The Department of Graphic Design was established in June 2000. The founder of the Department was Professor, People's Artist of Ukraine V.G. Kolesnikov, who headed the Department for almost 15 years. The opening of the Department became the foundation for the development of artistic specialization in KNUTD and opened the way for improving the training of graphic designers.

A team of like-minded people - Prof. E.P.Gula, Prof. A.F. Pavlenko, Prof. O.V. Kozhekov, Prof. V.P. Bistryakov, Assoc. Prof. Bystryakova V.N., under the guidance of V.G. Kolesnikov, developed the author's programs for teaching the courses: "Project Graphics", "Fundamentals of Composition and Color", "Graphics Composition and Corporate Identity", "Artistic and Material Culture ”, etc., creative workshops and plain air sessions were organized, making it possible to develop students' creativity and fully reveal the potential of the teachers.

In 2003, the Department opened a professional direction "Graphic Design" (within the direction of training 022 "Design") for the training of applied graphics and advertising, which reflected the needs of modern Ukraine in highly professional specialists, able to create a visual culture of the country at a decent level. The author's vision of the teaching staff of the Department in terms of the educational process is aimed at the maximum achievement of the set goal. Since then, the Department has been granting degrees in the specialty 022 "Design", training professional graphic designers with higher education in bachelor's and master's programs in "Graphic Design".

Students of the Department of Graphic Design acquire fundamental knowledge and professional skills in the following courses: "Graphic Design", "Composition in a Design Project", "Integrated Design" and many others in educational and creative workshops under the guidance of their teachers.

The Department has strong creative ties with the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture, Lviv National Academy of Arts, Kyiv State Academy of Decorative Arts and Design named after M. Boychuk, and other art institutions in Ukraine.

Today the Department has a strong teaching staff, a strong team of professional practitioners and scientists. The Department employs 3 Professors, 7 Associate Professors, and 7 PhDs. The vast majority of teachers of the Department are members of the creative unions of Ukraine - the National Union of Artists of Ukraine and the Union of Designers of Ukraine.

The teachers of the Department actively work in the field of graphic design, regularly exhibit their projects and creative works at international, all-Ukrainian design forums and art exhibitions in Ukraine and abroad, improve their professional level at regional and international plein airs, affirming the positive image of KNUTD, contributing to the development links with European artists and designers, popularizing the Ukrainian design graphic school and visual art in Europe.

The scientific and teaching staff constantly strengthens creative ties, actively integrates into the European scientific and creative community, in particular, participates in international Spanish-Ukrainian, Chinese, Polish, Slovak, German, French, and Austrian cultural projects, competitions, exhibitions, and also consults students, expert work in easel graphics and graphic design, exchange of experience in educational and scientific activities.

The Department is systematically replenished with young graduates. Leading specialists in graphic design, figures of scientific institutions and organizations, and teachers of higher educational institutions of an artistic profile are involved in the educational process.

The Department of Graphic Design is a degree-granting department in the training direction of «Design» (for bachelors) and in the specialty «Design by types» (for masters).

The Department has been training specialists for the academic levels of Bachelor (B, 3 years and 10 months), Master (M, 1 year and 4 months) within the training direction «Design» for the professional direction (B) and master training program (M) of specialty «Design»:

Graphic Design (B, M)

Training specialists of higher education in the field of knowledge - 02 Culture and Art is performed at the academic levels, with the acquisition of the following qualifications:

Outcomes of the art schools:

• the works are exhibited in museums around the world, in particular in Germany, Poland, China, Switzerland, Germany, France, Malaysia, USA, Belgium, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, etc .;
• the monumental and decorative works, located in Ukraine (Kyiv, Poltava, Lubny, Drohobych), have been developed;
• the creative association "Art" has been established at the University;
• more than 3000 works (monumental and decorative art, painting, graphics, sculpture, graphic design), 30 publications, including monographs and catalogs.

Lecturers of the Department of Graphic Design conduct research in the area of graphics and design, as well as in the sphere of pedagogic methods improvement with the objective to improve knowledge mastering by students. They constantly participate in art and design international, national and regional exhibitions, competitions, symposiums, as well as in scientific methodological conferences.

The teaching staff of the Department take an active part in the work of the scientific methodological seminar on urgent problems of art culture, aesthetics, design and graphic design theory that is focused on the formation of new design concept based on ecology culture and human’s life (at the Faculty of Design).

A significant contribution to scientific creative research was made by a professor of the Department of Graphic Design Yevhen Gula – the author of the book, in which plastic anatomy is viewed as the primary basis of academic drawing. An innovative approach in presenting the material contributes to students’ interest in further knowledge deepening of anatomy and plastic which helps with the creation of aesthetic vision and upbringing of artistic taste for future artists and designers.

Main directions of the Department’s scientific work are:

• Creative research work of the scientific and pedagogical workers of the Department at exhibitions, scientific and creative symposiums, publication of creative works on painting and graphics in the media (Professor Ye.P. Gula, associate professors M.F. Rudenko, A.V. Krotevych, senior teacher A.N. Osadcha)
• Design education in the context of the modern society culture (Professor Ye.P. Gula, Associate Professor O.V. Maznichenko);
• Research problems of design education in Ukraine (Professor A.V. Kolisnyk, associate professor O.Yu. Mykhailiuk);
• Peculiarities of perception by students of the artistic direction in preparation of scientific research issues in design (Professor A.V. Kolesnik, Senior Lecturer L.A. Pilguk)
• Formation of the directions of students’ scientific work in the educational programs of master's training "Graphic Design" and "Corporate Identity" (Professors A.V. Kolesnik, Ye.P. Gula, Associate Professor M.F. Rudenko).

The Department of Graphic Design has creative workshops for conducting practical classes in the courses "Integrated Design", "Corporate Identity", "Fonts and Typography", which are provided with modern equipment and software.

To conduct lectures and practical classes in special courses, classrooms and creative design studios function at the Department. In the recreational areas, there are samples of student work and works of the teachers, professional designers, of the Department.

All components of the material and technical support of the educational process of the Department are constantly developed and updated. The Department has studios for the development of complex design projects, including:

• Training creative workshop on designing character font compositions
• Training creative workshop on the project and design graphics – 5 workshops
• Training creative workshop on drawing and painting – 2 workshops
• Training creative workshop on composition
• Training creative workshop on designing advertising graphics
• Training creative workshop on prototyping and working in the material
• Training creative workshop on art history and material culture

In the studios of composition and color science, design and graphic design, the students of the Department, led by the supervisors, experienced specialists in graphic design, put into practice theoretical knowledge, improve practical skills in working with graphic editors, and visualization of projects.

In design studios and creative laboratories, students perform graphic developments for international and all-Ukrainian competitions, make and develop creative design projects for social and advertising areas, create and prepare competitive and exhibition works of graphic design for exposition.

The training of experts in graphic design provides for the widespread use of computer learning technologies and software for the educational process. When conducting lectures, multimedia tools are used, and practical classes, especially in skill-oriented and practical courses, are held in the computer labs of the University, where the software necessary for the implementation of the curriculum is installed.

Teaching staff of the Department conduct different types of academic load (lectures, seminars, practical and laboratory classes, course and diploma projects and others) in the courses assigned to the Department of Graphic Design.

The following courses are taught at the Department:

• Graphic design
• History of art and design
• Computer graphics
• Complex design
• Composition and color science
• Identity
• Fonts and typography
• Font design
• Modern design methods
• Project graphics
• Modeling and prototyping
• Design of advertising graphics

Programs developed by the teachers for the above courses are authorial and take into account the best practice of design education of relevant design schools in Ukraine and worldwide.

The academic staff of the Department prepared and published more than 230 scientific methodological textbooks, 48 lecture notes (including electronic files), and more than 20 tutorials in the specialty «Design» (including electronic files).

Academic methodological work of the teachers of the Department of Graphic Design is conducted in the following directions:

• application of new, including information and communication training technologies;
• implementation of progressive forms of educational process organization and active teaching methods;
• preparation and improvement of teaching methodological complexies of courses (TMCC) according to demands of higher educational institutions of III-IV accreditation levels;
• development of tutorials, abstracts of lectures and academic methodological materials on the topic of disciplines taught at the Department for training professional designers in graphic design;
• implementation of academic methodological materials that meet modern world standard. 

Over the years of the Department’s existence the academic staff published more than 20 academic and teaching methodological aids, monographs in the direction of research and creative activities, among which the following works may be considered the most significant:

1. Колесніков В. Г. Рух у просторі і часі: монографія / В. Г. Колесніков.  К. : Арістей, 2009.  136 с. :іл.
2. Колесніков В. Г. Подорож у всесвіті почуттів: монографія / В. Г. Колесніков.  К. : АГАТ ПРІНТ, 2010.  235 с. :іл.
3. Колесніков В. Г. КОЛЕС: монографія у 2-х томах / В. Г. Колесніков. К. : АГАТ ПРІНТ, 2012. 852 с. :іл.
4. Гула Є. П. Пластична анатомія - основа рисунка / Є. П. Гула. К. : [Видано за сприянням Київської спілки художників книги], 2013. 344 с.
5. Колісник, О.В.  Художня та матеріальна культура (за видами дизайну):  навчально-методичний посібник для студентів першого (бакалаврського)  рівня вищої освіти галузі знань 0202 «Мистецтво», напряму  підготовки 022 «Дизайн», спеціалізації «Графічний дизайн. Фірмовий стиль» Київ: КНУТД, 2019. 188 с.
6. Kolisnyk O.V.  Сollective Monograph / Graphic design as a sign of cooparation // Мodern Technologies and Design Art / Edited by Liubov Bovnegra. Series of monographs Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Applied Arts. –  Katowice School of Technology, 2020,  Р. 209 - 214. (обсяг  299 с., фіксований власний обсяг  5 с.)
7. Колісник О.В.: монографія / Дизайн в контексті самоідентифікаційних соціокультурних практик / О.В. Колісник. К.: КНУТД, 2020, 224 с.
8. Гула Є. П.: монографія/ Пластична анатомія – основа рисунка: монографія / Є.П,Гула. – К.: ВХ [студіо], 2013. – 504 с. (обсяг  504 с., фіксований власний обсяг 504 с.)
9. Гула Є. П. Пластична анатомія – основа рисунка: Навч. посібник / Є.П. Гула. К.: Київська спілка художників книги, 2013.–344с. (обсяг  344с ., фікс. власн. обсяг 344с.)

At the Department of Graphic Design more than 730 full-time students and 115 students of the correspondence department are trained. Students regularly participate in professional international, and regional contests, exhibitions and receive awards (All-Ukrainian students festival of exhibition technologies «Expo Star», All-Ukrainian contest of social advertising «Family and work - our concern», «All-Ukrainian contest of drawing», «International contest of poster and computer animation», and All-Ukrainian art exhibitions).

In the process of training, students of the Department perform plenty of creative developments, they constantly participate in all-Ukranian and international competitions for young artists, graphic artists, illustrator designers, and designers of corporate identity, where they constantly win prize awards.

Students of the Department under their teachers’ supervision are the participants and laureates of the following all-Ukrainian and international creative professional competitions:

• International contest of young designers «Pecherski Kashtany»
• All-Ukrainian students festival of exhibition technologies «Expo Star»
• All-Ukrainian contest of social advertising «Family and work - our concern»
• All-Ukrainian contest of designers «Suzirya «Kashtan»»
• All-Ukrainian contest of drawing among students of art educational institutions
• International contest of poster and computer animation
• All-Ukrainian art exhibitions of young artists in art, project design and corporate identity
• All-Ukrainian contest of social poster «Fashion and safety sex», and many others

The recreational premises of the Department are used as an exhibition hall to demonstrate the creative works of both teachers of the Department, professional artists, and students of the University. Over the period of 2000-2021, more than 50 art exhibitions were held by the Department of Graphic Design.

Thus, students can to study the courses in the direction of «Design» and also to take a direct part in the artistic activities of Ukraine. The University students repeatedly won prizes in competitions in drawing and painting among higher educational institutions of artistic direction.

In addition, in recent years students of the Department of Graphic Design, future graphic designers, are permanent members of the international projects «By poster on costs» and «Energy-saving University».

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Posters of the winning students of the international competition "SAVE ENERDGY"
(authors - students Kryzhanivska, D. Solodka, D. Kurovska, L. Drapun, manager, associate professor O. V. Maznichenko, T. A. Kugai), 2019

The Department of Graphic Design has all the conditions for the full acquisition of knowledge and skills by future specialists who must be fluent in modern artistic means to fully reveal their abilities in real projects. An in-depth study of the basics of graphic design and its combination with computer-aided design makes it possible to present domestic products in a competitive manner.In the course of their studies, students learn the basics of scientific research in the field of design and modern research methods.

The educational process actively uses effective teaching methods, modern creative developments of designers, the latest examples of artistic creativity of the world's leading artists, computer equipment, and unique professional-oriented software.

Students of the Department acquire knowledge both within university-wide standard cycles and in original programs of professionally oriented courses developed by the leading lecturers and designers, which are constantly being modernised in accordance with international standards for the training of designers in various areas of design activity.

Students majoring in Graphic Design, upon completion of the Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design study programs, have the opportunity to study the relevant master's degree program at the Department and receive the qualification of Master of Design.

Apart from that on the basis of a Bachelor’s diploma in the field of knowledge 0202 «Fine Arts» (qualification by diploma – «Bachelor of Fine Arts») students of the Department of Graphic Design may acquire full higher education at the academic level «Specialist» and acquire qualification «Graphic designer» (in the specialization «Graphic design»).

Within the Faculty of Design of KNUTD, postgraduate studies have been functioning in specialty 17. 00. 07 «Design», and in its turn students of the Department of Graphic Design as well as of other Faculty departments have an opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies, defend their theses, and obtain a PhD Fine Arts degree in the specialty «Design».

The lecturers of the Department, together with the management of Kyiv College of KNUTD, have developed integrated curricula for admission to the 3rd year of full-time and part-time study on the basis of a young specialist.

In addition, doing senior courses at KNUTD, students of the Department of Graphic Design can pursue studies at the Institute of Postgraduate Education of KNUTD and acquire second higher education both in the field of design (in the specializations «Artistic Costume Modelling» and «Photo and Video Design») and as well in the field of economy or light industry. The course length is – 3 years.

3^rd and 4^th-year students of the Department of Graphic Design have the opportunity to acquire military education and get a corresponding diploma of the state standard.

Students of the Department of Graphic Design under their teachers’ supervision perform analytical creative and scientific research works, acquire skills of material gathering, analisis, generalizations, and justification of scientific conclusions – in other words they develop their analytical thinking which will become the basis for their further design activity.

The Department has organized and successfully operates student creative clubs, whose activities are aimed at improving the professional skills of students, activating their creative potential and skills.

Among the most significant areas of student activity in creative clubs are the following:

Development of new basic and individual projects of graphic design for various purposes and stylistic solutions (founder - People's Artist of Ukraine, Professor V.G. Kolesnikov, supervisors - associate professors O.V. Krotevych, O.V. Maznichenko). The main priorities in the work of the student club are:

• implementation of design projects of graphic design and advertising for various purposes and style solutions based on modern innovative technologies;
• development of real or virtual layouts of design objects for advertising and printing products;
• search, modeling and comparative analysis of graphic design works.

Graduates of the Department – experts in graphic design actively work in advertising, at organizations on the development of corporate identity (logos, emblems, business documents, business cards, packaging), in the publishing field, on TV (acquisition of animation technologies), at enterprises where the design of entertainment activities takes place. Acquisition of computer technologies enables to design promo products in the interior.

Professional skills and knowledge about the methods of implementation and presentation of creative information in design projects give graduates the opportunity to implement the principles of graphic part design project preparation by means of computer graphics and photo graphics. Accordingly, they can effectively work in the printing industry, at publishing houses and periodicals.

Today, graduates of the Department are highly qualified experts who are in demand in the area of graphic design and advertising, and corporate identity, they are teachers at higher educational institutions in various fields of design in Ukraine and abroad.

The teaching staff of the Department of Graphic Design support international relations with Higher Educational Institutions and artists from many countries (Moldova, Georgia, Bulgaria, Poland, Czech Republic, Great Britain, Iran, India, etc.). Over the years of the Department’s functioning, more than 80 international students from China, Lithuania, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Serbia, Moldova, and Iran have been trained. For over 10 years, the Department has been training students from China.

Lecturers of the Department are members of editorial boards of international journals, together with students presenting their reports at international conferences.

Artistic works of the teachers of the Department of Graphic Design are exhibited at exhibitions in the CIS countries, Western Europe and North America, in particular, in Canada.

In addition, the Department also maintains international relationships with adjacent in the direction of professional training specialists of higher educational institutions of the CIS  countries and far abroad countries - Poland, Lithuania, Moldova, Georgia, Tajikistan, Bulgaria, the UK, China, Iran, etc.

The quintessence of artistic events in early September at Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design was the opening of the exhibition of creative paintings and graphic works of the teachers and students of the Department of Graphic Design (Building 1) on September 9, 2020.

The exhibition was opened by the Rector of KNUTD, Professor, and Academician Ivan Gryshchenko. He congratulated all the guests and participants of the exhibition, noting that this exhibition is a significant indicator of the level of professional design training of students, which is carried out by the creative staff of the Department of Graphic Design under the guidance of Professor Ye.P. Gula. The Rector noted the high creative and scientific level of training of students both at KNUTD and at the Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences, China), where the training of design students began last year, together with the KNUTD Faculty of Design. At the opening of the exhibition, the speakers noted that any exhibition is a revelation and a test, each of the exhibited works is a combination of academic accuracy and innovative thinking, expressive imagery, an infinite number of meanings, and bold decisions, which together allow creating an exciting dialogue between students and teachers. Professor Yevgen Petrovych Gula noted in his speech that the exhibition is an organic component of the creative and educational process, an aesthetic and spiritual landmark for design students.

The exhibition presents the works of talented students of the Faculty of Design, made both in academic traditions and in accordance with the trends of contemporary art.

 Also, a significant event for the Department of Graphic Design was the receipt by Associate Professor Oleksandr KROTEVYCH of an honorary award from the expert council of the NGO "Grands, Ratings and Nominations", BO "Committee on Public Awards of Ukraine" INTERNATIONAL PRIZE "CULTURAL DIPLOMACY" for the popularization of Ukrainian graphics, coverage of Ukrainian identity in the author's graphic project "Alphabet of Ukrainian initial letters". 

The exhibition center of Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design "Art Space" is a cultural environment, a platform for self-expression and freedom, where ideas, inspiration, and emotions are exchanged, and where teachers and students present their creative achievements and talents.

The opening of the "Art Space" on March 1, 2023, was marked by the personal exhibition "ELEGY OF LIFE" by Yevgen GULA, a painter, graphic artist, member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, participant of all-Ukrainian and foreign art exhibitions, professor of the Department of Graphic Design of the Faculty of Design, KNUTD. Yevgen Gula is a teacher and author of the textbook for the courses "Plastic Anatomy" (KNUTD, 2007) and "Fundamentals of Composition" (KNUTD, 2012); the monograph "Plastic Anatomy - the Basis of Drawing" (2013).

The next exhibition in the "Art Space" was the exposition of the associate professor of the Department of Graphic Design Olexandr KROTEVYCH “I am coming against you!”. The exhibition featured works from the series "My Ukraine" and "Alphabet of Ukrainian initial capitals". Oleksandr Krotevych is an artist, designer, candidate of art criticism, a member of the Union of Designers of Ukraine, and a participant in many all-Ukrainian and international art exhibitions. The artist works in art, graphics, painting, and graphic design; his works are in private collections in Ukraine and abroad.

The “Alphabet of Ukrainian initial capitals” consists of 33 graphic works created in 2019 as embodiment of Ukrainian identity in the artist's mind. The artist received State Certificate of Copyright No. 90684 for the series “Alphabet of Ukrainian initial capitals”.

On May 1, 2023, the opening of Mykhailo Rudenko's personal exhibition "...and this is what I live!" was held at the "Art Space" Exhibition Center of the Kyiv National University of Technology and Design. Ivan Hryshchenko, rector of KNUTD, doctor of economic sciences, professor, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine opened the exhibition and congratulated the artist and a large audience of friends, guests, students - sincere art connoisseurs with this event. Ivan Mykhailovych emphasized that he is proud of and supports the talented scientists of our team, because he is sure that art is the treasure of the nation.

Many colleagues and friends came to congratulate the author, greetings also came from foreign colleagues, namely: Wu Xuebin, dean of the East-West Academy of Fine Arts in Guangxi in China, honorary professor of the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture of Ukraine and the University of Decorative Arts; Fidesz König, a famous Hungarian painter, president of the Hungarian University of Fine Arts, academician of the Hungarian Academy of Arts.

On May 16, 2023, a public lecture on color science by Mykhailo Rudenko,Associate Professor of the Department of Graphic Design, the Faculty of Design, was held for the students of the Faculty of Mechatronics and Computer Technologies.

The lecture was also attended by the teachers and students of bachelor’s and master’s education levels of the Faculty of Design, theFaculty of Arts and Fashion, and the Faculty of Mechatronics and Computer Technologies. The lecture was entitled“Color as a Phenomenon, its Properties and Methods of Use in Graphic Design and Fine Arts”.

Mykhailo Rudenko introduced the audience to the basics of color science in an interesting and accessible way and answered some questions that interested the audience. According to the students’ feedback, the lecture was interesting, informative, and useful for learning.

The public lecture was held in the “Art Space” of KNUTD against the background of the personal exhibition of the master M. Rudenko “...and that’s what I live for”. The artist’s works demonstrated the use of color in graphics and painting.

An important event for the Department of Graphic Design is the awarding of the diploma of candidate of cultural studies, associate professor of the department, Marianna Olehivna Nerozna, from the expert council of the СО "Grands, Ratings and Nominations", BO "Committee for Public Awards of Ukraine" - INTERNATIONAL AWARD "CULTURAL DIPLOMACY" - for the development of Ukrainian art and charts in Ukraine and abroad.

On July 4, the Sholom Aleichem Museum in Kyiv opened an exhibition of academician of painting, professor, acting head of the Department of Graphic Design, Kyiv National University of Technology and Design, member of NSHU, Yevhen Petrovych Gula. The artist presented his original paintings, the opening of the exhibition was held in the circle of fellow teachers, artists, students of the professor and close friends.