Summer Programs

Art & Design Camp (Summer Honors Institute)
“Art & Design: Think. Know. Do.” is an annual summer program offered to high school students through Ohio Northern’s Summer Honors Institute and the department of art & design. Since its inception in 2006, the design camp has exposed students to the exciting world of design. The camp informs students about careers in design and raises awareness of the impact of art and design through a series of week-long projects. The assignments challenge students to explore their creativity and critical thinking skills while pushing them to try a range of techniques. The exploration of the design process also teaches students to question, make choices, generate possible solutions, work collaboratively and ultimately broaden their understanding of the world around them.

The design camp is coordinated with the University's Summer Honors Institute. The goal of the program is to nurture the ability of high school students (entering 9th through 12th grades) in gifted and talented programs from Ohio. Students are encouraged to think about subjects in more abstract and complex ways, and are opportunities for exploring education and career options.

The 2013 design camp will be held Sunday, June 16 through Friday, June 21. This year’s summer camp will investigate how graphic designers can use their skills and knowledge to draw attention to the environment. Students will make powerful visual statements using the tree as a symbol and metaphor. Called the “Urban Forest,” students will use banners and other visual communication media to engage and educate the local community.

The design camp also will inform students about careers in design and raise awareness of the impact of design through a series of week-long projects. The assignments will challenge students to explore their creativity and critical-thinking skills while pushing them to try a range of techniques. The exploration of the design process also will teach students to question, make choices, generate possible solutions, work collaboratively and, ultimately, broaden their understanding of the world around them.

In 2012, Design: Think. Know. Do. investigated how graphic designers can use their skills and knowledge to draw attention to—and invoke a solution to—the problem of urban decay. Called the “Grafik Intervention,” students used digital projections to engage the local public through visually dynamic and compelling communication methods. The projections were designed to provide historical information in an urban context on buildings after dark. Through the use of projected visuals and real-time discussions, printed questionnaires were used to elicit information from the general public as they walk, ride or drive by the case study building(s). Workshops, projects and presentations also helped students to define design as an education and career path.

For more information about the "Design: Think. Know. Do." Camp and the University's Summer Honors Institute, click here.

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Portfolio Workshop for High School Students

The department of art & design, along with the undergraduate admissions office, offers an intense summer art workshop for current high school students and recent graduates. Designed for those who want to develop a strong college admissions portfolio, this workshop teaches students how to improve their studio art skills in drawing, painting and ceramics, develop a theme for a series, address issues related to studying art and design in college, and prepare for a career in visual arts.

For information about the Portfolio Workshop, please contact us at 419.772.2160 or art@onu.edu.