Student a creator with many outlets

VANESSA STAUBLIN | Staff Reporter

A stroke of a pencil. Dipping a brush into paint. Eraser shavings all over the paper.

These are all things an artist might experience when creating a new piece of artwork. But in the 21st century, graphic design has slowly been taking the place of what some may view as typical art.

Senior Morgan McFarland has been applying graphic design to her life since her sophomore year at Butler University. Originally a biology major and wanting to go into optometry, McFarland quickly changed her mind.

“I realized I didn’t actually love it (biology),” McFarland said. “I love talking to people and working with them to create ideas. As a strategic communication and an Art + Design major, I get to do that. It’s something different every day.”

McFarland switched majors in her sophomore year, from biology to doubling strategic communications and  Art + Design.  With no previous experience in graphic design, McFarland started from scratch.

“I was able to teach myself how to use the programs until my first class,” she said. “From there, I just grew.”

McFarland has had many opportunities from her Art + Design major. Since her junior year, she has held four internships, all allowing her to do some graphic design in combination with communications work.

This semester, McFarland has an internship at BLASTmedia. Located downtown, McFarland goes off campus for her job eight hours a day. She will be working there until May this year.

“At BLASTmedia, I write pitches and press releases, do research on today’s trends in technology and compile media contact lists,” she said. “I have been able to design blog post images, and I’m beginning to dabble in photography and video editing. It’s awesome to learn new things and brush up on my current skills.”

Along with the job opportunities she has received during her time here at Butler, McFarland plans on continuing her passion after graduation.

“I hope to find a job in communications that allows me to do graphic design as well,” she said. “I want to do something that allows me to be in a fun environment and something that is dynamic.”

Between internships and taking classes, McFarland participated in a student-led independent study last year. During the course of six months, she and other students wrote and designed a children’s book. McFarland and junior Taylor Cox co-illustrated a now-published book, “He Huffed and He Puffed But…”

The book is about the big bad wolf from the story of The Three Little Pigs. In this book, he is a little pup with asthma.

“It teaches kids with asthma how they don’t need to feel scared or held back,” McFarland said. “It was cool to see my name on the front of a published book.”

By taking art and graphic design classes here at Butler, McFarland said she is ready for the real world.

“I have been lucky enough to take several things away from my Art + Design major. The best is learning to create what you want and how you want to,” McFarland said. “Classes at Butler have allowed me to grow as an artist by not giving me strict guidance.”

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