Environmental Design (also known as Sustainable Design) is an area that extends interior design in broader directions, often with elements of architecture and graphic design included. As the name implies, it involves creating the entire environment of a space, whether inside or outside. Much of this work is in commercial projects, where it may cover lighting, signage, traffic patterns, furniture, and much more – in short, anything that shapes a space for human use. Three-dimensional and...
Students in Exhibition Design programs are grounded in the theory and history of art much in the same way are students of art history and museum studies. However, the application of their studies often extends beyond the walls of a museum or traditional gallery setting. Whether your intention is to work within a museum setting or make a career of pop-up shows, study in an Exhibition Design program will ensure proper education in spatial sociology, color theory, and education theory, as well as...
The simple definition of fashion design is that it is the invention of the clothes we all wear all the time. However, that does little justice to the complexity and creativity involved in bringing clothes to the marketplace. Fashion design involve a sensitivity to tastes and trends, to construction techniques and fabric characteristics, and to shape and color. It is the process of drawing these various components together to create something new and exciting for people to wear. This work can be...
This area can range from screen printing on flat textiles, to weaving with threads and yarns on a loom, to assembling three-dimensional pieces with various fibers, and from unique crafts pieces, to commissioned constructions, to large-scale textile manufacturing. It almost always involves use of color and composition, and may be done in connection with furniture or interior designers as well. Employment opportunities range from individual craftsperson to commercial designer.
Like many other areas of art and design, film can encompass a wide range of formats and approaches. At one end of the spectrum are fine arts-oriented films. At the other end are full-scale Hollywood productions such as “Good Will Hunting” (directed by Gus Van Sant, a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design). And in between those are film installations, independent films, documentaries, and many other variants of the same media. Accordingly, describing the work environment in these areas...
As with ceramics above, this is an area that can range from single objects in a crafts or fine arts mode, to mass-produced pieces sold through commercial showrooms. Much of the work, particularly in smaller quantities, is done in wood, while the more commercial work is often produced in metal and plastic as well. This field requires a thorough knowledge of the materials being used, coupled with a strong three-dimensional ability.
Game Art/Game Design is a growing profession within the field of Interactive Media. Students in Game Design programs receive education and experience in game design mechanics and 3D animation software preparing them for careers as creators of meaningful, and sometimes educational, play and interactivity.
Programs of General Two-Dimensional Design can encompass many of the design fields described here – advertising design, graphic design, illustration, and visual communications design – and either offer students the opportunity to specialize in one of these areas or take a more survey approach. Like study in any design area, students’ design education is complemented and augmented with courses in communications theory, culture, and history.
