The School of Visual Arts continues to encourage both innovation and preservation in design.
Everyday paper objects that we take for granted may be replaced someday with digital versions, but with great design and ingenuity, the beauty and purpose of print can thrive. Two students at The School of Visual Arts were asked to design to that end, and the results were spectacular. Under the guidance of professor Eric Baker, Chi Hao Chang designed a series of collectible Metro Cards for the MTA in New York City, each one corresponding to a different subway line color (ABOVE). The front of each card features illustrations that represent the high-energy, diverse lives of New Yorkers. The back references the cards’ unique characters with simple lines like, “New Yorkers Dance” or “New Yorkers Love.” The illustrations feature modern black and white elements that pop on top of the bold subway line color. Chi Hao Chang’s five Metro Cards can be placed side by side to create one long subway train, the purpose of which “encourages people to collect the whole series of cards,” according to this rising designer.
While the Metro Cards were seamless combinations of utility and collectibility, Isabella Cuda designed an esthetically pleasing magazine, complete with her own original photography, artwork and type. With help from Professor Olga Mezhibovskaya, Cuda created Plastic magazine with the intention of creating a beautiful publication worthy of being “displayed on a designer’s coffee table” (BELOW). The covers display sleek grayscale photography, page layouts offer unconventional text arrangement, and full spreads show off minimalist artwork. The conceptualization of Plastic magazine can be compared to some of the most exciting new indie magazines in circulation today.
