Amy Bu illustrates her passion

A junior double majoring in general psychology and child studies and human development, Amy Bu  has had a passion for art “since forever” and initially focused her efforts on illustration.

In the ninth grade, Bu's artistic tendencies led her to create a “short 14-to-20-page-[long] magazine” for her school that ran once every two months. Bu, who draws in her free time, designed the layout for each issue. In her senior year of high school, Bu applied her layout skills as an editor of her class' yearbook.

After arriving at Tufts, Bu realized that there was a greater need for graphic designers than illustrators and decided to pursue graphic design while also “weaving in illustration.” At Tufts, Bu has designed flyers and posters for the Singapore Students Association in her role as the group’s media and communication director, and has designed layout for Breakthrough, Tufts’ undergraduate science magazine. Bu also created the logo for Assistant Professor Paul Muentener’s Cognitive Development Lab and has drawn editorial cartoons for the Daily.

Bu’s latest project is “Fun Fact Fridays,” a series of infographics for Tufts Dining Services. The goal of "Fun Fact Fridays" is, according to Bu, to cut through the “noise” of incorrect and hard-to-decipher nutritional information by presenting facts clearly and in a visually appealing manner. The infographics are published on Tufts Dining’s Facebook page and have, thus far, included a mix of nutritional advice and kitchen tips.

In the future, Bu hopes to continue "Fun Fact Fridays" and perhaps pursue a marketing internship in Boston over the summer. Bu also hopes to eventually combine her interests in graphic design, illustration and food to produce a web-based collection of illustrated recipes. Bu also feels that Tufts sorely needs an art publication, which would provide an outlet for the “hobbyist artists” on campus.