception functions in the realm of design. My thesis work challenges conventional notions regarding the quantity, quality, and dimensions of perception.
Within the realm of graphic design, questions arise regarding the ability to envision three-dimensional constructs. This uncertainty extends to the differentiation and understanding between tangible and intangible forms in the world. My explorations aim to unravel how individuals perceive and create multidimensional forms. This study utilizes discourse analysis within the specific context of design, diverging from conventional linguistic approaches and narrative analysis to unravel the intricate interplay between perception and execution in design. Design perception consists of many key factors, such as spatial orientation, stylistic preferences, aesthetics, cultural influences, and mediums of representation.
The aim is to dissect these elements, offering a more nuanced understanding of their impact on human senses and design perception. I further delve into the cognitive mechanisms that shape individual thought when designed communication occurs. Finally, this study aspires to serve as a catalyst for developing a design language that transcends the limitations of current perception.
Postcards, each 8½ × 5½ in.
Poster, 8½ × 11 in.
Poster, 8½ × 11 in.
Total Manga Chapters Read, 2023.
Posters, 11 × 17 in.; 33 × 47 in.
Carolina Izsák
Being a creator, a maker, and a designer is the lens through which I experience life, but it is also through this lens that I see my contribution to this world. Designing has always been about the journey for me. One in which I am constantly learning to see new details of design, living in an invariably wonderous wandering path that often offers serendipitous surprises, that teach me yet, one more lesson about something I hadn’t noticed before!
Interested in expanding my own vision of design, I joined the MFA program as a platform for exploration and discovery. Previously trained as an architect, I brought with me the practice of the structural and functional while being no stranger to the poetic essence of the built environment inhabited by human emotions. The relationships between structure and emotion, constraints and freedom, and pieces that create a whole, have always been part of my practice as a designer.
Through graphic design, I have developed an interest in design concepts that are applicable across a variety of disciplines within design itself, aiming to explore forms and materials widely, keeping the idea of range in mind. Designing to communicate has become designing to connect, inviting the audience to come closer, to experience, engage or play, and at times, to create further.
The symbioses between the tridimensional and bidimensional, between the audience and myself, and among the range of applications within a singular design concept, have become central to this adventure called the MFA in Graphic Design.
Architectural space, 41 × 41 × 41 ft.
Wood and acrylic installation, 8 × 5 ft.
Belgian linen fabric, 54 × 72 in.
Wooden blocks and box, 10 × 20 × 2 ½ in.
they/them
Ren Lanzi________CORE
In the realm of graphic design, a new concept emerges: ________CORE.
Acidic, belonging, chaos, culture, decentralization, emotion, filling space, interaction, queer. Whatever nouns, verbs, or adjectives imaginable are a possibility and a perfect fit to accompany this multidisciplinary ethos. Each word serves as a brushstroke on the canvas of my graphic design thesis, challenging societal and design norms and beckoning those who seek refuge from the confines of tradition, conformity, and the ordinary.
Born out of the lived experiences of a nonbinary POC navigating a predominantly white and cishet society, ________CORE arises as a safe haven—an endless web of communities where one can enter and bring to light their true self. It can act as the ambiguous middle stage of a rite of passage, offering a sanctuary for ideas, thoughts, WIPs, and trial and error.
________CORE is a design manifesto of decentralization and experimentation: creating spaces for new experiences, emphasizing the importance of S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math), and encouraging interactivity between the artists, the art, and the audience. My thesis endeavors to decentralize graphic design norms, challenging Western and Eurocentric customs with an unconventional and experimental approach to make design more inconvenient as a form of play, testing the five senses, making a controlled variable uncontrolled, and removing control entirely from the artist is just the beginning.
The results aspire to inspire those to challenge the routine and embrace intuition, utilizing ________CORE as a visual narrative, a science experiment, and an inquiry to disrupt and reconstruct. The objective is not just pedagogical—it reaches into the realm of self-discovery and identity, extending beyond the artist to the audience. So now I ask, how should we begin to dismantle the enigma behind what makes and who is “an artist”?
Graphic design book catalog, 4¼ × 11 in.
Diary poster and toilet paper stand, 5 × 20 in.
Clothing brand, various fabrics and transfer paper, 6 × 9 in.
Poster design, 24 × 32 in.
Poster design, cardboard box, and transparent film, 24 × 32 in.