view book 2012
DESCRIPTION
Otis College of Art and Design View BookTRANSCRIPT
2012-13 View Book
vol. 2
no. 1
SuStainable toy DeSign in China
DeSigning the FreeDom memorial in Palau
Furniture maDe From reClaimeD Street treeS
FaShion runway ProjeCt
DeSign>builD: arChiteCture/ lanDSCaPe/interiorS inStallationS
lowriDer bikeS
aPPly now
Editors in Chiefyvette Sobky-Shaffer, Dean of admissoinsmargaret reeve, Director of Communications
Creative Direction and Designanne Swett-Predock, Creative Director
Design Assistance and ProductionDavis ngarupe (‘12)
Contributing Writersjohn axtell, media relations managermargaret reeveyvette Sobky-Shafferanne Swett-Predock
Photographykelly akashi (’07), kristy Campbell, tom Carey, jessica Fleischmann, nicole jenkins, allison knight, ana llorente-thurik, ari marcopoulos, wayne mcCall, anne Swett-Predock, holly tempo, george widodo
Printingtypecraft, wood & jones, inc.
Fonts“gustan” designed by Communication arts faculty member greg lindy“newsald” by kris Sowersby
Make an appointment for a campus tour.
9045 Lincoln BoulevardLos Angeles, CA 90045
(310) 665 6800(800) 527 OTIS (6847)[email protected]
How this book was made
The clear poly envelope isrecyclable, biodegradable, and compostable.
The papers for this book’s cover, insides, and insert are sustainably manufactured and recycled.
©2012 Text, illustrations, and photographs may not be reproduced or utilized in any form without the written permission of Otis College of Art and Design. Information in this publication is subject to change without notice.
Otis is training us to be superheroes and to use the skills they have taught us to
solve the world’s problems. We work together and learn from each other, because we can’t save the world on our own.
— Tianna Poanessa
“
”
and professional practice, developed time management and discipline, and learned how to be critical and solve problems. So when I
run into that alum at the local grocery store who is a lead designer at Mattel or when I see the Sony campaigns produced by our former work-study student—that’s when I know that what he or she did at Otis made a difference.
I see myself in all of the students who ap-ply to Otis. Each digital file is a person who wants to go to college to become an artist. I work in a profession that makes dreams
come true. We want that girl who was told that she should be an engineer to know that following her heart and becoming an artist is just as smart. I want the parents of that first-generation student to know that their son or daughter can get a job with a degree in art. I want that student to know that there are choices beyond the U.S. News and World Report “Top 50 Colleges in America.” I believe in the investment and the value of an education at Otis.
I also believe that each student deserves attention and assistance in their college search. Please feel free to reach out to us to visit, to ask questions, and to decide if Otis is the place for you, just as I found it to be the place for me.
work. The skills exhibited by first year Foundation students far exceeded my own, and the pieces from junior level students looked like they had been done by industry professionals.
I was also struck by the level of diversity at Otis. As I walked through the halls, I was met by students from all over the US and the world—rich and poor, and of all ages. Here were students who all had one shared goal: to be professional artists and design-ers. In the fifteen years since Otis moved
to the Goldsmith Campus, we have grown from 650 to 1,200 students and added two buildings. We still maintain that ethnic and fiscal di-versity, and as a first generation American,
I am proud that we have developed a com-munity of artists who can respect and learn from each other’s differences and embrace our shared values.
More importantly, those students I worked with fifteen years ago are now employed as fine artists and designers. The education they received was transformative. It wasn’t just about their growth or getting a degree for the sake of having that piece of paper; here at Otis, they balanced their creative
In order for me to tell you why I believe in an Otis education, you need to know a little bit about me.
I am the daughter of an immigrant from Egypt, and a first generation Hungarian/Lithuanian. When I was seventeen and considering my college options in suburban Ohio, I could not depend on my parents or a career counselor to help me sort through all of the options. My dad went to college on another continent, and my mom never completed a degree. So, what did I do? I applied to the college that the girl who sat next to me in class did. I didn’t apply for financial aid, I made all the mistakes, and were it not for a little luck and some decent grades, I would never have obtained a bach-elor’s degree.
In retrospect, while I do not regret the col-lege I selected, I certainly could have done a better college search! I had been told that I was good at math and that I should do something smart people do—not be an artist. I was told that if I became an artist, I would never get a job and that I would live in my parents’ basement. I majored in what amounted to “undecided” and while I took a lot of art courses, I also took many main-stream courses that I could fall back on.
When I came to Otis fifteen years ago, I was immediately impressed by the students’
Why Otis?
I want parents to know that their son or daughter can get a job with a degree in art.
The students I worked with fifteen
years ago are now professional
artists and designers.
Otis has maintained its
ethnic and fiscal diversity.
Yvette Sobky-ShafferDean of Admissions
So when I run into that alum who is a lead designer at Mattel or when I see the Sony campaigns produced by our former work-study student—that’s when I know that what he or she did at Otis made a difference.
septembervol. 2 no. 1
COntents
Programsof Study
How Was This Made?
Future Stock
How toApply
Los Angeles Inspires Otis
RegenerationRevolution
Wood for Good
Where in the World?
Marketplace
Preparing forProfessionalLife
Change Agents
From the Sustainability Desk
From the Sustainability Desk
From the Sustainability Desk
Introductionwhy otis? | letter from the President 2 meet mr. unicorn
16
22
53
42
44
52
27
28
29
33
36
40
3
10
Discover the secrets behind the great work
how would you envision the future?
Sustainability is the new now
a focus on human-centered design solutions
art and Design in the Community
36 Fashion runway Project 38 Design>build: architecture/ landscape/interiors installations
3 majors | 5 minors 6 liberal arts and Sciences | 7 Foundation
10 Show your Stuff | 12 Digital Peek 13 books | 15 Sports and games
33 For the home | 34 For Play
35 For the Street
Students and graduates from around the globe
53 Five Steps to a bright Future 54 applying is easy | 55 Preparing a Portfolio56 transfer Students | 58 aP and ib exams58 international Students | 59 Decisions59 if you’ve applied before | 59 other Programs60 2012–13 Cost of attendance | 60 Financial aid
Feature
Otis Connects
29 Paris in Spring | 30 toy Design in China 32 Designing the Palau Freedom memorial
44 Creativity is Serious business | 45 otis in the biz 46 right out of School, moving up the ladder, running the Show
Life AfterOtis
ThumbsUp
ReALIze yOUR
DReAMS
At Otis, professional practices, social engage-ment, and the creative economy converge with new ideas, diversity, and a concern for sustainability. Otis is a forward-looking art and design college with a real-world orientation.
The future is bright for our graduates. In the twenty-first century, creativity is a force as important in shaping culture as in economic and social development. The 2011 Otis Report on the Creative Economy reveals that one of eight jobs in the Los Angeles region is sup-ported by the arts, design, and entertainment industries, and these jobs generate a market impact of over $201 billion. Otis’ unique mix of majors offers pathways for young talents to develop their creative best while linking them to careers in this powerful creative economy, and to opportunities in bettering our world. Our alumni surveys consistently evidence the success of Otis graduates as creative profes-sionals, and their satisfaction in college and career choices.
An Otis education is an investment in your personal and professional development. I hope you will join us to realize your dreams.
Samuel Hoi, President
Otis College of Art and Design is ideally located in Los Angeles. Both are fertile grounds for artists, innovators, and achievers. Otis has charted the development of art and design in Los Angeles, and radiated its influence from this Southern California epicenter.
letter from the president
If you’re a young doodler and tinkerer, take heart. You’re living in a career candy store, filled with cool jobs your parents and career counselors probably don’t even know exist. — Kay Hymowitz in an NPR interview with Kai Ryssdal
“
”
welcome
After One E-Mail In 2011 I took a road trip through Northern California. A friend asked me what I was doing to promote my new book. One evening, tucked away in a run-down 1970s strip motel, I pulled up a few humor sites that I had initially missed and sent a few cold promo-tional e-mails to them. A few days later, I was standing in line at LAX heading home to Missouri when I felt a buzz in my pocket. It was a text from a friend letting me know that my book was on the front page of Reddit, a major social aggregate site.
After one e-mail to a humor website, the floodgates opened. Within the week, I had over 200,000 visitors to my website, and by the end of the month, I had offers from a handful of great publishers to produce my book.
Meet Mr. UnicornCole Moss (’11) I’m the chief illustrator, primary concept developer, full-time researcher, and resident fool at Unicorn Industries/Grey Rainbow. I am working to make projects that are for adults, but can be understood by children.
Unicorn Feeding Bacon to the Pigs
Published by harper Collins, Unicorn Being a Jerk is a book of comic illustrations that document the antics of mr. unicorn. available at urban outfitters, museum bookstores, and amazon. See mr. unicorn in action at misterunicorn.com.
Otis gave me the opportunity to ex-plore every whim and passing fancy.
It allowed me the chance to delude myself, rationalize my actual skill set, and then proceed to make things that,
in their outward appearance, seem relevant to society.
Peek-a-Boo!Look for Mr. Unicorn
throughout the pages of this book. He shows up in the darndest places!
2contributors
Fashion Design Graphic Design
Digital Media
Advertising Design
After completing First year Foundation, students select one of eleven majors.
The four-year BFA degree curriculum promotes flexible, adaptive, and entrepreneurial thinking.
Architecture/Landscape/ Interiors
Majors
Architecture/Landscape/ InteriorsAdvertising DesignDigital MediaFashion DesignGraphic DesignIllustrationPhotographyPaintingProduct DesignSculpture/New GenresToy Design
The Choice Is Yours
3programs of study
Product Design
Sculpture/New Genres
Illustration
Toy Design
Photography
Painting
4programs of study
Art HistoryArtists Community Teaching (ACT) Book ArtsCreative Writing Cultural StudiesInterdisciplinary StudiesSustainability
But wait, there’s more! Challenge yourself.
Minors
5programs of study
the Future Is Idea-Based
The rapid development of digital technologies has given the visual a preeminent place in our everyday lives. We live in an intensely visualized world where things seem to be in constant flux; artists and designers are becoming the idea makers and drivers. They create or influence what we see, hear, and think. And with that power comes a need for social awareness and responsibility. Getting a job is important—getting a job that you love, where you are not bored but always invigorated is more important, and realizing that you can create new ideas and use your creativity to change and better things will probably lead to the most rewarding life you can ask for. We are faced with daunting wicked problems but you can use your creativity to imagine and create better possible futures, and help transform our world.—Debra Ballard, Chair, Liberal Arts and Sciences
I have experimented with learning and technology, including teaching an English class this year in the iPad. What I have learned is that the “new normal” requires adaptability, creativity, and innovation.
Shamanism, Art, and Sacred
Spaces
communicate complex ideas
clearly
California Dreaming
Visual Culture was the first class that changed my perspective on how I see the
world. I enjoyed it because I can totally relate to what I see on media every day:
T.V, billboards, and magazines!
Liberal Arts Sciences&
develop information literacy skills
A selection of course titles...
History of Rock and Roll
forge interdisciplinary connections
Vampire Literature and Lore
Virtual Worlds
New Chinese Cinema Harry Potter:
Literary Tradition and Pop Culture
Imagination and the Brain
Horror Film
6programs of study
I learned things I never thought I’d have an opportunity to; I tried things that I never thought I would, and honestly, I’ve turned into someone I never thought I’d be. I went from being a distant wallflower to being a bold, confident nutcase. The people I’ve met along the way have been incredibly inspiring, unbelievably annoying, simply beautiful, and everything in between.
Fast-track creativity, forge friendships, and have fun!
FounDAtion
7foundation
hone the essential thinking and making skills
learn aesthetic
fundamentals develop cultural and information literacy
sharpen visual acuity
engage the larger
community
collaborate
8foundation
During Foundation year, you will critique your own work and pursue a spirit of investigation. In Liberal Arts and Sciences courses, you will examine how meaning is constructed during the creative process. You will learn both to question everything and to see that everything is connected. The skills you acquire during Founda-tion year will allow you to focus on WHAT to make during your next three years at Otis, not HOW. these skills will allow you to express your concepts clearly and effectively.
I am not the observer I used to be; things I usually glanced over I now look at again, trying to break down, digest, and synthesize the qualities that make them stand out from their surroundings.
Mr Unicorn as a sustainable ecosystem
9foundation
Show Your Stuff
Freak Show, 2010
Fine Arts students curate and exhibit their work at Otis, as well as in galleries throughout L.A.
Metrosexual, 2010
10thumbs up
Wavelength, 2010Green-Themed Exhibition
Unknown Knowing, 2011
Anomie, 2009
Fine artists add poetry, beauty, and meaning to people’s lives. L.A. is probably the best place in the world to study art. It’s a dynamic, varied environment, and a place where, after graduation, students can become involved in a community. —Meg Cranston, Chair, Fine Arts
11thumbs up
Digital PeekScenes and Stories for the Screen
AnimationThe old cameras resent the appearance of a new camera in the store.
Concept Design“Carmageddon” traffic caused frustration among drivers, but their road rage was nothing com-pared to the freeways’ pent-up ire. Not even public transporta-tion patrons were spared.
I feel like I am part of a gumbo rather than part of a salad bar.—Derek Thompson (‘94), Storyboard Artist at Pixar
12thumbs up
The Craft of the Letterformand the Page
Books
Book Design Contest All Communication Arts students are invited to submit work to the annual contest, which is judged by their peers.
I feel like I am part of a gumbo rather than part of a salad bar.—Derek Thompson (‘94), Storyboard Artist at Pixar
13thumbs up
Zombie BunniesHumorous illustrations representing the world of Zombie Bunnies.
OraleTypography specimen poster for Orale, a student-designed typeface.
rESETThis magazine explores the (anti) meaning of gay male identification.
Passions in the SandUsing the graphic language of romance comics, this episode is from the series A Terrorist Romance Novel.
14thumbs up
SportsandGamesImagination = Play
Building Blocks for Young AstronomersFind your favorite constellation or create your own by rearranging the starry blue and white blocks.
Three D GameThe 3-D excitement of Killer Swamp Trees! Ordinary willows morph into murderous bark monsters when the full moon is high.
Who Will Win?The Chronic Crybaby? The Angry Seether? Or the Joyful Cheerleader?This graphic design piece explores the Emotional Olympics. We’ve all been in training our whole lives, but who surpasses their peers and wins gold in Love, Sadness, or Joy?
15thumbs up
HOW
Mylar tubes burst from a
wall, like projectiles from space
Simplicity of Material: A video monitor behind a wall projects light through rolled mylar
Hidden video monitor creates holographic prismatic patterns
Kaleido- scopic wonder!
Tubular!
Otis students use technology, but are not technicians or engineers: they are creators, artists, and makers who thrive on diversity and engaging design challenges. — Steve McAdam, Chair, Product Design
16how was this made?
A new generation of artists and designers effortlessly makes the transition from low to high tech. Replacing “recycle, reclaim, reuse” with “sustain-able innovation,” they evaluate every aspect of the creative process from initial concept to fabrication, packaging, delivery, and retail. Global manufactur-ing requires that a product’s environmental life cycle or footprint be measured—from raw material extraction through materials processing, manufac-ture, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and disposal or recycling.
HOW?
Band It!
Two halves of the image were
printed in a 3-D milling
machine and glued together.
The image of randomly placed bands was transformed into a model.
After the rough seams were sanded, the bowl was ready for casting.
was this made?
Global Warming
Campaign from Sang youb
Shin (‘11) and Wu Hyun Lew (‘11)
The team combined elements from After effects, Photoshop, Maya, Illustrator, and Cinema 4D to create the movie.
17how was this made?
Sculpted and cast
snake heads have gold-
leafed eyes
FoundCaribouAntlers
Snake heads fixed to painted ant-lers, mounted and chained to wall
Spotlight casts dramatic shadows
Midsummer New Mexico Nightmare
18how was this made?
Flakes of landfill plastic
were melted and pressed into a flat
sheet then bent into a chair shapeThe bent sheet
was placed onto a welded metal frame This book,
made from wood bark, presents advice about living green
A chair from shredded
plastic
The world is changing as organizations and institutions look to creative people for answers to small and large problems. Designers are invited to the table in this great global initiative.—Kali Nikitas, Chair, Communication Arts
A native Hawaiian turtle became the model for a character in an animated piece
A sampling of materials:
Sculpey, styrofoam, fabric,
train model pieces, doll parts,
and magnets
19how was this made?
Anatomy studies, concept,
and character motion sketches
were made
A virtuoso drawing can
bring any creature to
life
Historical and visual research are key elements in creating detailed, credible environments
Digital modeling starts with a wire frame
and is then layered
with texture and color
amazing drawing skills
20how was this made?
Making a model for
digitization
Sculpey is the material
of choice: it is soft and
malleablebut sturdy
Old- fashioned sculpting tools serve the purpose for carving
Physical model is scanned and digitized using 3-D software
Bringing clay to life
21how was this made?
No More Texting? :-0
Future stock
Imagination: Where would we be without it? Would we even exist?
—Tuna Tarugno
“”
How would you
envision the Future?
Insect Transport?
22from the sustainability desk
Sustainably Sourced Storage?
rocks on Fire?
Walking toolboxes?
Industrial felt is folded and bound to create a magazine rack.
This handmade ceramic vessel blends the natural form of a
stone with the element of fire
While in the Air Force, I was an airplane mechanic. I had to carry an enormous and heavy toolbox with me everywhere across long tarmacs and huge hangars. I wished the toolbox could sprout legs and walk itself. So that is what I built— a walking toolbox.
23from the sustainability desk
Claustrophoria: The Ecstasy of Spatial Thinness
Shards of Space
In downtown L.A., a fabric awning stretches across a very long and narrow building to allow rooftop access and a communal space for all residents.
The world can keep changing. The world cannot flatten as long as we exist
to change it. Bring it on, world! —George Peaslee (‘11)
“”
24from the sustainability desk
Digital Media Bromance
Five students envisioned future worlds with different cultures and environments.
Blade runner Living? Closer Than You Think.
Designers not only ‘solve’ problems but frame— and even invent—them. — Linda Pollari, Chair Architecture/Landscape/Interiors Department
25from the sustainability desk
Will Nature Win?
Ban the Bottle, Abolish the Bag
Working with Surfrider Founda-tion, this student campaign raised awareness of single-use plastic consumption, particularly at SoCal beaches.
Nature Will Win
Water-Saving Buildings?
Seattle Health Academy
Slices/gaps in building sections facilitate water collection and the flow of natural light. Exhibited at Go Green Expo.
rise Above Plastics
26from the sustainability desk
Sustainability is the New Now. Get With The Program
The new “triple bottom line”
is profit, people, and the planet. If you take
care of people and the planet, profit will follow.
— Rosemary Brantley, Chair, Fashion Design Department regeneration
revolution
folding; detachable collars and cuffs; educational care labels; and repair kits. Some were inspired by the web-based experiment “Six items, thirty-one days” in which participants selected six garments to wear for a month, and blogged about their experiences. The average American has 35 T-shirts and 4 pairs of jeans, which are washed four times a week. Convinced that consumer habits are changing, students designed garments that educated consumers about washing, excessive consumption of low-priced clothing, and the value of ‘heirloom” and multipurpose clothing. Youth leads the way, as Hurley’s tagline “microphone for youth” states. Fashion designers are doing it now rather than thinking about what to do next.
Trash Chic!
A bold, new classic made from newspaper, chicken wire, glass, foil, pencils, and plastic (Communication Arts).
In this collaboration with Nike and Hurley, students created designs that reduce waste, use fewer resources, and are more respectful of human life. Their goal was to design for the global context, thinking differently about the fashion cycle of Paris–Milan–London–N.Y. and Tokyo–L.A., in which too much is produced for too many seasons. They focused on personalization, self-expression, consumer participation, and input; reversible fabrics and clean stitching for a “second life”; unisex tailoring; seasonless looks; wrapping, tying, and
27from the sustainability desk
Wood for Good
Ryan Robinson (‘11) this senior thesis showed how elegant furniture can be made from felled trees.
Last spring, Robinson heard about the hundreds of 300-year-old oaks and sycamores that were felled in Arcadia, California, and decided to do something to save them save them from becoming mulch. He created a plan to use this wood from trees on govern-ment land that are cut down for development. His plan was to allow artists and designers to transform the valuable hard-wood into furniture and other useful objects. “What I set out to do was create an outline for how this system could work, and to create an example of what can become of the beautiful materi-als. That’s where my furniture comes to play.”
“I focus on human-centereddesign problems, but physical making is a huge part of my pro-cess. My design for a prosthetic leg for underserved economies uses found materials. Because users assemble it themselves and maintain it throughout their lifetime, they aren’t just receiv-ing a new leg, they’re receiving the tools to be self-sufficient.”
Interview from ready Made blog
I love computer modeling, but nothing helps you understand a form better
than actually making something that you can hold in your hands.
—Ryan Robinson (’11)
“”
28from the sustainability desk
Paris in Spring
During spring break, students have the opportunity to travel to Paris, where they encounter European design, culture, and sensibilities, while visiting great museums and seeing outstanding architecture.
It’s so valuable to get outside of Otis. Those experiences become some of the greatest memories of school — opportunities to be immersed in the world.
—Danny Phillips (’08)
Mr. Unicorn ‘s the City of Light
29otis connects
Toy Design in China
Furthering its commitment to sustainability, Otis teamed up with eco-forward German toy company Hape International to create an international think tank and integrated learning experience.
Faculty members and students joined Hape International em-ployees and members of the China Academy of the Arts to study the complexities of sustainable business and manufacturing, while developing new product designs that will move into formal production at Hape in the coming year. The group traveled to China for a twenty-nine-day journey through the bamboo forests of Zhejiang Province, to the city of Hangzhou and the Ningbo-Zhoushan Harbor, one of the largest ports in the world. There they observed and exchanged ideas with local craftspeople, manufacturers, educators, and students from distinguished design schools such as Bauhaus University, Weimar, Germany.
Global Engagement and Integrated Learning this summer, Otis students and faculty took their creative capital abroad and focused on two distinct projects: sustainable toy design in China and a Freedom Memorial for war veterans in the Western Pacific nation of Palau. From shanghai to the Rock Islands, they hiked bamboo forests, ate bat soup, dove in Jellyfish Lake, worked with industry leaders, met queens and presidents, and were even interviewed on local television.
Lessons in State-of-the-Art Sustainable Manufacturing
30otis connects
Faculty members and students joined Hape employees and members of the China Academy of the Arts to study the complexities of sustain-able business and manufacturing, while develop-ingnew product designs that Hape will consider for formal production. As one of the world’s largest producers of toys made from sustainable materials, Hape strategically considers surface treatment, energy consumption, and packaging to minimize environmental impact and maximize efficiency.
Touring the Hape factory, students saw what it takes to truly walk the talk of sustainability; the factory was an inspiration. Steam is piped in from the local coal-generating station to heat the production facility and quick-dry paint, then cold water is sent back to the generating station. Sawdust is vacuum collected at every machine and shipped to a mushroom farm. Processed
subsidized, and waste is collected and shipped to the pig farm. Workers earn piece rate and receive bonuses if they exceed production standards. Cost reduction savings are shared with employees who find ways to improve the process.
After the factory tour in Ningbo, students headed to Hape’s bamboo workshop and research facility in the rural mountains of Beilun. True to form, Hape repurposed an aluminum processing plant once closed by the government for exceeding pollution standards. At the plant, local craftsmen trained the students to use hand tools and larger machinery, introduced them to various tech-niques for working with bamboo, and showed them how Hape integrates efficiencies into all stages of the process. Afterward, students hiked through the bamboo forest that Hape leases and manages. Known by locals as the bamboo ocean, when it is viewed from afar the whole forest rolls in the breeze like waves in the sea.
Bamboo, or iron grass as it is sometimes called, is recognized as a sustainable material used in environmentally conscious design. The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) has awarded it three standards as a construction material. Its carbon dioxide storage capacity is four times that of hardwood; its mesh roots can prevent soil erosion; and its rapid growth, without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, allows for a three to five year harvest cycle. Certain spe-cies of bamboo can grow up to three feet in a day and about twenty percent can be harvested every year by collecting culms that are four to five years old. On their hike through the forest, students learned that some of the tallest bamboo, sixty feet or more, were just three months old. Bamboo exchanges more oxygen than a stand of trees, and everyone marveled at the fresh and cool air inside the forest.
Once acclimated to the facilities and their new surroundings, the students set out to work with the Hape team on new product development. Experimenting with sustainable materials and renewable resources, they designed projects ranging from role-play toddler games and con-struction sets, to nested drums for a new Hape instrument line. Through a series of workshops,presentations, and critiques the team honedtheir designs, and before the trip was over, Hape selected several designs to consider for formal development.
The students gained invaluable experience in sus-tainable business practice while teaming up with a leading manufacturer to develop new product designs and bring them to market.
water treated on site is used to flush toilets and mop floors. Wood scraps are burned for energy. Staff members move about on electric scooters, and plans are in place to install a solar charging station on the roof of the parking area. Sorting plant waste is a profit center and business for local entrepreneurs who gather recyclables for off-site processing. The factory floors are modu-lar; machines, power, and lighting can be moved for each project, instead of powering up entire lighting bays and power banks when only a few workstations are in use.
Hape’s other innovative approaches include not only paying double for low water-content paint, but also applying half as much to their products, using less energy to dry the paint and producing brilliant results at a lower cost. Thin pallets made from recycled paper result in 96% efficiency container loading. Meals for employees are
Students deeply experienced the culture; worked with local artisans; toured factories, museums, and academic institutions; and shared their ideas with an international group of artists, educators, and designers.
This kind of collaboration is invaluable for industry and academia. … It’s real-world learning for next-genera-tion designers, and smart r & D for industry leaders. —Drew Plakos, Toy Design Faculty Member
31otis connetcs
In June 2012, a group of nine students and four faculty advisors went to Palau to continue a design project started in 2011. Working with residents and artists, they completed the design for a Freedom Memorial commemorating those who lost their lives serving in the US military from WWII to the present.
If you haven’t heard of Palau, you’re probably not alone. One of the world’s youngest and small-est sovereign states, the archipelago, officially known as the Republic of Palau is located 500 miles east of the Philippines and 2,000 miles south of Tokyo in the Western Pacific Ocean. Perhaps you’ve heard of Palau if you are a Survi-vor fan (the tenth season was filmed there), or a diver. Divers frequent premiere spots like Jelly Fish Lake, where resident stingless jellies have existed peacefully for millennia without having to fight off predators.
Like England and Canada, Palau has both democratic and traditional bodies of power. The traditional side is divided equally among women (Matriarchs) and men (Council of Chiefs), with one woman and one man representing each of their sixteen states. Socially, Palau follows strict matrilineal practices in nearly every aspect of its culture, from marriages and funerals to inheri-tance and the passing of traditional titles.
Spending time immersed in a culture rather than having a
distinct line drawn between us and the people we were
trying to get to know helped me practice some of the skills
that I will be using throughout my career.
A Cultural Journey
Since 1994, Palau has received defense, funding, and access to social services as a US protectorate. More Palauans per capita serve in the American military than in any other state or protectorate. Palau has war memorials for both the Americans and the Japanese, yet there are no memorials for Palauans. Otis students designed the memorial to honor these veterans who bravely fought for freedom in American wars.
The first to see their design for the memorial were the Bilung—Palau’s Queen—and the Matriarchs. As the women spoke, Palau’s oral history came to life, and the students were thrilled to hear analysis and critiques from the “History Makers” them-selves. During the following week, the students incorporated feedback, honed their designs, and presented to the governor of Koror, the president of Palau and his cabinet, the Council of Chiefs, and finally the general public. Local television station OTV filmed their presentation, and a short Q & A session. By the end of the trip, the Chiefs announced official support for the project and a commitment to help with fundraising efforts to complete it.
The proposed design locates the Freedom Memo-rial on the shores of Koror, incorporating eight monoliths to represent the sixteen states of Palau, arranged in a pattern resembling a conch shell. In Palauan culture, blowing the conch shell symbolizes calling people home or gathering them together.
Students learned the history of this unique pocket of Micronesia and immersed themselves in its politics and culture. Using their creative problem-solving skills, they synthesized everything they learned to create a lasting tribute to the Palauan people. Residents were particularly impressed with how their thoughtful designs incorporated Palauan culture. During their free time, students explored the landscape, local art, and archi-tecture; they enjoyed swimming, boating, and snorkeling in Jellyfish Lake; and culinary treats such as fresh sushi, tarot root, and a local favorite, bat soup. It took some courage to try the soup, but reports confirmed that, while the wings of the bat are a bit chewy, the dish is really quite palatable.
Designing the
7.342º latitude by 134.479º longitude:
bat soup … yum
Palau Freedom Memorial
32otis connects
For Your Ears
4
5
7
6
8
3
4
1
marketplace
1 Felt Chair Folded layers of colored felt wrapped in an outer quilted shell connected with rope 2 Side Table with glass top and painted steel legs 3 Leather Chair Slitted leather reinforced with bolts 4 Teapot Chrome pot cradled in ceramic structure 5 Electrical Adapter Little helper for all your electronic needs 6 Coffee Table Table can double as a lamp 7 Barbe-Que Stylish grill and accessories 8 Table made with bent plywood 9 Cat Jars Glazes are informed by a variety of cat colors (Product Design)
9
For the Home 2
Students address real-world issues of engineering, production, and market appeal when designing for the home, for play, and for transportation.
33marketplace
For Play1 Viking Ship and action figures (Toy Design) 2 Skootle plays music as it scoots (Toy
Design) 3 Spin Words Toddlers build vocabulary by spinning the cat’s arms to match symbols and words (Toy Design) 4 Banjouke This hybrid instrument has a banjo construction, but plays like a ukulele (Product Design) 5 Uniforms for 2010 Brazilian World Cup Soccer Team (Fashion) 6 Puzzle Plush-cov-ered interlocking shapes in a variety of plaids (Toy Design) 7 “Jacks” Speaker Omni-directional speaker based on the childhood game “jacks” (Product Design)
4
5
6
3
2
1
7
34marketplace
Attack of the Lowrider BikesBeach cruising will never be the same.
1 & 2 Using CAD Design, metal work, upholstering, painting, and finishing, and outsourcing specialty fabricating, students designed lowrider bikes. (Product Design)
4
5
7
8
3
21
6
For the Street
3 Outerwear, for mentor KAUFMANFRANCO (Fashion Design)
4 Sportswear for mentor Hurley (Fashion Design) 5 Design for City Parkway (A/L/I) 6 Enabled, three-wheeled vehicle for the disabled (Product Design) 7 Sandals made out of recycled materials (Integrated Learning) 8 Platform Shoes (Product Design)
35marketplace
Students develop sketches, known as croquis
“In a nature-themed collection for men and women of all ages, incorporate three elements: vintage- inspired textiles; handcrafted detail; and a recycled or reused item.” —Todd Oldham, Mentor
Under the guidance of the professional design mentors and the Otis and fashion design faculty members, teams of juniors and seniors work through the design process—researching, sketch-ing, draping, fitting, and accessorizing the final garment. This year, mentors included Anthropologie, Dominique Lemieux of Cirque de Soleil, David Meister, Max Studio, Morgane Le Fay, Michael Maccari for Armani Exchange, Scott Williams (‘90) of Nike, Red Carter (‘92), Bleu by Rod Beattie (‘86), and Stewart + Brown.
Fashion runwayProject
2
4
3
6
Mentor presents project direction and inspiration boards
Students draw and cut patterns
Next they collect material samples, and assemble textures and colors
Accessories with handcrafted trims and details are added
Working with runway models, students fit their designs, revise, and fit again
5
1
Mr. Unicorn enjoying his Project Runway
moment
Todd Oldham working with students at a fitting
36preparing for professional life
To see them run with it, and do such beautiful work is very impressive. … The excitement of seeing it all come together is like a gift. (At Otis) the students almost do it for real before they hit the market, and they’re feeling their way, but this school is really, really good.—Bob Mackie, Mentor, Fashion Design
37preparing for professional life
Architecture/Landscape/Interiorsdesign>build
Architecture/Landscape/Interiors seniors design and build a full-scale spa-tial environment as their final project. These installations are sited and built in exterior and interior spaces, and stu-dents verbally present their work via a Pecha Kucha (rapid-fire presentation) at the public year-end exhibition. Interior installations include physical and digital displays of drawings and/or models, which further highlight the students’ cumulative work.
Design and construction are modeled after professional practice, and proceed sequentially with a fixed budget and deadline. Students act as the design and documentation team under the direction of an instructor who is the project architect, and fabricate and in-stall the project as directed by another instructor, who is the contractor. This process mirrors how students will work professionally when they graduate, pro-viding vital real-world experience.
Landscape Extrusion
A permanent outdoor social space for Otis students, constructed of steel tubes and wood decking.
2010
A/L /I
The Big Cheese
Backlit prints and physical models mounted within voids of various sizes and shapes.
2012
38preparing for professional life
As an homage to the work of Dan Graham, four steel-framed
walls feature alternating mirrors and open panels to both decon-
struct and multiply space.
An array of seven very large objects (approximately 8’ x 8’ x 16’ each) with apertures through which student work is viewed.Detail: Seniors posing with their apertures.
2008
A three-dimensional field of 74 different shapes installed within 15,000 cubic feet of space.
2007
A continuous, triangulated landscape.
2006
An interiorized igloo-like environment of 490 circular rooms, constructed in three different sizes and hues.
2005
2009
Big Bang Barcode
Alternating opaque and backlit panels arranged in a continuous line and connected at various oblique angles to resemble a room-sized barcode.
2011
A single object (8’ x 8’ x 73’) consisting of 12 modules. Winner of an I.D. Magazine Annual Design Review Honorable Mention.
2003
39preparing for professional life
ChangeAgentsOver the last five years, Integrated Learning (IL) has worked with more than thirty-five different community partners— researching, investi-gating, and designing solutions for a range of issues. Students from different majors work as a team, applying their particular skill sets to devise solutions that can bring about change for a site partner. They develop solutions to some very serious problems, such as the environment, health care, and education, by working for a real client and learning from community leaders and experts, who become part of the team. They will use these skills every day in the workplace—communication, collaboration, research, presentations, and critiques. Their awareness of ecological and social issues leads them to use design as a real change agent.
Art and Design in the Community
In IL courses, students are introduced to the way the real world works, and begin to define their role as creative problem solvers in the context of a world that needs a lot of creative responses.
Color, Motion, Magic!
Collaborative mural project with students at La Tijera Elementary School in Los Angeles
Planetary Solutions
Collaborating with fifth grad-ers, students designed sixteen projects, including gray water systems, gardening tools, a sustainability manual, and a shade trellis.
40art and design in the community
ChangeAgentsIL gives our students very
concrete and real skills to enable them to make a
difference right now, in the workplace and in society.
Activism in the Oil Fields
Working in cooperation with the social and arts collaborative Third Rail, students explored the politics and environmental impact of an active two-square-mile oil field, in which the oil company planned to drill an additional 600 wells over the next twenty years. Their site-specific installations highlighted the dangers to the hummingbird and gray fox populations, and the local residents.
Compassionate response’s Art Therapy Program
Students designed knapsacks for Haitian children, filled them with donated books, and shipped them to survivors of the devastating earthquake of 2010. The project “became an inclusive neighborhood model of designing and sharing locally in order to help those in need globally.” Using “yarn” made of hundreds of discarded T-shirts, students from Otis and Loyola Village Elementary School, along with Westchester Senior Center members, wove knapsacks.
41art and design in the community
A/L/I students visit the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown L.A.
Toy Design students at Disney
Animation Studios, Burbank
At Los Angeles
County Museum of Art’s
Urban Light by Chris Burden
LOs AngeLesInsPIRes OtIs
L.A. is the best place in the world to study art. it’s a dynamic, varied environment, and a place where graduates can stay and become involved in a community. — Meg Cranston, Chair, Fine ArtsMr. Unicorn improvising at
Muscle Beach, Venice
42los angeles inspires Otis
Landscape drawing along the L.A. River Fashion Design
student works on display at Neiman Marcus, Beverly Hills
The Long Beach
Aquarium is a great place
to draw
“Movies That Matter”
poolsidenighttime screening
Learning from the masters at Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Sketching on the iPad at
the beach
43los angeles inspires Otis
Eighty percent of Otis grads are employed in positions related to their majors.
What are a few things that were
“born” in L.A.?
Born in L.A. the modern bathing suitthe fortune cookiethe B-2 “stealth” bomber (a flying wing)the space shuttlethe Internetthe Mars Roversthe Mazda Miatatalking moviesBarbiethe first commercially successful tV station (now KtLA, Channel 5)Valet parkingtooth-whitening toothpastethe concept of modern makeup (Max Factor’s pancake makeup)Celebrity PRthe skateboard (Venice)the Cobb saladthe electric guitarAnd so much more!
Between 2009 and 2014, Creative economy jobs are projected to grow 6.7% faster than jobs in other sectors.
In 2010 the Creative economy was the second largest business sector in southern California, generating a market impact of over $201 billion.
Creativity Is serious business
Creativity can’t be outsourced; innovation stays onshore
An art and design education
pays off!
44life after otis
End-of-Year Preview
annual internship
fair
preparing students for careers as creative
professionals
resume and cover letter writing
workshops
portfolio reviews
alumni mixer
online job board
Center for Creative Professionals
Alumni have enriched the entertainment industry since Wilfred Jackson’s (‘28) animations for Disney’s Silly Symphony (1935) and Thomas McKimson’s (‘25) concept for Tweety Bird for Warner Brothers in the 1930s.
Otis in the
Our Hollywood Heroes
Alice in Wonderland Daphne Yap (’04)Concept Designer
Avatar Daphne Yap (’04)Concept Designer andLindsay Thompson (’07)Animator
Bambi Tyrus Wong (’35)Concept Painter
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle Chevon Hicks (’95)Animator
Kung Fu PandaRaymond Zibach (’90)Production Designer Lord of the Rings, Trilogy Jim Rygiel (’80) Visual Effects Supervisor (Oscar Winner)
Silence of the LambsDawn (Teitelbaum) Baillie (’86)Poster Designer
The Ten CommandmentsWilliam Major (’52)Production Illustrator
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Susan Matheson (’92)Costume Designer The Sound of Music Dorothy Jeakins (’36)Costume Designer
BizMr. Unicorn
ready for his first day on the job
45life after Otis
right Out of School
Many students find jobs before graduating, and within three months of graduation, more than seventy-four percent are employed.
Deborah Sabet (‘05)
Designed the suit worn by Glee star Darren Criss at the 2011 Grammy Awards. “I love working in L.A. You have access to everything here. I always considered Otis my happy place.”
Kelly Akashi (‘06)
Did graduate studies in Germany at the prestigious Stadelschule, Frankfurt, and is now in L.A. pursuing her photography career. “I now have a clear and confident understanding of what I want from life and why [I want to] make art.”
Graduate Study Abroad
Designing for Stars
SeedBombs
Daniel Phillips (‘08) Kim Karlsrud (‘07)
Phillips and Karlsrud met when they were students, and started their Greenaid project, Guerilla Gardening. “Johnny Appleseeds for the Twenty-First Century” is how Fast Company described their seed bomb project. All over the world, repurposed gumball machines dispense seed bombs (a mixture of clay, compost, and seeds) for 25 cents. Residents toss them into derelict urban spaces such as vacant lots and median strips to create instant wildflower gardens.
Danny and Kim returned to Otis to teach “Design for Social Impact,” a course in which students sourced local materials and industrial scraps, conducted lifecycle analyses, and creatively employed the ethics and aesthet-ics of “doing more with less.” Site partners included TOMS Shoes and the Boys and Girls Club in East L.A.
Students used reclaimed materials from the garment district or bike shop inner tubes, and transformed them functionally and aesthetically.
Charged with energy, experience, skill, and entrepreneurial spirit, Otis alumni are well prepared to enter the world as creative professionals.
Visit creativityisseriousbusiness.com to learn more about successful alumni.
In the twentieth century, designers were mainly concerned with form and function. Today designers are not only dealing with objects but also with systems and tools. Oftentimes, systems and tools can be intangible, but designers can use them to produce very real and useful solutions.
46life after otis
To Infinity and Beyond!
Scott Derman (’05) Derman collected toys and action figures while he was growing up, and learned about Otis from his AP art teacher. While at Otis, he interned at Art Asylum in New York and at Lego in Denmark. He made life-long friends at Lego, where he was offered a job after gradua-tion, but Derman wanted to live and work in L.A. In his senior year, he interned for Mattel’s Games division, and began working there after graduation. Derman currently designs toys based on movie licenses for Mattel’s Entertainment Brands. Two recent projects are Green Lantern and the new Batman movie, Dark Knight Rises. Recently, he traveled to London where Dark Knight Rises was being filmed, to see the sets and meet the filmmakers. As he
explains, “When you work with the filmmakers, you get to see their inspiration.” When he was twelve, Derman had a Buzz Lightyear toy, but as lead designer for Toy Story 3, he created a new version. “The one I made was a little cooler. I had 14 years to get this right.”
It got easier when I got out of school. When you’re in school working on projects, you’re not part of a team. You have to do it all. Working with a team makes it easier, more fun. It only helps you be a better designer when you know what each team member does.
Organic Style
Kirk von Heifner (‘06)
Von Heifner moved to New York after graduating to work for John Varvatos. After several years, he moved back to Manhattan Beach to be Design Director for the eco-conscious brand Vicarious by Nature. Combining fashion-forward design for men and women with a commitment to environmental issues, the company uses organic raw materials and methods. Their proactive mission includes educa-tional initiatives with local and global communities, and partnerships with organizations such as Tree People and the Ocean Conservation Society.
“From the time you wake to the time you go to sleep, it’s important to eat organic, conserve, recycle, reduce plastic, and wear organic. It becomes your lifestyle. We are just trying to provide cool clothing for the organic sec-tor and use any influence we might have to persuade our followers to join us during beach clean ups or planting a few trees.” —Kirk von Heifner
47life after otis
Casey Hunt (‘06), Greg Gunn (‘06), and Reza Rasoli (’06), Digital Media Three Legged Legs (3LL): Commercial Directors
Hunt, Gunn, and Rasoli met at Otis, where they started their business. Named by L.A. Business Journal as one of “20 in Their Twenties,” they have crafted animations, visual effects, and narratives for creative agencies and well-known brands, bringing their style to advertising.
Left: Scenes from Virgin Atlantic and Method “We’re All in This Together” Below: Still from Wrigley’s “Evolution” commercial.
Creative Warriors
“The afternoon after I graduated from Otis, I booked a flight to Barcelona. This journey would transform my life forever. Upon arrival, I was greeted by David Quiles Guilló, who had published my work in his magazine, ROJO.”
through a collective vision, 3LL seeks to banish clichéd ideas with an unmerciful vengeance: sometimes scary, often exciting, always in the greater service of the project. While their ideas are edgy and often fiercely different, they’re pretty good guys to work with.
Tofer Chin (‘02)
After producing several site-specific works on the streets in Spain, Chin continued the public art projects he had started at Otis in São Paolo, Brazil. Inspired by the murals done by Os Gêmeos, he designed murals throughout the city. He also created an installation for Rio’s Museum of Image and Sound in 2010. Chin returned to Rio to install Fourteen Black, acrylic and wood installations throughout the Parque Lage gardens, which have been described as “stalagmites—living and breathing souls, ghosts, spirits, voids, shadows.”
48life after otis
Ben Go (‘00) and Dennis Go (‘01), Creative Directors, Brand New School L.A. and N.Y.
One in N.Y. and one in L.A., brothers Dennis and Ben Go are the creative visionaries for Brand New School. The firm’s commercial directors, designers, animators, and illustrators use an idiosyn-cratic visual style and witty conceptual approach in creating work for MTV, Fox Fuel, VH1, and Cartoon Network, as well as Apple, Nike, Pepsi, and Jeep.
Top: Animation for OfficeMax Ad Left and right: Animation for Honda CRV Ad
right: Getting Harey, 2011White gold and gold leaf, acrylic, spray paint and paint-marker, and mean streak on two wood panels, 48 x 32”Courtesy of L.A. Louver, Venice, CA
Moving Up the Ladder
Gajin Fujita (‘97)
Born in 1972 to Japanese parents, Fujita honed his unique style as a graffiti artist on the streets of East Los Angeles, and later displayed his work on the walls of major cultural institutions such as L.A. Louver gallery, LACMA, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art (Kansas City), and several international venues in Switzerland, Greece, and Belgium.
Fujita blends Eastern techniques (ukiyo-e, anime, split screens) and elements (geishas, warriors, demons), with Western, urban imag-ery (Latino graffiti, tattoo art, and pop culture imagery) to create work that surfaces the cul-tural and class distinctions of urban L.A.
Ad Men
i kind of look at myself as a hip-hopper, the way a DJ
would sample all sorts of great music from the past—
sounds and beats. i’m just doing it with visuals.
49life after otis
Shoe Queen
Cynthia Vincent (‘88)
Vincent received Otis’s Silver Thimble Award from Ann Cole upon graduation. Early in her career, she worked at Jane Ong & Co., London, where she rose to become head designer. She launched her first company in L.A. in 1993, and, ten years later, introduced Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent. Celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, Kate Hudson, Kelly Clarkson, and Ashley Tisdale are seen in her silk crepe de chine slips, velvet boudoir jackets, and luxurious sweaters.
running the Show
I always knew that I wanted to go into fashion, as I told my mom when I was six. Otis was great for me. I did the high school summer program. I was rebellious, and wanted to go more toward the creative end. Otis definitely prepared me for the real world of fashion. At my first job in London, there were a lot of incredibly talented designers, but when it came to knowing the calendar and how to put garments together, and their functionality and wearability, I realized how much I had learned.
Pied Piper for Pixar
Below: On a recent visit to Otis, Thompson gave a workshop on character development and the psychology of fear, beginning by having them sketch aliens, bugs, and dark closets.
Derek Thompson (‘94)
Since the age of five, Thompson has been obsessed with drawing dinosaurs and monsters. He first learned to tell stories in his major, Illustration. Many years later, as storyboardist for Pixar’s WALL-E, he and his team turned out more than 157,000 drawings. His early career included stints as a freelancer at Electronic Arts, Dark Horse Comics, and Maverick Studios, before he joined Industrial Light and Magic, and then Pixar in 2005.
“The storyboard artist has to wear a lot of hats, thinking like a director, actor, editor, cinema-tographer, production designer, art director, and more. Then you have to be able to draw your ideas to communicate them.”
50life after otis
The Interventionist
i’ve enjoyed drawing and making art since i was a kid but i didn’t know what it meant to be an artist, what it entailed, or how one sustains oneself. My family didn’t either, but as long as i wasn’t getting into any trouble they were okay. to get them to under-stand, i started incorpo-rating them into my practice and into the work. … it’s a push-pull relationship. Same with friends. it becomes like a community.
Ruben Ochoa (‘97)
Ochoa works in an East L.A. studio, housed in a nursery that’s been vacant for years, next to a Mexican restaurant. He makes art that questions boundaries and intersections, echoing the Chicano experience of his community. One of his first projects was converting his family’s tortilla deliv-ery truck into a mobile art gallery. Later, in a large-scale sculpture installation, he transformed a section of L.A. freeway by extracting a section of the wall and replacing it with a photo-realistic mural of the landscape that might be hidden behind it.
Ochoa learned how to build things by trial and error. “I tell people I went to art school to be a construction worker,” he jokes. Several years later, after winning a Guggenheim Fellowship and exhibiting at the Whitney Biennial in New York and Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, he continues to explore the tension among social class, urban architecture, and nature, examining cultural politics through conceptual art.
Above: An Ideal Disjuncture, 2008Concrete, wooden palettes, chain link, rebar, tie wire, dirt, approximately 14’ x 13’ x 7’Courtesy of Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects; Photo credit: Ruben Ochoa
51life after otis
Where our students come from Where our graduates go
ArgentinaBrazilCanadaChina, People’s Republic ofCook Islands DenmarkDominican RepublicEstoniaGuatemalaHong KongIndonesiaItalyJapanKazakhstanKenyaMalaysiaMexicoNepalNigeriaNorway
AustriaAustraliaBangladeshBelgiumBrazilCambodiaCanadaColombiaCroatiaDenmarkDohaDubaiFijiFranceGermanyHong KongIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIsrael
PolandRussiaSingaporeSouth KoreaSpainTaiwanThailandTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesVenezuelaVietnamZimbabwe
ItalyJapanLondonMacauMalaysiaMexicoNetherlandsNew ZealandNorwayPeruPhilippinesSingaporeSouth KoreaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandTaiwanThailandTurkeyVenezuela
LOS ANGELES, CA
Where in the World?
52where in the world
Five Steps to a Bright Future
Applying to college can seem intimidating. Our counselors make it easy. Visit. Call. E-mail. We are here to help you through this process.
look at our website. Visit the campus. See us at
national Portfolio Day otis.edu/events.
our counselors can answer all of your questions.
we want to be your first choice.
1Check us out
May 1 is the day to tell us you
will attend. it’s all about fit. we hope
you choose otis!
5Choose your school
using the link we provide, upload your
essay and portfolio. Don’t forget to send us transcripts
and test scores. you will receive a list of items that
you need to submit once you apply.
Turn in your stuff3
otis.edu/apply The priority date is February 15.
be first in line for scholar- ships, housing, and all the other important stuff. the earlier you
apply, the more we can help you! enter valid e-mail address that
you check. that’s how we will contact you.
2 Apply
our financial aid office will help you put together a package of grants, scholarships, loans, and/or work-study to bridge the gap between
your resources and the cost of tuition and fees. be sure to apply for
financial aid at www.fafsa.ed.gov (uS citizens and permanent
residents). this year, otis will award $12 million in
scholarship funds.
4 Paying for College
53how to apply
Otis accepts undergraduate applications for the fall and spring semesters. Students can apply for entrance in the fall at Foundation, Sophomore or Junior level standing. The spring semester is available for Foundation students, second-semester Sophomores, and the Architecture/Landscape/Interiors “Jump Start” program students.
* *
FallApplications open: October 1
Priority Date: February 15
SpringApplications open: September 1
Priority Date: November 15
Mailing in application materials? Please send to:
Otis College of Art and DesignAttn: Admissions Office9045 Lincoln BoulevardLos Angeles, CA 90045*Please make sure to write your name and date of birth on everything.
Applying Is EasyTo apply for the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program, please submit these items:
Online Applicationapply online at otis.edu/apply.
$60 (Us) application feethis is a nonrefundable fee. Pay over the phone by credit card, or send a check or money order.
Portfolioten to twenty pieces (see portfolio guidelines below).
essayChoose a work of art or design that you consider to be significant. imagine that the work had never been made. how would the world be worse off (or better off) without it?
transcriptsofficial transcripts showing all completed work to date. high school students must submit a final high school transcript after graduation.
Transfer Students: transfer students are required to submit final high school transcripts with the graduation date, and official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
International Students: international students are required to submit official transcripts from all high schools and universities/colleges attended. these records must clearly state the date of completion and the level of education received. all transcripts must be official copies. if your transcripts are not in english, please submit an official translation by a notary public or a recognized evaluation service, and submit both the translated records and the original documents.
test scoresSubmit either an Sat or aCt score if you are in high school. transfer students are not re-quired to submit standardized test scores.
International Students: if you live in a country where english is not the official language, you should take one of the three tests recognized by otis: the toeFl, the ieltS, or the Pearson test of english (Sat/aCt scores not required). For minimum scores, please refer to the international Students section on page 58. if you are in high school and live in a country where english is the official language, please submit either the Sat or aCt scores.
Otis Admissions Counselors are happy to meet with you to review your portfolio and/ or transcripts. To schedule an appointment, please contact the Admissions Office at (310) 665-6820 or [email protected].
Mr. Unicorn hopes he remembered
everything on the check list
54how to apply
Once you apply, we’ll send you a
link to submit your portfolio online.
animation draftingdrawings illustrationmixed mediamotion-based projects* painting
sophomore Level Approach A
Show work that mirrors Otis’s Foun-dation year, including life drawing, observational drawing, and 2–D and 3–D design. also include personal work that expresses your interests and creativity. it does not have to include work from the major you wish to study but rather the core skills of that discipline. For example, if you want to study toy Design, your portfolio does not need to include toys, but should include examples of drawing and three-dimensional design.
second semester sophomore (spring only) &Junior Level (fall only)
Highlight your skills in your discipline, and show that you are ready to succeed at Junior year level. Select work that shows your advanced professional skills and readiness for internships. For example, a student applying to be a junior in graphic Design should show advanced graphic design work.
Note: there are no transfer students for second-semester Sophomore or junior level in fashion design.
sophomore Level Approach B
Submit work that shows advanced skills in your intended major. For example, students applying for the architecture/landscape/interiors major may submit a portfolio that consists of drafting, rendering, and CaD projects, rather than life drawing and 2–D design. remember, the portfolio must demon-strate that you have the skills to be successful at the sophomore level.
transfer students
transfer students
2
3
Ten to Twenty Examples of Artwork
Ten to Twenty Examples of Artwork
photographysculpturethree-dimensional designtwo-dimensional designvideo*
* maximum two-minute excerpt
Preparing a PortfolioSelect your best work to show off your technical skills and your creativity!
1st yearFoundation Level
1 Ten to Twenty Examples of Your Best and Most recent Work
Artwork can be of any medium, including
55how to apply
Transfer StudentsTo apply for the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program, please follow these guidelines:
sophomore transfer (fall admission only)to enter otis at the sophomore level, you must have completed a minimum of 18 semester units of studio art. it is also advisable that you complete at least 15 general education units. Please refer to the chart on the right, and contact the admissions office for more informa-tion on which general education courses to take.
Jump start Program for Architecture/Landscape/Interiors (spring admission only)transfer students interested in the architecture/landscape/ interiors (a/l/i) program have a unique opportunity to “jump start” as a first semester sophomore in the spring semester. in the jump Start Program, you complete the first semester of the sophomore year in the spring, and then immediately complete the second semester of the sophomore year during the summer, allowing you to be a junior in the fall. in order to stay on track and graduate on time, both spring and summer semesters must be completed!
second-semester sophomore (spring admission only)transfer applicants with at least 27 semester units of studio art and design may apply for second-semester sophomore status in architecture/landscape/interiors, Communication arts, Digital media, Fine arts, and Product Design.
Junior transfer (fall admission only)junior level transfer applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. between 36–40 semesters units of studio art are generally required. you may have the transferable units, but you may not have a junior level portfolio (or vice versa). otis recommends that all prospective junior-level applicants meet with an admissions Counselor for evaluation. otis does not accept junior level transfers in Fashion Design.
studio Credit/Portfoliotransfer credit for studio courses in art and design will be granted upon presentation of both official transcripts and a proficient portfolio of artwork. Studio credit will not be granted based on a transcript or portfolio alone. Please refer to the portfolio requirements.
California studentsCalifornia community colleges use the IGeTC (Intersegmental General education Transfer Curriculum) to prepare students to transfer to four-year colleges and universities. the igetC alone is not effective in preparing a student to transfer to otis because the curriculum does not include the art and design studio (drawing, figure drawing, and 2–D and 3–D design) classes taken during otis’ Foundation (freshman) year.
Taking the right classes before transferring is an important step in a smooth transition into Otis’ art and design programs. If your portfolio of artwork demonstrates the necessary well-developed drawing, design, and creative-thinking skills, you will succeed in being admitted at the sophomore or junior level. You must also have completed general education requirements such as English, social sciences, and art history.
TranscriptsTransfer students are required to submit final high school transcripts with the graduation date, and official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
CreditStudents must have earned a grade of “C” or better in each class in order to receive credit. All units must be earned at a regionally accredited institution.
Questions about Transferring? Feel free to call the Admissions Office and speak with a counselor. (310) 665 6820
*
56how to apply
Capstone and Integrated LearningPlease keep in mind that all students, regardless of academic background, must take integrated learning and Capstone Courses.
*Subject to results from the Otis English Placement Assessment (EPA) or alternative demonstration of English proficiency. Contact [email protected] for more information.
To transfer on track as a sophomore, you will need the following General education credits. Any missing credits will have to be completed at Otis before graduating.
5 semester units
College english*Reading and CompositionCollege english Critical Analysis
2 semester units
social science (Psychology, Sociology, Cultural anthropology, and so on)
6 semester units
Art History Any survey of Western or non-Western art (e.g., Pre-historic–early renaissance, high renaissance–mid. 19th Century) Modern (specifically 19th Century–1945)
general education Curriculum guideGeneral education Transfer Credits by Majorthis is meant to be a guide only. Please speak with an admissions Counselor for more detailed information about transfer credit. Studio art credits are evaluated separately.
Com
mu
nic
atio
n A
rts
Dig
ital
Med
ia
Arc
hit
ectu
re/L
and
scap
e/In
teri
ors
Fash
ion
Des
ign
Fin
e A
rts
(Pai
ntin
g/Sc
ulpt
ure)
Fin
e A
rts
(Pho
togr
aphy
)
Pro
du
ct D
esig
n
Toy
Des
ign
english I
english II
One Social Science/Cultural Studies
Intro Survey of Art History
Modern Art History
Sophomore english
Junior Liberal Studies elective
Math (College Level)
Trigonometry
One Social Science
Child Psychology
One Natural Science
Anatomy and ergonomics
economics and Product Market
Contemporary Art History
Art History elective
Art History elective
History of Photography
Hist. of Graphic Design/Advertising/Illustration
History of ethnic Costume
History of Product Design
Textile Science
History of Toys
History and Theory
junior level at four-year college or university
Sophomore level
Freshman level
Freshman level
Freshman level
Freshman level
junior level at a four-year college or university
Freshman level
57how to apply
AP and IB ExamsAdvanced Placement*Admitted students may submit scores from Advanced Placement examinations for credit.
*Due to the specialized nature of Otis’ studio programs, AP credit for studio art is not accepted.
International Baccalaureateyou are eligible to receive credit if you have completed the ib upper level exams with a score of 5 or more in any of the following subject areas:
Language (english)
Individuals and societies (social sciences)
experimental sciences (natural sciences)
Mathematics
Required score 3–5
4–5
subject
History, Math, and
science
english and
Art History
International StudentsAdmissions Requirementsto apply for the bachelor of Fine arts (bFa) program, please submit the items listed on page one as well as the items listed on this page.
international students who live in a country where english is not the official language should take the toeFl test (test of english as a Foreign language), ieltS, or the Pear-son test of english.
test scoresinternational students who live in a country where english is not the official language should take the test of english as a Foreign language (toeFl), the international english language testing System (ieltS), or the Pearson test of english. however, if you are in high school and live in a country where english is the official language, please either submit your Sat or aCt scores.
Visa Requirementsinternational Students for admission who require an F–1 student visa must submit the following:
• AVerificationformwillbemailedintheacceptancepacket.Studentsmustcomplete the form, including a permanent foreign address and a sponsor signature from the parent, sponsor, or agency guaranteeing the student’s financial resources. Students currently studying within the uS must submit documentation of their status from their current school and have their Student and exchange Visitor information System (SeViS) record released to otis.
• AcopyofthecurrentpassportphotopageandthecurrentI–20,I–94,andvisa (if applicable).
• Abankstatementorotherdocumentationfromtheparent’sorsponsor’sbank,or sponsoring organization, certifying that sufficient funds (approximately $54,000 uSD) for support of the student’s education and living expenses are available.
Communication must be in english or accompanied by certified english translation, and funds should be in uS dollars. address these letters to otis admissions office. when all re-quired documents are received, an i–20 will be issued for the student. the student may take this document to the uS embassy or Consulate to obtain an F–1 Student Visa.
tOeFL Computer-based exam 213Internet-based exam (iBt) 79Paper-based exam 550
*Institutional TOEFL scores are not accepted.
ieLts Minimum score of 6.5 overall band score
6.5 or above
Pearson test Minimum score of 58in english
58 or abovein english
58how to apply
Decisions If You’ve Applied Before
Other Programs
Reactivationadmission is only valid for entry to the semester when it is offered. if you choose not to enroll that semester, you may request that the application be “reactivated” for a future semester. applications and supporting materials are held for one year after submittal. new materials will be required if you request reactivation after one year. Contact [email protected] for more information.
special One-Year Programif you have a prior bachelor’s degree and wish to gain further specialized education, then apply to the Special one-year Program! you could have majored in art or design or have a bachelor’s degree in a different discipline, but you must have considerable professional art or design experience. most of the coursework is taken at the senior level, although some flexibility in class selection allows students to devise a program that suits individual back-grounds and needs. Fashion Design does not offer this program.
Students admitted to this nonmatriculating program are subject to the same rules and regulations as matriculated students, and must meet the same admissions requirements as bFa applicants. you will receive an official transcript of credit earned at otis but are not eligible to receive the bFa degree. also, you are ineligible for financial aid.
When will I know if I got in?when all of your application materials are received by the admissions office, your ap-plication is complete. the admissions Com-mittee will notify you of their decision within three weeks.
After acceptance, how do I secure a spot?accepted students who plan to enroll are required to make a nonrefundable $250 tuition deposit to confirm attendance and to reserve a place in the entering class. the intent to register form and tuition deposit are due within two weeks of notification of acceptance or by may 1, whichever is later. the full amount of the deposit is credited to your first semester’s tuition.
after the deposit is received, you will receive information about registration, orientation, housing, and tuition payment. Prior to en-rolling, you must submit final high school or college transcripts. acceptance is final only upon receipt of these documents.
Choosing a MajorDepending on the year, certain departments have a limited number of spaces available. you may have to submit your portfolio and grades for review in the second semester of Foundation. Since otis cannot guarantee your first choice, you should identify more than one possible major.
early Admission for High school Juniorsoccasionally, otis admits advanced students who chose to forego their senior year in high school to study at otis. the credits earned during the Foundation year are accepted by the student’s high school for completion of the high school diploma. a student applying for early admission must obtain approval from the high school. Contact [email protected] for more information.
59how to apply
Financial AidContact the Financial Aid Office:email: [email protected]: (310) 665-6880Fax: (310) 665-6884Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30-5:00 pmWeb: www.otis.edu/finaid
What types of Aid Might I Receive?1. Federal Pell grant, Supplemental educational opportunity grant, and academic Competitiveness grant
2. Cal grant (for California residents only)
3. otis institutional grant
4. Federal Stafford loans and PluS (Parent) loans
5. Federal and institutional work-Study
How Do I Apply for Financial Aid?1. you and your parent (if applicable) must obtain a personal identification pin at www.pin.ed.gov
2. Complete the FaFSa (Free application for Federal Student aid) at www.fafsa.ed.gov
2a. enter school code: 001251
2b. Prevent delays in processing by making sure that you answer all the questions in the FaFSa completely and accurately. make sure that you (and your parent, if applicable) sign the FaFSa.
When do I Apply?the FaFSa is available after january 1 for the Fall 2013 semester.
We recommend that you complete and submit the FAFSA by March 2, 2013.
California residents should submit the FaFSa and file the Cal grant Verification form by march 2, 2013. Cal Grant Verification forms postmarked after March 2, 2013 will not be consid-ered for the Cal Grant. if you are unable to submit the FaFSa before march 2, 2013, you can still submit the FaFSa online and be eligible for other forms of financial aid.
What Happens next?after you complete the FaFSa, otis Financial aid will notify you via e-mail if any additional information is needed. Please answer immediately to avoid delays. when your Financial aid file is complete, your eligibility for financial aid awards will be determined and you will be awarded aid. the award will be for a specific amount. awards and any missing docu-ments can be accessed online at www.otis.edu/selfservice.
2012–13 Cost of Attendancethe 2012-2013 undergraduate tuition and fees are listed below. the cost is based on classes in which you are enrolled, and does not include material fees associated with a particular class.
Federal School Code:
001251
tuition (based on 12–18 units) $36,350Fall $18,175
Spring $18,175
Registration Fee $400Fall $200
Spring $200
tech and Materials Fee $250Fall $125
Spring $125
student Activities Fee $250Fall $125
Spring $125
general Materials Fee $50Fall $25
Spring $25
Health Insurance Fee* $1,000Fall $450
Spring $550
total $38,300
*Health Insurance is mandatory but can be waived with proof of coverage.
60how to apply
L.A.’s first independent professional school of art
Affiliations: Private, nonprofit institution accredited by the Western Association of schools and Colleges (WAsC) and the national Association of schools of Art and Design (nAsAD). Member, Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD).
Advertising Design, Architecture/Landscape/Interiors, Digital Media, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Product Design, Painting, Photography, Sculpture/New Genres, and Toy Design
Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Public Practice, and Writing
All 314 faculty members are practicing
professionals in their fields.
established in 1918 by the Los Angeles times founder, Harrison gray Otis.
Otis is among the most culturally diverse colleges of art and design in the US
Undergraduate Majors
(BFA)
graduate Majors
(MFA)
Otis at a Glance
of students are from outside California
8:1Student/Faculty
Ratio
1,200
16%International
Students
2,500 Degree Students Continuing Education Students
Otis is a nonprofit Institution
students come from
26 countries &
39 states
9045 LINCOLN BOULEVARD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90045
Non-Profit OrgU.S. PostagePAIDClaremont, CAPermit #77
310 665 6800800 527 OTIS (6847)
otis.edu