Got visual? Penn Libraries and Weingarten Learning Resources Center want to know.
The two organizations are co-sponsoring a poster design contest called “Got Visual?”, which is intended to raise “awareness of visual literacy,” Director of the Weigle Information Commons Anu Vedantham said.
“We would like the contest to attract a wide range of students — those who are studying visual design or digital media design, as well as those who would like to experiment with creative design of posters,” Vedantham wrote in an e-mail.
She said the contest’s goal is to “integrate technology into different aspects of daily life,” an idea that represents Weigle’s poster-making services in general.
College senior Marina Bernal, who has made posters for course assignments as well as for her thesis, said although she had never worked with Adobe Photoshop, she quickly noticed the “professional, finished and polished” qualities of visual aids made in Weigle.
“Usually, when you see a poster that’s just written text, people don’t really want to read about it,” Bernal said.
However, she said, by adding colors and pictures students can “simplify” their information or research.
Vedantham said the contest focuses on visual learning — an idea related to this year’s Penn Reading Project, which was based on a painting rather than a literary piece.
The contest submissions will be guided by four questions, which Vedantham noted are the primary selection criteria for the winning entry. Each prompts the contestants to consider their individual beliefs about how learning occurs.
Regarding the quality of the winning entries, Vedantham noted that it “doesn’t depend on one’s ability to put a design together,” but rather the successful articulation of answers to the questions.
The deadline for “Got Visual?” is Feb. 22. Judging will take place at the end of February, and contest organizers hope to announce winners shortly after spring break.
The contest’s winner will receive a Wacom Graphic Tablet — which allows users to interact with their computers using a pen and pressure-sensitive pad — and a one-on-one meeting with a professional graphic designer. In addition, winners’ pieces will be displayed in “ongoing publicity flyers and web presence,” Vedantham said.
