Michelle Nelson

Ms. Michelle Nelson

Professor

Art

Bliss Hall 4085

phone: (330) 941-1858

mnelson@ysu.edu

Bio

Michelle Nelson has her MFA in Graphic Design from Indiana University Bloomington and holds two bachelor's degrees in Graphic Design and Photography from Herron School of Art. She is a practicing Graphic Designer with over twenty years of experience and has worked as a professional Photographer. As an educator, Professor Nelson is passionate about visually opening her students to new experiences. She tirelessly encourages her students to branch off in directions they have yet to explore.

An expert in typography, Professor Nelson also has experience in print, identity systems, font creation, and book design. Her work is found on the pages of the internationally recognized design magazine Émigré, and she has spoken at national conferences on typography. Professor Nelson's scholarly work relates directly to her teaching of typography and font creation. It is currently working on an extensive font family that visits many different font classifications within one font family. She enjoys the rich palette of experiences Graphic Design offers and the constant challenges designers face as Graphic Design drives cultural change.

Professor Nelson has held faculty positions with Northern Arizona University, Eastern Michigan University, and University of South Carolina Upstate before joining the faculty at Youngstown State University.

Research Interests

Social Activism
Professional Practice and the Classroom
Illustration through the Graphic Design Curriculum
Typeface Development
Children Book Illustration

Teaching Interests

Illustration
Grid
Design Layout
Typography
Font Design
Expressive Design
Logo and Branding
Packaging