On Monday, December 18, 2023, the VCD UPH faculty team held a coordination meeting to prepare for the second semester of the academic year 2023/2024. The meeting was attended by both permanent and non-permanent faculty members to ensure the smooth progress of all courses.
The meeting began with coordination at the program level, followed by faculty members collaborating with course teams to discuss the details and technical aspects of the upcoming semester. Hopefully, the courses in the second semester of 2023/2024 will proceed smoothly.
Thank you for all the lecturers for the passion to teach at VCD UPH. We hope that all the hard work that we do can be felt by the students as they grow and learn throughout the years.
Special thanks to Pak Budi for the great pictures.
My name is Jeff Daniel Riyanto. I graduated from Visual Communication Design (DKV) at UPH with a concentration in Graphic Design, belonging to the batch of 2018-2022. Currently, I own a creative design studio that predominantly focuses on social media design. We manage brands and designs related to the food and beverage industry and have expanded into fashion and lifestyle as well.
My experience studying DKV was both exciting and challenging. Meeting new friends with diverse backgrounds and interests in design was a highlight. Among the courses I took at UPH, especially in the Graphic Design department, the most impactful was the main studio course. There, I learned design principles that have proven to be incredibly useful in my professional endeavors.
The rapid development of Industry 5.0 has significantly influenced the creative workforce. During my time at UPH, the learning process evolved to keep pace with the times, providing an added advantage for us as students. I highly recommend UPH because, in my opinion, it offers an environment where you can develop exceptionally well, and the faculty is very supportive of its students. For instance, my classmates and I were required to participate in a typeface design competition, which resulted in us winning second place on an international scale.
Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.
Senior Designer for CONDE NAST JAPAN( Wired Japan, GQ Japan, Vogue Japan )
Head of Creative / Partner for Open Quarter Tailor
In the earlier years of my academic journey, the field of Design and Visual Communication (DKV) was characterized by a more holistic approach, predating the nuanced subcategories that exist today, such as cinematography and animation. Back then, DKV encompassed a comprehensive spectrum, requiring us to delve into every facet from A to Z.
Despite initially perceiving this broad approach as a challenge, it ultimately became my forte. Acquiring knowledge across the entirety of the discipline, akin to comprehending every graph in a pizza-graph, proved to be an invaluable asset.
Following graduation, I dedicated two years to a small design studio in Jakarta, named Table 6. During my tenure, I collaborated with clients from diverse sectors, including fashion, law, F&B, art exhibitions, etc. This multifaceted experience was a cherished chapter in my professional journey. Subsequently, I resigned from the position, driven by the ambition to establish a prominent presence in Japan—an aspiration I had harbored for years. A year of Japanese language study paved the way for a subsequent year working with a Japanese design studio, culminating in my current role as a Senior Designer/Art Director at Conde Nast Japan. Beyond my responsibilities at Conde Nast, I co-own a small design studio with my wife and a business partner. Additionally, I am a co-owner and head of creative at the Indonesian tailoring brand “Open Quarter Tailor.”
Reflecting on my university years at UPH, I hold fond memories of both enduring friendships and the privilege of learning from some of the industry’s brightest minds. UPH instilled in us the importance of critical thinking, transcending mere technical proficiency. This emphasis on critical thinking emerged as a cornerstone of our industry strength. While every subject at UPH was enjoyable, I particularly relished the “DKV Subject,” where we undertook the rebranding of selected companies—a task that resonated with my specialization in branding.
The knowledge and skills cultivated during my time at UPH have significantly contributed not only to my professional journey but also to my personal development. I unequivocally recommend UPH to prospective students, as my experience there was truly transformative and life-changing.
Hello! I’m Kezia Rachel, from the DKV UPH class of 2017. My concentration was in animation, which is also what I’m currently pursuing in my career. Specifically, I am working on 3D animation.
I had such a fun time at DKV UPH. The lecturers pushed me to do my best, and I am forever grateful for it. They not only acted as our teachers but also as friends, which made it a comfortable environment to study and learn. There were also a lot of activities outside of our studies. I remember going on trips for our photography and drawing classes, and there were events specifically for us students to bond and get to know each other better. I feel like it is very important to learn outside of classes, where we learn to get to know people, which will help us a lot in the industry.
I forgot specifically which class it was, but I’m pretty sure it was one of the Main Studio classes. The first time I tried out 3D animation using Maya was definitely the most memorable one. I was very passionate about animating, thus my excitement when we finally had the chance to animate in 3D. We were also given the chance to model and rig, which was a very new experience for me.
The lecturers and mentors taught me so many things, not only about art but also about the industry. It’s important to learn the basic fundamentals of art and design, but we shouldn’t forget that learning isn’t going to be enough in the industry. I was always reminded in my animation class that once we get into the industry, we are not alone. Whether we like it or not, we are always working with other people to achieve something. Of course, all the technical studies, like the basic fundamentals of animation, helped me a lot in the industry. But I realized the importance of learning about group work, accepting feedback, and criticism, which proved to be even more helpful.
I would recommend DKV UPH to a lot of people! It was such an exciting time, with great facilities, great lecturers/mentors, and all the things we learned were very insightful.
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
Praise God, one of the VCD UPH students, Jessica Valencia (Graphic Design, class of 2020), along with her team from the Faculty of Economics & Business UPH, has successfully won the 3rd place in the main product category of the Creative Industries and Tourism at the KMI Expo XIV 2023. Jessica and her team presented their brand, Lawana Batik. Lawana Batik has been nurtured by UPH SparkLabs Incubation throughout the entire process until achieving this award. We express our gratitude to Jessica and the entire team involved for this remarkable achievement.
UPH Team at KMI Expo IV 2023. Photo by UPH SparkLabs Incubation.
My name is Ronaldo Kilimandu Dinguamah, but please call me Ronnie. I graduated in 2017 with a degree in Animation. Currently, I work as a Key Lighting Artist and occasionally undertake freelance projects in Lighting, Rendering Architecture, and Motion graphics.
I had no artistic background or experience prior to university, so I faced many challenges with the lessons initially. However, with God’s grace, my teachers’ guidance, and my friends’ support, I was able to acquire enough skills to join the international Animation Industry. I was fascinated by all the courses that involved animation. They enabled me to create animation from the initial concept to the final post-production. These courses taught me the steps of making an animation, which equipped me for the industry.
The curriculum of the creative industry, especially Animation, is hard to keep up with the current industry trends because technology changes rapidly. That is why UPH excels at teaching students the fundamental and conceptual aspects of design, especially the “design thinking” concept. This concept assists me in my work because it is not just about making “pretty” pictures, but about conveying a message with visual elements.
I think UPH is an excellent choice for students who aspire to learn how to think like designers. UPH helps you comprehend the design and animation principles in a holistic way, enhancing your design abilities. UPH also has remarkable lecturers who are passionate about the industry and their students’ education. If you seek to learn the basics and get support from qualified lecturers, I highly recommend UPH.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ronaldo Kilimandu Dinguamah, but you can call me Ronnie for short. In 2017, I delved into the world of creative design and pursued my studies in DKV UPH, with a keen focus on animation. Following my graduation, I embarked on a thrilling freelance journey in the advertising industry for six months, all while crafting my portfolio. In early 2021, I landed a position as a Lighting and Compositing artist at Pixel Zoo, an animation studio based in Brisbane, Australia. My expertise in 3D lighting and compositing has been instrumental in bringing to life several animation series or movies, including the likes of LOL Surprise, Rainbow High, and Mermaze, to name a few. Despite my specialization, I never lost my love for the traditional arts of drawing and painting, which continue to inspire and fuel my creative passions.
Photo of Vanessa Leoni. Photo Provided by Vanessa.
Hello, let me introduce myself. I’m Vanessa Leoni, an alumna of the 2019 class of DKV UPH, specializing in Graphic Design. Currently, I work as a Packaging Designer at a company in the FMCG industry.
During my time at UPH, I felt my design skills develop significantly, thanks to the guidance of the DKV UPH professors who always supported me during the learning process. When I initially joined DKV, I faced some challenges in adapting to the assigned tasks, but over time, I became more accustomed to it and learned to manage my time effectively. As the semesters progressed, I realized that the course material started with fundamental concepts and gradually became more complex, resembling real-world projects in the industry.
One of the courses that had a significant impact on me was the main studio 3. During a full semester, DKV students collaborated with students from the food technology program to create innovative product packaging. The design process started with product analysis, selecting the appropriate packaging materials, designing brand identities, creating packaging designs, and developing social media and e-commerce product sales designs. Throughout this course, I learned numerous new aspects, such as how to create packaging designs that not only prioritize aesthetics but are also producible and represent the concept of the product being sold.
My education definitely helped me in the industry. Because the steps taken to complete assignments provide a real-world glimpse of what you’ll do in the industry. With each passing semester, projects were not only individually resolved but also involved external parties to provide design objectives, test the effectiveness of the design, and evaluate it.
Studying at DKV UPH is not limited to classroom learning. There are many design-related activities outside of class that can be participated in. For example, joining the “BEDA’KAN” (Redesigning Packaging) initiative where students redesign packaging for selected MSMEs. This not only adds to your experience but also teaches students how to communicate directly with MSMEs, known as clients in the professional world. Furthermore, DKV UPH maintains high standards, allowing students to produce high-quality work.
There’s no such thing as limitations in design; that’s why you should unleash all your ideas and continue creating work that can be seen by many people!
From October 31 to November 1, 2023, VCD UPH (Visual Communication Design, Universitas Pelita Harapan) participated in the International Moving Image Cultures Conference (IMOVICCON) 2023 at Multimedia Nusantara University. This event is a scholarly conference that also showcases various moving image works. Over these two days, besides being a partner in organizing the event, VCD UPH had faculty members and students presenting their research findings or designs in panels attended by participants from various institutions and countries. We would like to express our gratitude to the Film Program at Multimedia University for their exceptional collaboration. Hopefully, we can engage in more exciting collaborations in the future.
VCD UPH Lecturers at IMOVICCON 2023 Day OneVCD UPH Lecturers and Students after the Closing of IMOVICCON 2023 Day Two
On Friday, October 27, 2023, VCD UPH visited Dian Harapan School (SDH) in Kupang. This visit was part of conducting a character design workshop for the high school students of SDH Kupang. The workshop provided materials on understanding shape language commonly used in designing characters in a simple manner. Thank you to SDH Kupang for the warm welcome and enthusiasm. We hope to meet again in the future.
SDH Kupang Students Working on Their Character Design WorksheetPhotograph With all Participants from the First SessionPhotograph With all Participants from the Second Session
On Wednesday, October 25, 2023, VCD UPH received a visit from the Studi Humanitas Program of Duta Wacana Christian University (UKDW) for a comparative study. During the event, both study programs got to know each other and shared information about their respective study activities.
Brian Alvin Hananto, VCD UPH’s Department Chair Presenting the Department Vision & MissionVisit to the Printmaking LabVisit & Discussions in the Photography Lab
Thank you to the Humanities Study Program for visiting VCD UPH. We hope that in the future, good relationships and collaborations can be established between the two study programs, especially for our students.
