Jenna Bacon, Campus Carrier arts and living editor

Every year, a number of Berry students complete capstone projects that align with their chosen major. These projects give students the opportunity to present a practical application of all the knowledge they’ve gained from their coursework. Senior creative technologies major Andrew Purcell is currently enrolled in the creative tech capstone course instructed by Clinical Assistant Professor of Creative Technologies Zane Cochran. This course’s curriculum is a continuation of the work students did in CRT 450, Professional Development Seminar II, which was offered in the fall. Purcell, who is also minoring in art, knew that he wanted to incorporate his love for drawing and creating with his appreciation for the Berry community. 

“My original idea was a paint-by-numbers for Berry, but my good friend Simon Dowdy reminded me that people really love coloring books,” Purcell said. “I thought people would buy coloring books, and so, I decided to move forward with that idea.” 

Purcell then decided to test his coloring book idea at Capathon, an event that allows students to test-run their capstone ideas before fully committing to them.  

Purcell had taken a photography class, so he already had some images he could use to create a coloring page. Once he completed the first coloring page, a picture of the Old Mill, he knew that he was going to make a Berry coloring book.  

“I turned my original drawing of the Old Mill into a coloring page, and it turned out pretty good,” Purcell said. “I thought to myself, ‘I think I have a good idea here and can make a successful project.’”  

Using a camera he rented from Memorial Library, Purcell proceeded to take pictures of the most beautiful Berry landmarks and scenery. After capturing all the necessary photos, Purcell used Adobe Photoshop to hand-draw the coloring book illustrations on a digital tablet. Even after spending a large amount of time creating his coloring pages, Purcell did not hesitate to ask for constructive feedback. 

“I had printed some completed pages out and given them to my friends,” Purcell said. “I gave them highlighters, and they highlighted any mistakes they found.”  

Throughout his time working on the project, Purcell also had biweekly meetings with a committee of three students and Cochran. During these meetings the committee would review Purcell’s progress and provide him with any necessary advice.  

“Once all of my designs were finished and edited, I uploaded the designs to the company Mixam, and they printed the books and shipped them to me,” Purcell said.   

Aside from the immense creativity and dedication that went into this project, Purcell has exhibited many entrepreneurial skills through his promotion and marketing of his coloring book. Beginning in January, Purcell began posting on an Instagram account with the  username @color.berry25.  

“I’ve been making lots of fun content, sharing behind-the-scenes, and giving people updates,” Purcell said. “I made an online pre-order form and did a lot of online orders, so I shipped it out to people, to family and to friends. My Instagram really helped get my name out there.” 

Purcell has tabled at Krannert on multiple occasions, and he sold his coloring book at the Spring Market on March 22.  

Purcell is also a contestant in the PITCH competition. Sponsored by Center for Student Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Development (C-SEED), the PITCH is a competition that operates like Shark Tank. It provides Berry students with an opportunity to learn the value of entrepreneurship and a chance to win funding for their business. The competition consists of three rounds, with the first two being exclusive to students and the judges. Purcell made it to the final round, where he placed second in the start-up division, winning $2500. 

According to Purcell, he has always had a passion for creating, but he had a lot to learn when it came to the business side of entrepreneurship. 

“There’s been a learning curve, and I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but it’s been cool figuring that out here in the safety net of Berry, where I have professors who help tell me what to do and have guided me, and I have peers who give me a lot of good advice.”  

Color Berry can be found in the Shipyard, in the Oak Hill Museum gift shop, at the Spires, and at Dogwood Books in downtown Rome.