Graphic Design Commons^™

Mary Connor: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster, Mary Connor

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• Mixed-media digital collage

• 18 inches wide, 24 inches high

Noah Gangloff: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster, Noah Gangloff

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• Mixed-media digital collage
• 18 inches wide, 24 inches high

A Working Ideology For Graphic Design, Jeremy Nixon

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This exhibition represents an experimental body of work completed for the Caine College of the Arts. It explores the interplay of explicit and implicit functions within semiotics, while simultaneously communicating the college’s messages and honestly representing my own aesthetic ideals. Through the treatment of these explorations I hope to create an aesthetic experience for the viewer. That stems from my own ideology – which consists of a myriad of conscious and subconscious beliefs – that make up who I am as a designer.

My conception of form arises from an essentialist approach to space and shape. This conception developed out …

Food Packages That Make Choosing Better, Easy, Shelley Tate Garner

Masters Theses

Food packaging with persuasive design components and information can help us make better food buying decisions when it matters most- as we are scanning the grocery aisle. The correct packaging design could make it easy for consumers to determine a healthy choice from a lesser option and be attractive enough to sway decision making, thus leading to a healthier public. Research has been produced in many categories that relates to the dynamic of packaging design and its impact on buying and consumer response. However, no one study seems to bring together the most common elements that influence “healthy” choices at …

Peter Bil'ak, Rebekah Hanover Pettit

Communication Design: Design Pioneers

No abstract provided.

Branding On A Budget: Marketing In The Nonprofit Sector, Nicholas Biere

Honors Projects

“Branding on a Budget: Marketing in the Nonprofit Sector” This service learning project combines academic research with experiential service learning. The purpose of this project was to create a strong brand for BeInstrumental, a nonprofit music education organization from Toledo, Ohio through the creation of a graphic branding plan. Principles of visual communication technology, graphic design, marketing strategies, branding, and graphic design are all implemented in this project.

Art Of Darkness, Sarah Roper

Honors Theses

This paper describes the process, production, and explanation of Art of Darkness, an artistic expression of the struggle with anxiety. All of the work is inspired by literature and art from the English Romantic and Victorian eras, and focuses on quotes about the mind, emotions, and other thought processes. As each piece highlights a different aspect of anxiety, it also portrays the struggles of anxiety through color palette, printing process, and symbolism. These printed pieces consist of letter-press printed materials, with ink-wiped backgrounds and hand-stitched details. Also included are large-scale prints with silkscreened foregrounds, a selection of bookmarks, a …

Sleep Paralysis: An Artist's Best Nightmare, Alexandra Wills

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sleep paralysis is a condition in which the REM sleep in an individual fails to disengage after they awaken. This leads to full body paralysis, during which vivid and often terrifying hallucinations occur. I myself suffer from sleep paralysis. That being said, I have always been intrigued by the concept of exploring serious topics through the use of comedy. In essence, that is what my project is about. I wanted to make light of sleep paralysis. By doing so, I hoped to deescalate the terror in the mind of the sufferer. Comedy is possibly the most effective method I have …

Design For Good, Aaron Roberts

UCARE: Research Products

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there is a 70 percent rise in the number of overdose cases arriving at emergency departments in the Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin) since August 2016. The construction industry alone has attributed almost 1,000 deaths to opioid overdoses. This fast-moving epidemic is taking many Nebraska rural communities by surprise.

The goal of this project was to work directly with Professor Colleen Syron, the Communications Director for this project, for translation and dissemination for broader impacts.

This UCare grant project …

Noah Fidlin Senior Art Portfolio, Noah J. Fidlin

Senior Art Portfolios

An art, photography and design magazine that combines analog and digital media.

Visual Storytelling Of Scientific Data: Collaborations Between Physics And Graphic Design In The College Classroom, Eric M. Edlund, Szilvia Kadas

The SUNY Journal of the Scholarship of Engagement: JoSE

The Common Problem Pedagogy (CPP) project, a learning initiative implemented in four SUNY schools, aims to provide students with multidisciplinary, project-based experiences, and to foster a culture of such pedagogy among faculty. This work describes one CPP project that was conducted at SUNY Cortland during the Spring 2019 semester that brought together students from physics and graphic design disciplines. The goal of this project was to identify issues of environmental and social concern, develop numerical models to represent the effects of possible policy actions, and to communicate the meaning of this work as infographics suitable for a non-expert, public audience. …

Draw Down Books, Draw Down Books, Kathleen Sleboda, Christopher Sleboda, Zak Jensen, Nejc Prah, Daniel Eatock, Maziyar Pahlevan, Benoit Bodhuin, Bráulio Amado, Jost Hochuli, Ian Lynam

UNBOUND 2020 Archive (Virtual)

Draw Down Books exhibitors. Draw Down is an independent publisher located in the northeastern corner of the United States. Created in 2012, Draw Down publishes small books about graphic design, typography, illustration, photography, art, and architecture.

A Study On The Visual And Verbal Languages Of Typography, Ellyn E. Duncan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

It takes a person 0.05 seconds to form a first impression of something new. While first impressions are quick and surface level, they are generally important in the lasting impression developed by the individual. I believe graphic designers have the ability to manipulate the first impression of their work by using the different languages of typography to command the attention of an audience and direct a planned impression. Through the testing and research of this thesis study, I aim to provide examples of how people share common responses and interpretations of visual elements and show that the visual and verbal …

Alan Aldridge, Valerie Nyby

Communication Design: Design Pioneers

Biographical and critical article on the life and work of the design pioneer of the mid and late 20th century, Alan Aldridge.

Out Of Sight, Mei G. Buzzell

University Scholar Projects

Out of Sight, reveals the reality of the service industry that is often camouflaged from the front of the house. Over a two year period, my discoveries are the happenings of what transpires within communities that is repeated day and night all over this country. Only the text of my thesis book is displayed, the images can be found at my website at, meibuzzell.com.

Exploring The Enneagram Through Visual Aesthetics: Profiles For Personal Home Décor, Sarah K. Casmass

Masters Theses

The home is an environment that is the prime center for self-expression, personal sanctuary, and solace. On a psychological level, the home is a representation of the individual and, therefore, that individual should identify and find pleasure in their personal home space. Decorative art has long provided visual solutions for our innate desire to accentuate our spaces and express ourselves. However, there is a need for a connection between the visual arts and the augmentation of our basic psychological needs through home décor. With countless resources available for an individual to become more self-aware, there is a deficit in the …

The Process Of Creating A Successful Brand, Madison Fogarty

Senior Honors Theses

The contents of this thesis will explain the detailed process behind a successful brand campaign. It includes the most important aspects of a brand such as brand strategy, brand identity, color theory, and logo design. Successful brand campaigns were studied to determine if there was a common underlying process. The research process began by outlining the steps that are needed to accomplish a strong brand campaign. After outlining, identification of these steps can be further implemented into the creative brand campaign which will focus on product packaging. The results of this paper show that a comprehensive design process is crucial …

Advancing Film Through Art & Design: A Study Of The Influence That Film And Fine Art Have On The Independent Film Market, Jamall Rashaud Mcmillan

Masters Theses

The Influence of Graphic Design and Fine Art in Film is a exploration into the impact that an investment of the arts has on film and more specifically the independent film market. Most independent filmmakers have to develop their productions with little to no budget. In doing so they must work to create a marketable film to the best of their ability. There in-lies the issue; they are doing it to the best of “their” ability. The issue that is in focus with the notion of ability is that a major component that is left out of the equation to …

Inform: A Mobile App To Teach Untrained Listeners Of Classical Music About Fugue, Sonata, And Rondo Form Through Interactive Information Graphics, Miranda Finn

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis introduces adult non-musicians to large-scale structural components of three fundamental musical forms (fugue, sonata, and rondo) through a mobile application containing interactive information graphics and audio examples. This provides the knowledge and vocabulary necessary to discuss and listen critically to classical music, as well as enhance the overall listening experience. The written component of this project describes the content of the app and how it is presented, as well as the reasoning behind creative decisions such as color palette, page design, and development of the information graphics. Also reviewed are the programs used in the creation of the …

A Systems Approach To Graphic Design Practice, Parisa Farmoudehyamcheh

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Over the past few decades, design issues have gotten more complex, and designers got responsible for solving more significant problems, from object-level problems to system-level problems to societal-level problems. This thesis is an exploration of employing a systems approach for solving these complicated issues. The systems approach helps designers to look at matters as a whole and consider all connected pieces in a network all together. In this way, proposing solutions to those problems will address all those parts and will solve them at the same time. In this thesis, I will study and analyze case studies such as Canva, …

Equals: Redefining The Way Graphic Design And Narrative Film Combine To Create Visual Metaphor, Kevin Harris

Masters Theses

This paper provides a methodology for combining Graphic Design and Narrative Film together in a way that creates a type of visual metaphor that is central to the story and characters of the film. Because visual mediums of communication are so intrinsically tied to verbal means of communication, this methodology is grounded in the linguistic study of poetry and metaphor. Thus, the concept of metaphor will be analyzed thoroughly in language, poetry, fine arts, and modern arts. The ways in which metaphor is created visually through the art forms of graphic design and narrative film will be of upmost interest …

Design As An Accompaniment To Performance Art: Incorporating Imagery To Amplify Emotional Impact, Brianna O'Neal

Masters Theses

Design as an Accompaniment to Performance Art: Incorporating Imagery to Amplify Emotional Impact is an investigation of how graphic design can be used to increase the emotional impact of a performance art piece, such as spoken word or music. The research indicates that memory plays a significant role in informing the emotion felt. The felt emotion then allows the viewer to form a perspective on the artistic piece as a whole. However, it is important to note that an individual’s memory cannot be controlled by the artist. Therefore, it is necessary for the artist to place a direct focus on …

Seeing By Creativity: A Creative Execution Designed To Bridge The Gap For The Visually Impaired, Breann Carty

Masters Theses

This research explores how design can simultaneously reach people who are visually impaired, along with those who can see, by integrating inclusive design. Research reveals that the visually impaired are frequently overlooked by graphic designers. These findings further show that blind individuals feel excluded from society. The aim of this study is to generate a collection of work that effectively combines visual design and braille to provide visually impaired people with a similar experience to those who are not disabled. To determine the most effective way of combining design elements and braille, experiments within focus groups were conducted. This exploration …

The Design Librarian: Graphic Design As An Essential Skill, Sarah-Anne Kennedy

Conference Papers

Developing the Library Workforce

Emerging and future skills required in the Library workforce.

The Design Librarian -graphic design as an essential skill.

In 2017 the Library carried out an audit of Library signage. In line with graphic design best practice, institute guidelines, the Official Languages Act 2003, branding and design guidelines were developed. Design guidelines for people with a disability were also incorporated. A team was established to look after all signage design, marketing, and social media. Over the last year, the team has developed a cohesive Library visual identity that promotes our services and resources across a range of …

Racial Peeves: The Exploitation Of Microaggressions, Olivia Gabrielle Ellis

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Racial Peeves: The Exploitation of Microaggressions documents my personal experience of dealing with microaggressions throughout my life, as well as the history of these racial issues. This thesis also documents the creation of my Senior BFA Exhibition of the same title inspired by 1970s Blaxploitation posters.

Cultural Investigation On Typography In Branding In The United States And In Brazil., Carolina C Ganon

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This cultural thesis is set to investigate the use of typography in branding, and how the same is influenced by cultural aspects, specifically in the United States and Brazil. The contrasting experience I have had as a student of graphic design in these two countries led me to discover the influence culture has in dictating the typography design use in branding. Typography, branding and cultural influences have been significantly researched in the past, but historically as three separate subjects, without focusing on the importance of their association and how they influence one another cross-culturally. Since the impact of graphic design …

Crystal & Gem: A Magazine Concept For The Millennial Audience, Sophie Ford

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Crystal & Gem magazine aims to fill a gap in the market for fashionable, educated, millennial-aged women with an interest in the geology and mythology of crystals and gemstones. Many magazines with a scientific or historic scope find themselves in either the general interest section of magazine stands, or in some cases even the men’s interest magazine stands. It is a common misconception that women cannot be interested in both fashion and science, so this magazine exists as an antithesis to that idea.

This work was a culmination of four graphic design courses at UNO, during which time I further …

This Book Is Valuable: An Anthology Of Essays On Design And The Perception Of Value In Luxury Fashion Objects, Carlos Velasco

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This Book is Valuable seeks to analyze how different concepts related to design and culture have influenced the apparent and perceived value of luxury fashion objects. This question is explored in different contexts to provide clarity and observation to the contemporary construction of value through systems of design.

This thesis is an anthology of three essays. The first essay is about immaterial capitalism, a system of knowledge, skill and imagination based capital. The second essay is about the strategy of artification, using fine art as a way to link systems of value together. It is also about how luxury conglomerates …

Happy, Dontay Farley

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis is an exploration of graphic design and how it can be used as tool to create awareness about mental illness and positive solutions to decrease its affect on individuals. Using the “simple things” in life as metaphors, this thesis attempts to use graphic design as a way to help decrease depression. Drawing on the emergent strands of enquiry associated with mental illness, this thesis will investigate how design and its basic principles can be used create positive experiences for the complex issue of mental illness.

This thesis will also review the body of critical and historical design thinking, …

The Importance Of Branding In Small Businesses, Amber J. Rabie

Senior Honors Theses

The Land of Milk & Honey Farm exists to provide quality food produced in facilities that practice good stewardship to the Earth. It is a small business devoted to loving, careful stewardship and the production of quality goods. The mission of The Land of Milk & Honey is to combine traditional farming practices with a sustainable and environment-friendly approach to agriculture. It aims to provide customer satisfaction by being respectful and responsible over animals and the earth, and by producing quality products. To reach this objective, the farm intends to educate consumers and provide an alternative source for truly farm-fresh …