Instructor Spotlight: Stephen Savage

Stephen Savage is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator whose accolades include a New York Times Best Illustrated Book (Polar Bear Night), a Geisel Honor (Supertruck), and a Sendak Fellowship. His picture book Polar Bear Night was a New York Times bestseller. In addition to children’s books, he illustrates for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Time, Newsweek, and Entertainment Weekly. He teaches at the School of Visual Arts and lives in Brooklyn, New York.

 

Instagram: @savageillustrator

 

Steven Savage Teaches:

Teaching Philosophy:
I encourage my students to make art that COMMUNICATES by combining pictures and words. Some great examples of this type of art are children’s books, comics, graphic novels and advertisements. These art forms “speak” and dialog with the viewer. They’re like language! And your job as an artist is to learn how to send a clear, strong, simple message to your audience. Your tools are color, composition, texture, scale and DRAWING!

Industry Experience:

Artwork by Stephen Savage
THE BABYSITTER FROM ANOTHER PLANET  
Published by Holiday House
TWITTER: @savageartist
INSTAGRAM: @savageillustrator

 

Instructor Spotlight: Janice Giardina

Janice Giardina is a designer with experience in eveningwear, activewear, knitwear, and career and casual sportswear for branded and private label manufacturers. She is a graduate of the FIT Fashion Design program. Janice embarked on her career in Fashion Design while still in high school in the late 1980’s in FIT’s precollege Saturday Live program and was later accepted to the university. She is now an adjunct assistant professor at FIT. Her designs have sold to major department stores such as Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Macy’s, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Talbots.

 

Prof. Giardina teaches the following FIT Precollege Classes:
JSX 011 Fashion Art: Silhouettes
JSX 012 Fashion Art: Rendering Fabrics

On Precollege Programs:
I started out in the Precollege program myself in the late 1980s! Since most art universities require you to know your major when applying, I think it’s great to explore this early. Taking Precollege classes is a great way to help you find out where your passion lies, and you’ll have fun and make friends while doing so!

Teaching Philosophy:
You will excel when you’re passionate about what you’re doing and enjoying yourself. I tell my students to have fun while they’re working. Find something that inspires you and bring that into your work. You cannot be creative without inspiration.

Artwork by Prof. Giardina:

 

 

 

 

Sensational Sights & Surprises!

Hello everyone and Happy November!

Something I find great at FIT is the fact there’e always something happening. Whether it be a Portfolio Day, Admissions tours, or visiting the Style Shop; there really is always a way to get involved!

For instance on Saturday (Halloween!! Hope you all got loads of candy!), I arrived to the school and was surprised by this quirky mural! An FIT alum, Angel Garcia, was invited to kick off #chalkfit with his colorful and eyecatching street art!

"Innovation" -Mural done by FIT alum, Angel Garcia

“Innovation” – Mural done by FIT alum, Angel Garcia

Mural on the Pomerantz building

“Innovation” – Mural done by FIT alum, Angel Garcia

 

All week, FIT Illustration students will be able to share their art by creating beautiful murals of their own that will be plastered all over the Pomerantz building.

I don’t know about you, but I’m eagerly anticipating arriving at FIT on Saturday to see all the murals created/in the process of creation! I remember this time last year I saw all the murals online so being able to see them for myself is going to be so awesome!

Remember to keep your eyes peeled for these talented students creations and take pictures!

 

Another unexpected surprise this week was my Professor taking my class over to the exhibit, Fashion Underground: The World of Susanne Bartsch, for inspiration when working on our magazines.

Fashion Underground: The World of Susanne Bartsch @ The Museum at FIT

Fashion Underground: The World of Susanne Bartsch @ The Museum at FIT

Fashion Underground: The World of Susanne Bartsch @ The Museum at FIT

Fashion Underground: The World of Susanne Bartsch @ The Museum at FIT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The exhibit presents almost 100 detailed and extravagant ensembles that are a must see for any student. It’s eye catching and mesmerizing, the amount of detail and thought process that must have gone into each and every garment is fascinating. If I could sit and analyze each piece all day trust me, I would!

Fashion Underground: The World of Susanne Bartsch @ The Museum at FIT

Fashion Underground: The World of Susanne Bartsch @ The Museum at FIT

If you can, try to stop by while you’re at the school! The Museum at FIT is located directly across from the Pomerantz building and the exhibit is open until the 5th of December.

FIT is always bubbling with activities and who knows, maybe you’ll be surprised like I was along the way!

Thank you all for reading and have a great day!

-Emily Kelly

 

Instructor Spotlight: Kenneth Krug

Krug_headshot

Professor Kenneth Krug has been teaching in both the Communications Design Department and the Textile / Surface Design Department of FIT since 2007. Some of the courses he has taught through Precollege Programs include HTS 163 Designing Your Space: Home Décor and HAD 109 Drawing in Adobe Illustrator.  Prof. Krug has a BFA from The San Francisco Art Institute.
Website: www.kenkrug.com
Ken Krug’s author page: authors.simonandschuster.com/Ken-Krug

News: 
Professor Krug’s book, No, Silly! is on the Bank Street College Best Children’s Books of the Year, Under Five list. https://bankstreetcollegeccl.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/2016under-five.pdf

Professor Krug teaches HAD 154 55A Tell Me a Story 

Professor Krug’s Teaching Philosophy:
I don’t think teaching or learning is a “one size fits all” proposition. In addition to lectures and demonstrations, I talk to each student individually in every class. It is important to me that each student’s needs, strength and weakness are taken into account in the learning process. The thing I look for most in students is growth from one project to the next throughout the semester. I also make a point of bringing examples from my own work to the class to demonstrate how the skills I am teaching work in the world outside of the classroom.

On Precollege Programs:
I find teaching in the precollege program extremely rewarding. I am continuously impressed with the level of commitment, skill and creativity that the high school students bring to the classroom. In addition I find that the high school students are eager to learn new techniques and ideas. I take great pleasure in being able to facilitate this process.

When I’m not teaching, I work as a designer, writer, illustrator and fine artist. I have created textile designs for the apparel and home furnishing market. I have illustrated a variety of books including cookbooks, gardening books, and children’s books. My paintings have been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions. In addition I wrote and illustrated a picture book, No, Silly! published by Simon & Schuster this February.

 

Some recent illustration work includes:

  • No, Silly! — Text and illustrations, Simon & Schuster, Spring 2015
  • Go, Train, Go! — Illustrations, Highlights Press, Fall 2014
  • American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America by Michelle Obama, illustrations, end papers, hand lettering, The Crown Publishing Group, Fall 2012

Some recent exhibitions:

  • 2011: The Rose Algrant Art Show, Cornwall, CT, group exhibition
  • 2007: Book Paintings, The Free Library, Cornwall, CT, solo exhibition
  • 2003: Subway Portraits, The National Arts Club, New York, NY, a multimedia collaboration with Susan Charlotte with performers included Ally Sheedy, Kathleen Turner, John Shea, and Treat Williams
  • 2001: Thistles, Walt Meade Gallery, Roxbury, NY, solo exhibition

Awards and Featured Work:

  • Original textile designs used in the MTV series, Skins
  • Paintings featured on the set of the film, You Can Count on Me
  • Certificate of Merit from The Society of Illustrators
  • Certificate of Merit from The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles

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