The Bleed, Vol. 12: Zoomed Out

the bleed vol.12

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ZOOMED OUT

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Vol.

What’s in Store

DESIGN STUDIO

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44 hours ELEVEN WEEKS

countless sleepless nights

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Letter from the Staff...............................................................................................3 Million Dollar JPEGs...............................................................................................4 How to Stay Sane During Quarantine...............................................................6 York and the Intersection of Digital & Traditional Art....................................8 Workspaced Out................................................................................................... 10 Bisociation: The Chris Berner Go To Method............................................... 12 Accessibility vs. Asscessibility.......................................................................... 14 Virtual Learning: Pros, cons and some thoughts on the future............... 15 Life Changes: An Adult’s Perspective............................................................. 16 A Very Brief History of Motion Graphics........................................................ 18 Graphic Design & Beer...................................................................................... 20 The Federal Art Project..................................................................................... 22 Art Underfoot: Manhole Covers as Urban Art............................................. 24 Design Studio 2021............................................................................................. 26 Free Graphic Design Resources..................................................................... 30 Graphic Design Trends of 2021....................................................................... 32 Wacom vs Huion.................................................................................................. 34 Pantone Color Of The Year............................................................................... 35 Blackletter: The Traditon Continues............................................................... 36 Wayde Love.......................................................................................................... 38 Designer of Color................................................................................................ 40 Second Life of Oregon Academia.................................................................. 42 Out Of Step Books & Gallery............................................................................ 45 Sniped6.................................................................................................................. 48 We Design Lies.................................................................................................... 50

COVER, MASTHEAD + TABLE OF CONTENTS HEATHER VAN DOORN

LETTER

Dear Readers,

staff

from the Do you remember when “zoom” was a camera lens, “zoomed in” was taking a close-up of something far away, and being zoomed out was…well, still camera related? Who knew that one day, the advent of a world-wide pandemic would mean that Zoom calls would be the vehicle through which we lived our everyday lives? Who knew that we would spend so much time connecting with others through a video lens that we’d experience serious fatigue from our (primarily) virtual lives? Suffice it to say, we’re “Zoomed out”.

“Zoomed out” is used to indicate an intense case of video fatigue. No longer are our homes safe little bubbles, we now video-chat, attend classes, and conduct meetings through that little computer camera. As a result, we are finding it much harder to separate ourselves enough to get that “down time” we used to find at home.

We’ve devoted this issue of the Bleed to exploring how folks are adapting to our new remote lives (“Workspaced Out”) and how innovation in design has continued to march forward despite the radical shift in working environment and the unique challenges of the past year. This exploration is deeply meaningful to our team. Every year, the graduating class of our graphic design program produces The Bleed as a capstone project upon graduation. The group of students who produced this issue have spent over a year of their education experience–for some that’s nearly half–trying to figure out how to create and grow with their fellow students by way of countless Zoom calls.

At the same time, having endured this pandemic for over a year, we’ve had the chance to zoom out and explore topics beyond COVID-19, such as NFTs (“Million Dollar JPEGS”), motion graphics (“A Brief History of Motion Graphics”,) and fun brainstorming techniques (“Bisociation”). In our own way we wanted to express the original common meaning of “zoomed out” – looking at the world through a wide lens.

We hope you find this issue of The Bleed as relevant, informative, and entertaining as the staff had creating it.

Chelsea Callas Deb Hanson Heather Van Doorn Hailey Fisher

Million Dollar JPEGs Photo courtesy of Mike Winkelmann (Beeple) WORDS HEATHER VAN DOORN DESIGN CHELSEA CALLAS

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y now everyone has heard of Beeple, the creator of “Everyday: The First 5,000 Days,” a digital piece recently auctioned by Christie’s for $69 million. At the time of writing this article, Mike Winkleman’s (Beeple) sale holds the spot for the third highest-priced work of art paid to a living artist. Even more astounding than the price is the fact this art is a JPEG. Like other graphic designers and digital artists, Winkleman felt stuck. Digital art can be reproduced an infinite number of times, making the work worth only the price of the piece

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of paper it is printed on. A new platform is being used to give contemporary artists a way to sell digital art, which just a few years ago had no market. This is known as nonfungible-tokens (NFTs) that use blockchain technology and has changed how these assets are handled. One-of-a-kind digital “provenance” that cannot be forged is created as proof that the work is genuine and belongs to the buyer. It can be compared to an artist’s signature or autograph. If you are still scratching your head, think of it as painting a perfect reproduction of the Mona Lisa on a wall.

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It’s not the same even if it is as perfect as the masterpiece created by Leonardo da Vinci because it is missing the signature. So why can’t the same hold true for digital files?

NFTs have been around since 2014 with the very first piece titled, “Quantum,” by Anil Dash and Kevin McCoy. The piece is a looped video of falling dollar signs inside an ornate gold picture frame. Its current value is $7.5 million. NFTs became more widely used in 2017 with the release of CryptoKitties, an enormously popular virtual digital cat pet store. As we entered into 2021, the sale of digital art using cryptocurrency has gained much notoriety with the many high-profile sales just in the first few months. “Nyan Cat,” of meme fame, sold for 300 ETH (ether) worth just under $600,000. Then, of course, Beeple’s piece sold at Christie’s in March 2021 for that record-breaking sum. NFTs are pushing the art world into new territory by allowing artists to monetize digital goods, and buyers to show ownership. However, simply buying the NFT artwork does not necessarily mean you own the copyright or sole access to the work. Some creators choose to hold on to intellectual rights and continue to profit off of their creations.

The buyer who purchased “Nyan Cat” paid for just the token itself, the creator retained control of the licensing.

It all seems like an amazing way for digital artists to support themselves through their art. Unfortunately, there is a darker side. There can be hefty fees that come along with creating an NFT, and you have to work with the seller site to create the token using cryptocurrency. After the token is created, a “gas” fee is charged, for each transaction, rather than a shipping and handling fee.

NFTs are changing the way artists, musicians, and journalists create and sell their works of art. They are putting creators in charge of their own futures by turning their work into one-of-akind digital collectible items.

If the tenuous and often confusing nature of cryptocurrency wasn’t deterrent enough, there is the environmental cost. Just like Bitcoin and every other cryptocurrency, Ethereum requires computers to “mine” the data and make computations. There is a system of computers that uses technology way above my head to authenticate valid transactions and this action requires a staggering amount of energy. Studies have been done to quantify how much energy is used in the process, and the results are jaw-dropping. Time, magazine (March 2021) reported “Ethereum mining consumes about 26.5 terawatt-­hours of electricity a year, nearly as much as the entire country of Ireland.” Another study done by Nature Sustainability found that it requires less energy to extract gold or copper from the ground than to mine cryptocurrency, and a third found that every Ethereum transaction requires nearly as much energy as two American households use in a single day! All one has to do is search on Google to read about the unbelievable rates of energy consumption.

While we may feel that this monster is too big to be controlled now, all is not lost.

Vitalik Buterin, the 24-year-old computer scientist who invented Ethereum when he was 18, is trying to undo the energy waste.

He has written new code that will change how the mining and transactions are computed, moving from a Proof-of-Work (PoW) to Proof-of-Stake (PoS). What does that mean? The short answer is that computation time is far less in PoS, resulting in more efficient use of energy. Those energy costs are paid for with government-issued currencies, which in financial terms puts downward pressure on the value of Ethereum. Theoretically, by the end of 2021, Ethererum 2.0 should be up and running with PoW behind us. There will be less stress on the energy grid and more value in cryptocurrency so artists and buyers alike can feel good about this newfound wealth and unique purchases. The future is wide open for digital artists and art collectors. Who knows what the future will hold but what is certain, is NFTs are changing the way artists, musicians, and journalists create and sell their works of art. They are putting creators in charge of their own futures by turning their work into one-of-akind digital collectible items. Once the environmental pressures have been released, it can only get better!

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O T W O H E N A S Y A T S G N I R U D E N I T N A R A U Q 6

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he COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone in different ways, turning daily routines upside down. Below are some ways to mitigate the negative effects that can accompany isolation and a change in routine. We think these are good enough to practice when things return to some realm of normalcy, too.

TAKE PART IN VIRTUAL HANGOUTS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Maintaining connections might be more important now than ever before. With a myriad of methods available to virtually connect with others you certainly don’t have to go this alone. You can still have that Friday happy hour - now it’s just done from the comfort in your home.

Bonus - who says you can’t wear sweatpants?

time and create a new sense of normalcy. As workplaces encroach on personal space, it’s important to separate the two.

FIND A HEALTHY ESCAPE. We all

need them, whether they are Netflix binges, creative pursuits, or starting a new hobby. Finding a healthy escape is like taking your brain on a small vacation. Always wanted to learn how to bake? Knit?

Start a garden? Read that series of books that you bought a year ago and haven’t touched (no judgment)?

Now is the time to dive in.

GET ORGANIZED. Has there ever

been a more opportune time to go through that pile of clothes in your closet, or that trunk of stuff hanging out in your garage? I thought not.

Take advantage of the time at home to thoroughly sort and organize belongings. Whatever you purge, see if it can be repurposed or recycled — check out local second hand businesses or shelters, and ask if they are in need of donations.

ESTABLISH AND KEEP A ROUTINE.

In a world where days seem to blend together, it’s important to establish and keep up a routine to separate

JOURNAL. This falls in line with mindfulness. Take 5-15 minutes a day to express your thoughts and feelings in writing. This can be a release you can reflecton later, and bring more self-awareness to your life. You can purchase journals that have prompts if you need a nudge to get going.

CREATE. We all have a creative side,

whether we believe it or not. The act of creating something can be more than just productive and purposeful.

Pick something that interests you and give it a whirl. Don’t limit yourself to traditional creative pursuits such as painting or drawing - pick up an instrument, write, cook, sculpt! The possibilities are endless, as are the Youtube tutorials.

PRACTICE MEDITATION OR YOGA.

Times are stressful, this can take a toll on our mental and physical health. Meditation and yoga are two excellent ways to relieve stress and center yourself. Doing so regularly can lower blood pressure, improve sleep and general well-being. There are a bevy of apps available for download if you need some help.

you’ve never really been a fan of it before, but getting your blood pumping comes with a bevy of benefits that can help combat the melancholy of the world.

REACH OUT FOR HELP IF YOU NEED IT. We are essentially

WORDS + DESIGN KATINA CORCORAN

GET OUTSIDE AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. Weather permitting, try

to leave the house at least once a day. Even a brisk 15 minute walk can do wonders. Go for a stroll through your favorite neighborhood or visit a park. For longer seasonal pursuits, try engaging in your favorite outdoor activity such as hiking, biking, or fishing. A change of scenery does a body good.

EXERCISE. We’ve all heard that

when you exercise, your body releases endorphins that make us feel happier. Perhaps you used to exercise regularly and stopped, or

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living in the worst public health crisis of our time. With the shift to virtual services, enlisting the help of a counselor or therapist is now more accessible than ever. The current crisis has taken its toll on mental health but there are many resources available to help now just a click away. If you or someone you know needs help, it’s time to be proactive.

It’s important to remember that there is no magic formula to ease tension, depression, or anxiety. Everyone copes differently, and may respond differently to these ideas. In a time where we might feel powerless, what we can do as individuals is try to engage in activities that are feasible within our own situations.

What appeals to you? Give it a go!

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York

WORDS+DESIGN SCOTT STURGIS

AND THE INTERSECTION OF DIGITAL & TRADITIONAL ART

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This is what we are calling guerrilla public art, but it was a pleasant surprise —Adena Long Director of Portland’s Parks Bureau

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Photo courtesy of Another Believer

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his story begins in the year 1804 when the Lewis and Clark “Corps of Discovery” set out from Missouri on their now-famous expedition to find a land route to the west. William Clark would bring a man named York on the expedition, a man he owned as a slave. When historians in the 20th century re-examined the expedition they found that York was a vital part of the team, relied upon to do much of the hunting, cooking, and medical treatment. York was also revered by the many indigenous tribes that they met along the way, and he played a big role in negotiating with these people. In 1806, upon the group’s return to the east and after a successful expedition, Clark refused to grant York his freedom, according to Peter Kastor, a historian at Washington University in St. Louis, and the author of a book about Clark’s exploration.

Now fast forward to October 2020.

While the Covid-19 virus was raging out of control in America, the deaths of African Americans Breonna Taylor on March 13th and George Floyd on May 25th, both at the hands of white policemen, sparked nationwide protests against the systemic and institutionalized racism still shamefully prevalent in the nation’s police force and in our society as a whole.

originally installed in 1933 and was removed from its pedestal at Mount Tabor Park in October. A few months later in mid-February 2021, park officials discovered a four foot tall sculpture of a head that had been mysteriously installed overnight in place of the Scott monument. The new sculpture was a bust of York, the only black member of the 1804 Lewis and Clark expedition, and the first African American to cross North America to the Pacific Coast.

When comparing traditional bronze sculpture to something made with a 3D printer, it seems that they are worlds apart in terms of history, process and quality. Traditional bronze work has been practiced for 5,000 years, involving a very time “labor-intensive” and expensive process, a skill that takes years to master. While 3D printing technology has been around for about 40 years, only in the last decade or so has the technology been readily available for public use.

City officials in Portland have concluded that the bust of York was made out of hard plastic and was created by guerrilla public artists with the use of a 3D printer. They also decided to let it remain, for the time being, saying that it should help to remind the public of the many contributions that black, brown, indigenous, and other people of color have made to this country, without receiving the recognition or credit they deserve.

Much of the public in Portland has embraced the York statue and see it as a positive contribution to public art in the city, even if it is crafted from plastic and not traditional bronze.

The sculpture of York is an example of how, in today’s technologically advanced climate, someone with a good idea doesn’t necessarily have to be classically trained to create a significant piece of art that can have a very similar level of impact. This is just one instance of the intersection of digital and traditional art blurring the lines of society’s preconceived notion of how art should be created.

It is good to see that in this story, the unknown artist created something that is bringing people together to talk about an important man in the story of our country. York, and so many other persons of color, have been contributing to this country in countless ways from the beginning and need to be celebrated for it.

Whether you are more interested in traditional art or digital art, in this case, it seems that the sculpture of York has us talking, having an effect on people, which I think is what art is supposed to do.

These kids and their fancy gadgets!

Following months of massive demonstrations, groups of protesters all across the country began to tear down statues and monuments that depicted confederate leaders and other prominent figures who were known to oppose racial equality in our nation’s history. In Portland, Oregon, demonstrators knocked down many statues; among them was a bronze statue of Harvey Scott, who was an editor of the Oregonian newspaper in the 19th century and a known conservative who, among other things, opposed the women’s suffrage movement. The statue was

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a p s k r o W t u O D FOR E G N A H C S HAVE E C NDEMIC A P A S P K 9 R 1 O D I W V HOW THE CO G N I R U D S DESIGNER

WORDS + DESIGN JAY WAYLETT

YOU ARE HERE

I interviewed four designers and artists about how their home-work-life changed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chelsea Callas is one of our editors-in-chief here at The Bleed and she is a full-time designer and project manager. Damian McDonald teaches advanced graphic design production techniques at Lane Community College (LCC) and has extensive professional art and design experience. Rachel Saxton is a designer at Stretch Shapes and a graduate of the LCC Graphic Design program.

Chris Berner is a senior designer at Funk/Levis in Eugene and a part-time faculty at LCC.

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE

All my interviewees noted that they had laptops, desktops, tablets, and an extra monitor in their workspaces. Working without these tools is a non-starter for most of us, it seems. One artist was able to grab a computer from her office and recreate her workstation at home. Two designers were quick to note, however, that they prefer a freshly sharpened wooden pencil and a sketch pad for getting ideas down.

I got some interesting answers when I asked about ‘must have’ tools of the trade. Of course the standard equipment answers like computer and sketchbook were common, but more often the response was about mentality. “Curiosity, courage, commitment”, “the ability to think outside the box and be adaptable when presented with challenges”. It seems that the mindset will beat the toolset.

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d e ac FROM THE WINDOW...

We all have an idea of what our dream space would look like.

For some, it’s a big table/desk with plenty of space to spread out and work. Others have simpler dreams: a table or desk and all my tools organized! For others a good workspace is more about the details: a cozy rug, inspiring art and views. It seems though that our dreams in action fell a little short of the mark when COVID hit.

A small one-bedroom apartment with a corner dedicated as the workspace. A weird little area for work, and you make the best of it. It’s interesting that we now spend a large portion of our day in a small corner or room in our house, versus our normal work life where we might be in and out of conference rooms, breakrooms, restrooms or the gym. A lot of us are relegated to a small desk that becomes crowded with just a few items - coffee, a computer, and a notepad, possibly even a pet or two. Office life provided a better chance of spreading out and getting some work done in our space. We may have taken that space for granted.

...TO THE WALL

Before COVID struck, working from home was not the norm.

Now employers and employees are reaping the benefits by lowering operating costs and providing greater flexibility with the same or better productivity. There is a lot

to like about working from home, but it hasn’t always been this way.

Many people thought that working from home would lead to social distance and lack of connection.

And while that is true, we have found ways to work from home and still maintain the connection to our coworkers.

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their routines. Taking time to sing, draw, meditate, walk the dog, or stare out the window Don Draper/ Mad Men-style for five minutes really helps to refresh the brain and stay energized.

Callas found that getting dressed can really help with routine. “I make myself put real pants on every day, even when I don’t want to because certain “WE HAVE FOUND Chelsea Callas routines have a WAYS TO WORK heard from others mental impact.

FROM HOME AND that working Getting dressed STILL MAINTAIN THE every day (even remotely is lonely.

CONNECTION TO OUR just in jeans and a “And that is true COWORKERS.” to some extent, sweater) makes me though I’ve been feel like a human.” able to build a work community It really is the little things that remotely. A lot of people say they make all the difference. couldn’t work from home because they’d never get out of their Staying fresh and ready to work sweats. I get that, but it doesn’t was easier in some cases because have to be true.” there just simply wasn’t as much work. To quote Saxton, “My Damian McDonald was under company works heavily in the the impression that working from live event industry… despite the home was the best, but has not lack of events I was able to work found that to be true. It seems that on campaigns to help clients how much you like working understand how they could take at home depends on how much their events digital.” you like being around your co-workers. There’s an energy of Others have been fortunate connection and creativity, some enough to stay busy and in the feed on that, while others find office during much of COVID. that energy in different ways or “I like the hum of a busy office, exclude it altogether. and all the social interaction, and decent coffee just around the THE ROUTINE corner,” Berner explained.

Staying motivated is challenging, a routine can help. My interviewees BITTERSWEET all reported that they have some COVID-19 has been a blessing type of interface with clients and and a struggle for all of us. Our teammates at regular intervals. workspaces are small, but they Like an 8:30 am meeting or an get the job done. Most of us have afternoon session with clients made working from home work, on the East Coast. Damian and but look forward to the energy Chelsea pointed out the necessity of shared creativity again in of building space for breaks into the office soon.

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n o i t a i c iso C

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Even the most creative designers and artists have “creative block” sometimes. Next time it happens to you, try bisociation.

Bisociation is a brainstorming tool that helps you to break past the obvious and into the aha by drawing connections between seemingly unrelated words or ideas.

WORDS + DESIGN CHELSEA CALLAS PHOTOGRAPHY ALEC TUCKER

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efore we get any further, I should note that Chris Berner, Senior Designer of Eugene firm, Funk / Levis, and typography instructor at Lane, did not invent bisociation.

According to Berner, he learned the method from his instructor at the Kansas Art Institute, Victor Papanek, who coined the term.

In fact, his favorite logo that he’s ever designed was born of bisociation. He was tasked with designing a logo for Struble, who makes super precise fly fishing gear. He collided an “S” letterform, fish, and precise crosshairs to create a logo the client still uses 40 years later.

Berner is a firm believer in bisociation, though, and teaches it to the students in his course, Introduction to Typography. This lesson is memorable for anyone who’s taken Berner’s class.

Even years later, many of his students can recall the lesson where they learned this incredible tool.

Why? Because it’s effective, especially for projects such as logo design where being clever pays off. Here’s how Berner responded when I asked whether he still uses this technique: “Every single concept development project I work on, I use bisociation to come up with a myriad of possible solutions. At the beginning of my design development process, I go for quantity over quality in a deliberate effort to come up with outrageous possibilities. That is where the fun and the magic of graphic design happens. I find that there is always time to refine a great concept, but never enough time to explore all the ideas that the bisociation process offers.”

He goes on to say the tool is so powerful due to, “[its] efficiency of generating an infinite number of possible concepts in a short amount of time. And, the sheer fun of colliding unrelated ideas together to spawn unexpected images and ideas.”

“At the beginning of my design development process, I go for quantity over quality, in a deliberate effort to come up with outrageous possibilities. That is where the fun and the magic of graphic design happens.”

–Chris Berner

Logo design by Chris Berner

HOW TO BRAINSTORM WITH BISOCIATION

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Make a list of the most obvious solutions to your creative problem. So, for example, if I were designing a logo for a coffee company, an obvious solution would be a coffee bean. Set a timer and don’t stop writing until the timer goes off.

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Next to your first list, make a second list of completely random objects, people, ideas, etc. ...and I mean random. This is a stream of consciousness exercise where you’ll write down anything that pops into your head. In my new list, I may have words such as “rocket ship,” “lamp shade” or “soda.”

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Compare your two lists and start to draw connections. They won’t be obvious at first, but once you get a few, you will officially be on a roll and you may not be able to stop.

Think about negative space for the two objects and how they may work together.

This is where the magic happens!

Sketch out the ideas you were able to mentally connect to see if they work.

They may not and that’s ok! This is a brainstorming tool after all.

Breaking through a creative block is no easy feat, but bisociation can help reveal new and interesting solutions to your visual conundrum. Not to mention, it’s fun! How else are you going to find the connection between a pickle and a briefcase?

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Accessibility

vs Accessibility WORDS RICK WILLIAMS

In the Graphic Design Program at Lane Community College (LCC), you will hear accessible design mentioned with two different meanings.

Sometimes it is about accessibility for Disabled People, and sometimes it’s about Responsive Web Design, making sure a website works on any device. This language obscures the ability for accessibility to mean accommodations for disabilities.

(Open DyslexicAlta)

As designers, the job isn’t just to create the content for the client.

This content will be public for anyone to view and interact with. Have any of you ever given thought as to how to design something for a blind person?

We learn color theory but not how to apply it to colorblind people. A font choice can mean the difference between someone being able to read the text or not. This article is an example of how to design for dyslexics.

(Verdana)

With our education, we are missing a few key aspects of design, from a lack of consideration for the needs of the disabled first. I am in the 25% of the population that has a disability. We, as designers, and even our clients, think of disability accessibility last; something specialized to disability-focused content.

(Arial)

In class you’ll hear stories of clients that want “minor edits,” that turn into an entire rework of the project. Our teachers told us clients often change their mind from where illustrations are on the page.

Warned us to not make the same mistake they did when they wanted these changes right before the event happened. This can happen when you build a design that is inaccessible to disabled people.

(Century Gothic)

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Simple things such as color choice, layout, typography, and photography can make or break accessibility. We could have been thinking of this all along if we didn’t devalue a quarter of all Americans. Accommodations are mandatory, and to honor 25% of the population, we should be taught these things.

(Comic Sans) With so many things to consider I focused on giving you examples of typography you can use in your designs. Each paragraph represents a font family you can choose that is accessible to dyslexics. If you’re not a fan of these typefaces there are a few features of type that increases accessible: • Sans-serif typefaces • Long ascenders & descenders • Line spacing at least 1.5 • Font size minimum 12-14pts • b d p q need to not be mirror images • Fonts need distinct letters, with Clear letter spacing Also all caps and underlining reduce readability Recommendations from bdatech.org (Myriad Pro)

IRTUAL LEARNIN

Pros, cons, and some thoughts on the future.

WORDS + DESIGN RACHAEL SMITH

There are pros and cons to every learning environment and communication method, and it’s no different when it comes to doing it virtually. Here are some things to consider as we look to the future after COVID-19 and what we have learned over our stint in the virtual realm.

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hen it comes to virtual learning, students are getting resources that were at one time unavailable or unrealistic. For example guest speakers who would previously have been unable to travel to just to do a thirty minute conversation with students, are now more likely to participate in these appearances because it’s more reasonable to do it via virtual communication. Books and physical resources that have been digitized are also being used more frequently. Before COVID-19 students would only get access to digital resources when taking an Online college class. Being able to study art at the Louvre in Paris isn’t something a broke college student can typically do, so being able to take a virtual tour or study a digitized ancient text from your computer wherever you happen to be physically, is a powerful resource and opportunity.

While there are some things about virtual learning that are great, there are some other perspectives that should be taken into account.

Not everyone lives in a city where Internet access is readily available.

Others simply don’t have the means or the resources to learn away from a traditional classroom setting. There are also learning needs that aren’t being met in the virtual classroom, such as those who require a credentialed special education teacher or other accommodations. Attending Online courses can be difficult for those who need a structured environment such as younger students who have not yet learned how to organize and manage their time. These students will find it difficult to stay focused and on task when attempting to learn in a virtual classroom.

Accessibility, while being a significant downfall when it comes to learning isn’t the only issue.

Technology difficulties are also issues we face when it comes to virtual learning and communication, having a meeting or lecture cut out mid sentence is something we

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chemicals or other lab-related equipment that the average person won’t have on hand. As much as my 90’s-kid heart would love to have a Bill Nye set up at home, it’s just not feasible.

Despite technology having its limitations, virtual learning and communication definitely have merit. We are learning a lot about how to improve the way we currently handle Online learning and communication from this forced experiment. I believe this could be a great option for a lot of people as long as we make it accessible to everyone. There is still a long way to go if we want to continue learning and communicating Online after the necessity has passed, and that goes beyond just the virtual part of it all. Students who rely on school lunches, parents who have to leave home to go to work, and hands-on learning are just a few things that impact the ability to make virtual learning universally accessible.

As much as my 90’s-kid heart would love to have a Bill Nye set up at home, it’s just not feasible.

have all had to struggle with and work around. In some instances technology reaches its limitations.

It is difficult and sometimes impossible to teach certain subjects Online, and hands-on learning is often a necessity for certain areas of study or degrees.

Wheel thrown ceramics, screen printing, drawing live models, are all hard to replicate in the virtual classroom. Science labs often have

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I believe that the future for a more accessible virtual learning and communication method is promising. COVID-19 has been hard for the majority of the population in so many ways, and it has also been a learning experience. If we take all of our hardships and struggle over the past year and use them to better our world for others, the future just might be a little brighter.

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Life Changes An Adult’s Perspective

WORDS + DESIGN + PHOTO MANIPULATION DEB HANSON

At the time, it sounded like a great idea. Start my life over by getting a degree in my 50’s, completely changing the direction of my future in a new and unknown industry. At 54 I decided I wanted the education that I had blown off as a teenager, and I wanted to be a graphic designer.

The last time I went to college, straight out of high school, there were no cell phones, no laptops or tablets. The library was 100% books, and you had to not only know how to use a card file, but also how to use the Dewey Decimal System. We carried textbooks that weighed a gazillion pounds each, made copious notes, and instructors used overhead or opaque projectors. Essays were drafted by hand, then typed on an electric typewriter, if you had one.

If not, you paid someone else to type it for you and prayed their typing skills were better than yours. I lasted one year, barely.

Then life happened, marriage, family, home, jobs, divorce, cats. The time was never right to return to college. One day I woke up and knew the time was now, and that I wanted to be a graphic designer.

I had no idea what graphic designers actually did

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beyond making pretty greeting cards, but I knew my local college has a respected program. Going into this I thought I was independent, strong, committed, and motivated, completely prepared for what college would throw at me.

I was an idiot.

With my typical determination, I jumped through the hoops, having no real idea what I was doing, and started my first term at community college. By the end of the first week, I thought I’d lost my mind. I’m too old for this crap! Talk about culture shock. From the business world to the academic, from experienced co-workers to kids barely old enough to vote.

I’d been working in the business world for over 30 years. I felt like the poo in a punchbowl full of bright, quick, perky fruit slices. I stood out just a bit.

Many students saw me as a middle-aged mother with empty nest syndrome. Others assumed that I was a stay-at-home mom, perhaps a short, fat, June Cleaver; now ready to enter the working world in my “twilight years”. One young student even welcomed me to “the real world” my first term.

Spring 2021 | The Bleed | Volume 12

PHOTO GREY_COAST_MEDIA

Based on physical appearances, these are all valid assumptions. I am a middle-class, middle-aged (ouch), middle-of-the-road, white woman living in middle-America. I had the burning desire to wear

“I thought I’d lost my mind.” a tee announcing, “I ride motorcycles!” to prove I wasn’t the soccer mom they all thought I was. My confidence died on day 3, I buried it in the backyard with the gerbils.

Now, I’m a few short weeks from graduation, and I still think I wasn’t entirely sane when I started this journey. I was terrified, alone, financially insecure, and drifting when I made the decision to get my degree. I’ve had health problems, car problems,

financial problems, tension migraines, intense work stress, and most of my family believe I’ve dropped off the face of the earth. I lost my job due to the pandemic, ran out of support and benefits, and have no idea where life is going to take me. Like everyone else today, I live in a bubble and communicate through a computer screen. But somehow, life has never been better.

Was it worth it? Absolutely. Not just for the degree, although that is pretty damn cool, but for the learning experience brought about by change. Completely changing my career, developing an all-new knowledge base and sphere of friends, has without a doubt been one of the most enriching experiences of my life. What makes it even better is having the maturity and life experience to truly appreciate these changes. Change is scary but change with the life experience of someone in their 50’s is awesome, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

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N OR DO ON N A S R V AN THE DEB H A E H GN RDS DESI

and moving type. Pioneers like Saul and Elaine Bass, Pablo Ferro, and Maurice Binder created a whole new, captivating way to introduce movies and in the process a newline of work, the title designer.

A

long time ago on a drafting table far away, graphic designers used physical hand tools and a drafting table to create layouts. Maylines, Letraset, rulers, French curves, paint, non-photo blue pencils, pens, and many other analog tools, were among some of the necessary supplies kept in the toolbox for a designer. Layouts were designed, photographed, printed, and sent out to clients to sell products. Today, motion graphics are an important and valuable addition to the toolbox to help modern designers spread the advertising word.

As graphic designers, we are always on the hunt for new and better ways to sell a product, a vision, or an idea. Even though animating type has been around for over 100 years, it has only been in the past decade or so that the art media, motion graphics, has come on the scene and exploded. Motion graphic software such as Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere Pro have made the genre easily accessible to anyone with a computer and has given way for this new way to announce those visions and ideas.

Motion Graphics, as we have come to know it, is a somewhat modern term which came into use with the advancement of computer generated images (CGI). Officially, the two words were put together, when John Whitney, a computer scientist, named his company, Motion Graphics, Inc. in the 1960s. It could be argued that motion graphics even predates film if you consider flip books created in the late 1800s. Then the silent films of the 1920s relied solely on type to tell the story, the thirties and forties employed talented calligraphers to hand letter the static title cards, but it was in the 50s that animated type came to life. Arguably, this era was the birth of what has inspired all of us who are fascinated with typography

This group produced title masterpieces such as North

by Northwest, Psycho, Dr. Strangelove, and Dr. No. In the two minutes it takes to run the opening credits, these title designers have begun to tell the story which fully unfolds when the first scene opens. Saul Bass, whose career began as a graphic designer, approached his title design as he would a logo design, functioning it as the centerpiece just as he would in a marketing campaign He would meet and work hand in hand with the director to capture the essence of the film and put the audience in the mood, before a single frame of live action had started.

Just like in any design medium a good foundation in graphic design is a good place to start, to be employed as a title or motion designer. Experience in film or animation, and storyboarding is also good. Knowledge of the fundamentals of typography, color, balance, and on the technical side, sound, editing and pacing are essential for becoming a successful motion graphic artist and is just as essential as knowing the software. With the endless world of digital graphics and typography, a designer is really only limited by one’s own imagination and you don’t have to be a title designer to work in motion graphics.

There isn’t any corner of the advertising world where we don’t see motion graphics. We see them anytime we look at our phones, tune into television, or watch movies.

Motion design is present to convey brand messaging and is incredibly cost-effective.

The future is wide open for this creative, fun, and exciting medium. It is the perfect blend of graphics and motion pictures. For those of us who already see typography dancing around on a page, it is a natural field to get lost in. The work is plentiful, and the compensation is competitive. The job market is already looking for designers who can work in motion; the sooner you add motion graphics to your tool kit the better.

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GRAPHIC DESIGN

& BEER WORDS + DESIGN SCOTT STURGIS PHOTOGRAPHY ALEC TUCKER

Oregon made craft beer. From left: Mckenzie Brewing, Ninkasi Brewing Co., Rogue Brewing, Ninkasi, Deschutes Brewery, Oakshire Brewing, Coldfire Brewing Co.

The alcohol industry overall has been growing rapidly in the US in the last decade, with craft breweries increasing in numbers at an astonishing rate. In 2012 the craft brew industry was estimated to be worth about 10.2 billion dollars; in 2016 it had more than doubled in value.

Approximately 8,000 breweries opened over the last ten years, with the overall number in the US reaching over 9,000 in total by 2021. This growth in craft breweries is not unique to the US; countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Canada, and parts of Scandinavia have experienced a craft boom.

With so much competition in the market, craft brew companies have to find a way to stand out from the rest to catch the attention of the consumer. Labels and packaging are crucial in making that happen. Graphic designers have become increasingly innovative with the massive variety of design work that they are producing on bottles, cans, packaging and merchandise that become the visual identity of these craft brew companies. Using new and advanced materials such as metallic labels, multiple gloss labels, and labels with color changing inks, designers are working with breweries to produce innovative and visually striking labeling and packaging.

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ave you ever stopped at a grocery store to pick up a six-pack only to find yourself completely overwhelmed by the massive selection of craft beers to choose from? It’s easy to feel that way these days with the enormous number of craft breweries that have popped up all over this country, each with its own uniquely designed packaging and labels. How is one to choose? This explosion in the growth of the craft brew industry has created a huge opportunity for graphic designers and artists to create unique branding and package designs for all the different brews and their seasonal varieties.

While craft brew has had a giant surge in popularity, wine, spirits and hard cider have all seen significant growth over the past decade.

Graphic designers are creating fantastic artwork to go on all of these differently shaped bottles, cans, mugs, and kegs. This platform that the alcohol industry provides seems to be ever growing and changing to meet current trends, giving graphic designers and artists a great canvas to display their unique talents. So next time you are in the beer aisle having trouble deciding what to drink, just relax and enjoy the artwork for a moment before you grab and go.

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The Federal Art Project W O R D S + D E S I G N H E AT H E R VA N D O O R N

Funded from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Federal Art Program (FPA), just about 1400 murals were painted in US Post Offices around the country in more than 1300 cities.

In the early 1930s, morale

in the United States was at an all-time low. We were still trying to grapple with massive unemployment—25% of the country’s breadwinners were jobless. Frustrated and fed up with the response of the Hoover administration, Americans were more than ready for change, and in 1932 elected Democrat presidential candidate Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR). Four months after taking office, FDR unrolled his New Deal, a series of policies and programs designed to put the country on a road to relief, reform, and recovery. The New Deal’s primary goal was to get people back to work through low-interest loans to farmers, large-scale construction projects, and most interesting by today’s standards, the Federal Art Project.

Richard Haines Dirt Track, c. 1935-1943 Courtesy of the National Galley of Art, Washington

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By 1943, the Federal Art Project (FAP), headed by Holger Cahill, employed over 10,000 artists to produce posters, photographs, large and small sculptures, murals, paintings, and many other works of art. It employed not only noteworthy creators of the time but artists of all skill levels and backgrounds. This all-encompassing approach to fill creative positions was incredibly successful. By the end of year one, the FAP employed over 5,000 artists, each paid $23.50 a week to create. In 1943, that number more than doubled, resulting in thousands of pieces of art. The majority of these were installed in public buildings, but they also graced the walls and foyers of theaters, museums, and other arts buildings and spaces. The FAP created community art centers across the country in cities large and small to serve as art exhibition spaces, learning centers, and as a way to increase the accessibility of art to

Carl Morris “ Farming and Husbandry” 1943 City of Eugene Post Office photo Jimmy Emerson DVM

all. It brought art to disenfranchised communities such as Harlem or the South Side of Chicago, providing never-before opportunities to African American artists. In 1940, African American painter Jacob Lawrence knocked down racial barriers with his successful body of work “Migration Series” featuring highly stylized human forms and vivid colors.

One of the greatest contributions of the FAP to the American art legacy was the Index of American Design, extensive documentation of folk, decorative, and popular art and design. Artists and researchers traveled across the country to find, photograph, paint, and record crafts and everyday items Americans used throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

They described in detail not only toys, weather vanes, dolls, quilts, and other commonplace items, but also tools of American home builders, farmers, and blacksmiths. When the program ended in 1943, the team had produced a collection of about 18,000 beautiful watercolor renderings of traditional craft objects that are now housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC.

The program gave us an invaluable gift of our arts and craft heritage and a visual record of what the American experience was like for generations to come.

Today, 88 years later, we find ourselves in a similar situation. The infrastructure is in desperate need of attention. Roadways, bridges, transportation hubs, and our basic energy grid have suffered decades of neglect. On the horizon is the Biden

networks, public art increases ridership, reduces vandalism, and encourages safety and security,” said Congresswoman Adams. “As an artist and art professor, I know how public art inspires residents and visitors alike while contributing to a sense of place. However, due to a change in the law, transit systems across the country like the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) are no longer able to use FTA (Federal Transit Authority) funds to integrate art into stations and park and ride lots. The STAR Act would enable transit authorities to incorporate public art as part of their infrastructure investments, creating more vibrant and welcoming mass transit options.”

“Public art is infrastructure.”

Administration’s $2.9 trillion plan to upgrade and bring the US into the 21st century and beyond. But is there federal money earmarked for public art? Unfortunately, there isn’t a straightforward answer. Since the time of the New Deal, state and local governments have been solely responsible for setting aside money for publicly funded art. However, Representative Anita Adams from North Carolina has introduced the Saving Transit Art Resources (STAR) Act. A promising hope for federally-funded public art projects.

“Public art is infrastructure.

When incorporated into transit

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Jacob Lawrence Migration Series #10 ”They Were Poor” photo Ron Cogswell

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A rt Underfoot: Manhole Covers as Urban Art WORDS + DESIGN VICTORIA STEPHENS PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY EUGENE PRINTMAKERS

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The history of the movement began in Japan. Yasutake Kameda, a government employee, is credited with the idea of creating artistic manhole covers as a public relations decision to popularize the modernizing of the country's sewer system in 1985. Japan is the continuing leader in this art form, as they paint the tops of the customized 80 pound cast iron lids with brightly colored resin paint. The grooves and crevices of the designs are filled with care.

Most of the cities in Japan have their own designs with more than 12,000 total unique images. These include famous buildings, cartoon characters, sports, and elements of nature among many other things.

O

In Japan

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ecorative manhole covers are a trending international urban art form.

These cast iron lids function to provide access to underground pipes and utilities for repair and maintenance.

But throughout the world, the art of manhole cover designs has a devoted cult following. Manhole cover enthusiasts, known as 'manholers', photograph, gather, trade memorabilia, sell and purchase swag. Manholers form a special group of tourists that hunt and explore for new designs, which are often logged by GPS coordinates. Books, websites, and films have been dedicated entirely to this art form, and there are even manhole cover festivals, conventions, and seminars.

Artists worldwide document, photograph, ogle, make rubbings and prints of the creative and unique designs found in these mundane elements of daily life.

Each geographic location has its own brand that marks its region. Designs on the top of the covers vary from place to place. Often they convey stories of what is important to the history or culture of people of that city, what they are known for and what they value.

In the US and locally - Many major cities include region-specific designs. For example, Tampa, Florida, has old-time sailing ships and fish; Seattle, Washington, has maps of the city, spiders, flowers and tribal designs, and Detroit, Michigan, has a hand holding the sun. In Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest salmon are a popular sewer lid design, including many places in Eugene.

A Berlin-based group of printmakers known as 'Raubdruckerin’ or ‘Print Pirates’ travel throughout the major cities of Europe making prints of various sewer lids. The manhole cover designs are transferred to clothing, bags and other goods, which sell to an international market.

Among the dozens of cities are Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Berlin, Budapest, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris, Rome, and Vienna.

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Last year, the Eugene Printmakers, a group of local print-based artists, received a grant from the City of Eugene to create art using designs found in public spaces.

The purpose of the project was to encourage the public during the prolonged pandemic quarantine by bringing a part of the city to them. From August through December, artists with Eugene Printmakers engaged in this urban art venture

known as the 'Snippets of Eugene.'

Susan Lowdermilk, an art instructor at Lane Community College and a member of Eugene Printmakers, said they were hired by the City of Eugene after the pandemic had already started, “to be one of the groups of artists to lift up the city from our doldrums.” The grant provided seed money to cover the costs of supplies, such as ink, T-shirts and uniforms for the group.

The printmakers made prints of local manhole covers, grids and other public designs found in many neighborhoods in the area. The prints were transferred to T-shirts and bandanas, which are being sold to raise funds for nonprofit groups, such as area food banks and to support Art City, who hosts their studio space. Spectators often purchased the items on the spot.

“We are thinking about something that's fun and engaging and then something that's like out of the ordinary,” Eugene Printmaker Mika Boyd said. She said she had seen this done in Europe and proposed it to the group. She said during Covid, “everybody's kind of missing the connection, so it would be fun to like print, just out in the street, and then anyone who wants can take a little piece of Eugene.” “It was great that we got our project selected by the city,” she said. “It went really well.

We kept it up, we met every month and then made a lot of prints.”

“It wasn't only manhole covers,” Eugene Printmaker Jennifer Andrews said. “We kept finding textures everywhere, and we did lots of things, especially like the grates around trees, were some of our favorites.”

“We also printed on paper and we just played,” Lowdermilk said. “The street prints on paper are in the windows of what used to be the Titan store in the downtown campus of LCC. For right now that's being used for art projects. The windows there are directly across from the library.”

Some of their finds included beautiful curvy grates at the University of Oregon, a polkadotted cover in front of Sam Bond's Garage in the Whiteaker neighborhood, and a small water cover on the sidewalk at Fifth and Charnelton, as well as the popular Salmon manhole covers.

The process they use involves applying waterbased non-toxic fabric ink to the manholes with a foam roller and then applying paper, a T-shirt or other fabric onto that to make an impression.

They use a spray bottle filled with water and a rag for clean-up. Boyd said that they leave the surfaces cleaner than they find them.

One of their favorite techniques involves applying the design in black ink onto a black T-shirt, then spritzing it with 'unicorn' or 'alligator' tears, made of bleach, to add contrast and sparkle. This fades the treated areas to a pinkish brown and highlights the print against the dark fabric.

Eugene Printmakers take joy in printmaking and share that joy with the community in the form of urban street

performances, which involve education and spectator involvement.

They also do pop-up events and bring printing presses and a wagon full of gear out into the community to demonstrate and give hands-on opportunities to whoever is present.

Besides Snippets of Eugene, past events have included visits to schools, pubs, festivals and other events. They have appeared in the Eugene Celebration Parade and been invited to Fiesta Cultural, Asian Festival, Children's Day at the library and participated in First Friday celebrations as well as many appearances throughout the neighborhoods in Eugene where they are likely to find an audience.

Their 'bag of tricks' has included texture rubbings at the Eugene Airport and Alton Baker Park, valentine card making, bookmarks and postcards with saying and images. As is true to their performance art style, the group dons uniforms of mechanic style overalls with their names embroidered on the front and a large logo of Eugene Printmakers emblazoning the back, along with crazy hats. Lowdermilk said the uniforms really pulled them together as a brand.

Eugene Printmaker's purpose is to celebrate printmaking, paper arts, book arts, letterpress and rubber stamping. They have three presses available for members to use at Art City, located in the Quakenbush Building at Pearl and Broadway. Membership is open to anyone who is interested, and the group consists of a core membership of about a dozen people.

Lowdermilk said, “Our motto is, 'Press for the people.' We try to live that.”

For more information about Eugene Printmakers or to purchase items created during the Snippets of Eugene project, please visit: eugeneprintmakers.org

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Springfield,Oregon

Additional local sewer drain art can be found in Springfield.

Twenty-six colorful murals have been commissioned to bring pollution awareness next to street drains throughout the city, in a project called 'Upstream Art.' More information and a walking tour map can be found at: http://www. springfield-or.gov/city/ development-publicworks/clean-water-andstormwater/ upstream-art 25

Design Studio 2021

Tom Madison

Rachael Smith

Rick Williams

Heather Van Doorn

Deb Hanson

Chelsea Callas

Jonny Bench Seth Pemberton

Jonny Bench

Bassi Chaiwohan

DESIGN HAILEY FISHER

Victoria Stephens Lacey Winter

Victoria Stephens

Scott Sturgis

Jay Waylett

Hailey Fisher

Alec Tucker

Morgan Meyers

Katina Corcoran

Ulad Slabin

Design Studio 2021 Tom Madison studied art and science at Western Oregon University and U of O. His subsequent design career has taken him around the globe, primarily working in the marine science industry.

He began teaching along the way and has been lead faculty for the graphic design program at Lane Community College for the past 12 years.

Throughout my life, creating and designing beautiful things has always been a necessity, like breathing. Mine has not been the straightest path, but here I am, moments away from where I have come to realize, I was always supposed to be; living life as a graphic designer.

Tom Madison

Heather Van Doorn

Rachael Smith is a Graphic Designer living in the Pacific Northwest with her partner of eleven years, their pets and a mass amount of plants.

Rachael grew up in a family of artists and fell in love with all forms of expression at a young age and continues to make creative chaos wherever she goes.

Rachael Smith

Deb Hanson wanted to be a graphic designer.

So she did it.

Deb Hanson

They Them: It took us 6 years but we did it. Stand proud of the work you’ve done to get to this place. It was never too long, just the amount of time we needed. We evolve, beyond the person that we were a minute before. Little by little, we advance with each turn.

My drill will pierce the heavens!

After working professionally for several years in roles that circled graphic design, Chelsea decided to return to school in order to do it full-time, for reals. She has always loved a good creative puzzle and creating pieces that are big, bold, and playful. She loves her chihuahua, Pesto, a good tiki drink, and trashy reality shows.

Rick Williams

Chelsea Callas

I’m sick of following my dreams. I’m just going to ask them where they’re goin’, and hook up with them later.

-Mitch Headberg

Seth Pemberton

You are muted now. Press Shift+Command+A to unmute your mircophone, or press and hold the SPACE key to temporarily unmute

Jonny Bench My name is Suthasini Chaiwohan but you can call me Bassi. I flew all the way from Thailand to study at Lane community college. I found myself loving creating art and design stuff since I was 9 years old. I think being an international student is not cheap. This is why study in the United States is my best option!

Bassi Chaiwohan

DESIGN HAILEY FISHER

You are muted now. Press Shift+Command+A to unmute your mircophone, or press and hold the SPACE key to temporarily unmute

Lacey Winter

You are muted now. Press Shift+Command+A to unmute your mircophone, or press and hold the SPACE key to temporarily unmute

Scott Sturgis

Hailey has a passion to create. In her free time you can find her playing games with her roommates, or painting with a cat nearby.

Hailey Fisher

School, work, homework, design, cars, eat food, drink water.

Repeat process.

Morgan Meyers For an extended period of time, I fulfilled the work of graphic designers or someone related to this sphere. I just did not know that. One day I decided to remove this inconsistency from my life and to take a formal course of graphic design.

This is how I found myself at Lane Community College, in the Graphic Design program.

Ulad Slabin

Victoria Stephens is one of the copy editors, writers, and designers for the 2021 issue of The Bleed magazine. She is finishing her second year in the graphic design program, while working on a web design certificate. She is actively involved in exploring media communications and is a part of a cohort of international filmmaking students.

Victoria Stephens Jay would like to thank his fiancée Caitlin, his family, his friends and his cats for their steadfast support. To his professors and classmates - it has been an honor to work with such talented, dedicated and hilarious people.

He can’t thank you enough.

Jay Waylett

Landscape photographer/Designer

Alec Tucker Katina Corcoran is a career-shifting mom and outdoor enthusiast. She couldn’t be happier making the choice to pursue graphic design 10 years after graduating from the University of Oregon, and subsequently working for the state for 6 years.

She believes in pursuing things that are fulfilling, and design hits the mark for her. Cheers.

Katina Corcoran

GRAPHIC DESIGN WORDS + DESIGN: CHELSEA CALLAS

2020 may have been stormy (to say the least) in almost every respect, but despite all of the heartache and uncertainty, designers and artists continue to explore new ideas, remain playful in their approach, and establish new aesthetic trends to push design forward. Here are the top graphic design trends we’ve seen emerge and/or continue into 2021.

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Illu st r

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tion

by: Horacio CG,

THROWBACK TYPOGRAPHY Retro typography is having a moment in 2021.

Typographic styles from various decades are being used by designers and artists to add some vintage flavor to their designs. Most prominent seem to be groovy / psychedelic typefaces reminiscent of the 70s.

Typeface and image by TanType

ORGANIC THEMES Plants, leaves, flowers, oh my! The trend of incorporating nature themes into graphic design has become more and more prominent. This was especially true over the past year as people were stuck inside and looking to bring nature closer to home.

Illustration by Rokas Aleliunas

Spring 2021 | The Bleed | Volume 12

jd ax .de )

We’re starting to see artists and designers create 3D illustrations made possible by increasingly sophisticated software and design tools. These illustrations typically resemble clay models and feature playful elements such as geometric shapes, bright color palettes, and simple, friendly characters. g

1 2 3

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TRENDS OF

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FLAT LOGOS Over the past several years, as devices have gotten smaller and brands face increased competition for viewers’ attention, it only makes sense that logos have become flatter. This trend continues in 2021, however, it seems as though some brands are realizing that flat design can look a little…..well, flat. To inject personality into the tried and true flat logo format, some brands are going for a retro feel.

Brands such as Burger King keep their logos flat for visibility and easy recognition, but imbue some character by going with a retro aesthetic.

MONOCHROMATIC COLOR Designers are choosing a color and sticking to it. Monochromatic color themes are one of my personal favorite design trends of 2021. Artists have been limiting designs to a single hue, but maintaining a rich sense of depth, texture, and variety in their works.

Illu

If there’s one hallmark of this pandemic, it’s contradictions. The year has brought physical and emotional isolation as each of us navigates our own unique set of circumstances alone. At the same time, it’s encouraged unity and community as we navigate murky waters for the first time alone, yet together. It’s made our lives easier (no one likes a commute) and more difficult.

It’s caused us to grow in profound ways, and also to regress to old and familiar comforts. In the design world, artists have been embracing contradictions as well.

stra

tion by Andrew M

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Illu im stra tion by Olga Hash

We’re seeing experimentation with futuristic 3D graphics at the same time we’re seeing completely flat, retro-inspired illustrations. Designers are bringing the outside in with organic themes, while also using perfectly precise geometric shapes to compose illustrations. Embracing contradictions and remaining playful amidst pain has made for a rich diversity of trends in the design world. We’re excited to see how design is catapulted forward even more in the next year.

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black tradition is alive WORDS + DESIGN ULAD SLABIN

T

oday we tend to take the simplicity of everyday symbols and signs for granted. However, to achieve this simplicity, mankind underwent a many-millennia cultural evolution. Many years ago, letters of the Latin alphabet were written and printed in a way that nowadays would be considered strange, although interesting, too.

Simple Latin letters were carved on Trajan’s Column in Rome in AD 113, but for easy handwriting people used rustic capitals. The latter evolved into Uncials, and then into Half-Uncials and Visigothic.

Depending on specific geographic area in Europe, Half-Uncials over

36

centuries transformed into Insular, Beneventan, and Luxeuil. Carolingian Renaissance (8-9th centuries) gave rise to Carolingian minuscule as a calligraphic standard for scriptoria in West Europe. Blackletter in its early Protogothic version was developed on the basis of Carolingian minuscule c.1150.

When Johannes Gensfleisch von Gutenberg invented the movable type printing press in 1439 - a revolutionary event! - he used Blacklet-

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ter. From 1455, when this German genius printed the Bible, one could find about Blackletter not only as a script but also a typeface.

Blackletter has four styles, developed in 11-18th centuries. Textura was popular in Germany, France, Netherlands, and England. It was the very typeface that Gutenberg used. Less angular Rotunda is an Italian version of Blackletter.

Bastarda is a hybrid of Blackletter styles, developed in France. Fraktur, the most popular style in Germany, was also in use for centuries in Denmark, Estonia, Latvia. Bauhaus designers in the 1920s considered Blackletter antiquated. As the typeface fell out of favor, new typography replaced it with sans serif.

letter Cottage Grove Sentinel (Cottage Grove), etc.) have their titles displayed in Blackletter.

One can see Blackletter on beer and candy labels, in logos of heavy metal bands, ads of gangsta rappers, and of course in the logo of famous Disneyland!

N

owadays, usage of Blackletter is limited, yet it retains popularity among amateurs of history and tradition. For instance, it is appreciated and practiced, along with other beautiful handwriting styles, in Valley Calligraphy Guild in Eugene. They regularly host workshops for those interested in lettering and calligraphy. There are many handwriting and calligraphy groups on Facebook, where people generously share their exercises, as well as videos in Youtube that teach writing in Blackletter.

Image by LuisFe CM @PipesCalligraphy

Although not common in modern cities, Blackletter can still be found, even in Eugene and Oregon. As a tribute to tradition and to emphasize their history, many newspapers in Oregon (The Oregonian (Portland), The Register-Guard (Eugene), Baker City Herald (Baker City), The News-Review (Roseburg), Albany Democrat-Herald (Albany),

Spring 2021 | The Bleed | Volume 12

Typographers like Blackletter for its elegance due to high contrast, difference between thick and thin strokes - it is comparable to modern typefaces. Various Blackletter typefaces are available, including for free download, at many font websites: Ancient, Angel Rhapsody, Canterbury, Lucida Blackletter, Old London, Proclamate Heavy, Seagram, and many others.

Although Blackletter had periods of bloom and decay, it did not disappear and still has a lot of followers. Together with serifs and sans serifs, displays and stencils, Blackletter contributes to the typographical diversity of the world.

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LOVE WORDS + DESIGN + PHOTOGRAPHY LACEY WINTER

W

ayde Love is a painter and artist in the Eugene area. You can usually see him riding around town for one of his LED Bike Brigades or chilling in the Whiteaker neighborhood.

I first laid eyes on him at a three-day wedding festival here in Eugene, Oregon. He had a beautiful set up with canvases and tapestries, lights illuminating all of his artwork in the night. Everything around him, including his clothing, was so colorful I was enamored immediately. He was doing a live painting, something I had never really experienced before.

There was just something really special about him and his vibe. I recently sat down with Wayde for an interview.

Q:Where are you originally from?

A: Well, I’ve always thought of that question as a loaded one.

It’s a little bit complicated but I’ll try to sum it up. I was born in El Paso, Colorado, at 5:55am on Valentine’s Day of 1976.

My mother and father both were in the military, so you know how that goes. So I lived there for a few years, also in Germany and in Belgium. Oklahoma and North Carolina is where I say I mostly grew up because I went to high school there. But then I moved to Wichita, Kansas, for a couple years, and then came here to Oregon in the mid 90s. I’ve mostly lived here for 20 something years, although I did spend some time in San Diego, Atlanta, and Maui.

Q:What work do you most enjoy doing?

A: I definitely would have to say, large pieces on canvas focused on geometrical shapes, bright colors, and good energy.

I’ve been very much into murals recently, and, honestly, anything I can get my paint brush on from bicycles, motorcycles, buses, and cars - I just wanna splash color on everything!

Q:What wouldn’t you do without?

A:MUSIC!

Q:What’s your dream project?

A: Doing a large mural. I’m doing my first big mural behind Prince Pücklers in the near future!

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Q:Do you think art should be funded?

A: Hell yess.... Wait, funded or funny? I love when arts are funny too, that’s more in my doodle world. I have an art desk at my home, and when I get some kind of splashof paint that looks like something, I’ll turn it into random things. It looks like, for instance... It’s, honestly, a little weird, but I created this weird monster/Martians or something, and they’re having quite the orgy, I’m not really the orgy type, but it’s comical to me.

Q:How has your practice changed over time?

A: Well, anything and everything, it just evolved when I was young . It started as a process. I was really big into country crafts as a kid, I was amazed that I could paint a duck on a piece of wood and write “Welcome” on it, and people would buy it. It was probably due to a Bob Ross influence, and I went to quite a bit of art shows at my school. And I had a great art teacher who really inspired me and pushed me.

Pretty soon I got into psychedelics, and other fun stuff started. Really, being inspired by Salvador Dali, Peter Max, MC Asher, etc. and after growing older, I started going to more art shows and really fell in love with the idea of creating my own unique style. I wanted my art to move and really carry a vibe. I then started getting into color theory and I just realized how much it really affects myself and anyone that experiences it. I never really was a big fan of Andy Warhol, well, his actual art, but I love that he was such a weirdo, and I think that’s what made him famous. And I think, subconsciously I wanted to be a bit mysterious and weird, and over the years it just developed. I wanted to be an artist where if you saw my bike, my car, my home, anything that was mine, you would know it was me. If that, often I don’t even sign my art these days, especially if I’m showing local people, they just know who did it.

I wouldn’t say my art is amazing but I think it’s aesthetically pleasing and beautiful and uplifting to look at, and I believe my art is so much more than anything I’ve ever put on canvas or a wall. Life is art and everything I do I want to do it with some kind of creativity and pizzazz. From getting dressed, to your mode of transportation, by the way you walk in and hold yourself, or the way you keep a home, work etc. Everything In life can be approached artistically, even conversation.

Q:What’s your best piece of advice?

A: Well, honestly, the first thing that always comes to my mind, it’s just to be kind and treat people like you want to be treated. Work hard, play hard, and have too much fun, but know when to be serious, careful, and cautious. Usually, when I get asked this, I feel like I normally say, look both ways twice, watch your step, and be mindful of your words and actions. Basically, just be awesome, it’s not that hard!

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Designer of Color WORDS+DESIGN RICK WILLIAMS

When building my online portfolio, I had to make a decision: whether or not to add a picture of myself in my “about” section. Making it clear that I am visibly Black, or allowing my white-sounding name to be the first perception someone has of me. This isn’t something white designers have to consider.

Our clients feel more confident seeking out white people to design what they need instead of people of color. There is a perception that people of color can neither design nor create a product intended for a white audience. That we can only design for the race or ethnicity we are a part of.

Then if we do design directly for our communities, white people will be neither interested nor represented in that content. Moreover, because of this, the content will not be profitable enough.

This isn’t just in graphic design, bias is felt in marketing and advertising, filmmaking, entertainment, and so much more. When Black Panther, the Marvel

movie, received critical acclaim, it was the first movie to prove that something made for Black African People can entertain the world and be profitable.

Black designers have to deal with the fact that when we hide ourselves, our Black sounding names, and any reference to Blackness, we get more clients and higher paying jobs. All because we’re perceived as white, as smarter and better.

Over the years I’ve made the decision to allow myself to be recognized as a Black person on my portfolio. It was a personal decision that came from the fact I want to design for my communities. It won’t take away from the fact that people may subconsciously think of me as “less than”, but I feel more empowered by embracing my community and my authentic self. It also comes with the fact that I’m non-binary and I already have to fight to be acknowledged for who I am; that I am worthy of the same respect as others.

Spring 2021 | The Bleed | Volume 12

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SECOND LIFE of Oregon Academia 42

Spring 2021 | The Bleed | Volume 12

WORDS + DESIGN ULAD SLABIN

S

econd Life (secondlife.com, SL) is an innovative 3D virtual immersive environment with amazing opportunities and a great future. Sometimes loosely referred to as a game, it is actually more.

In SL, we can of course follow somebody’s game scenario: levelup, complete missions, or earn new armor. However, we can develop all the scenery way beyond, ourselves, how we want. This is a 3D social network, a world we live our second life and call each other residents, not players.

“What relationship to and use for graphic design does SL have?,” you may ask. In the virtual, you can practice 3D-modeling, lighting and photography, composition and color harmony, scripting and texturing, advertising, and even negotiate with clients. Let’s listen to Oregon academic Secondlifers.

Dr. Jonathon Richer, Salish Kootenai College (MT) On a small grant from the NorthWest Computing Council, in collaboration with SLOOG, a Spanish company, Eloise Pasteur, an SL coder and designer, and California State University’s merlot.org, we created a tool for tagging and categorizing educational locations in SL. This tool, once “worn”, allowed people to tag new places anywhere in SL and, through a series of descriptors, to classify them by educational use in the MERLOT database.

Working with Richter at University of Oregon Center for Advanced Technology in Education (UO CATE) at that time, I used his tool to discover 20+ educational locations in SL. Besides locations with “incidental” educational

Lane Community College in SL Inworld photo by Ulad Slabin

value, there are virtual campuses for many universities and colleges deployed there. They are educational by definition.

In 2009-12, UO CATE had a collaborative NSF grant with Lane Community College (LCC) - Simulation and Game Development Initiative (SGDI) with the goal to stimulate enrollment in computer science classes. Within the project, I replicated building #1 of LCC and developed two islands. The study involved 985 students - 829 from colleges and 156 from high schools.

All students were required to create an online identity to engage in the 3D virtual environment throughout the entire term. The project was a success, and the students enjoyed the environment.

Dr. Jon Louis Dorbolo, Oregon State University At OSU, we manage Beaver Island built in 2011 in SL by lead designer Kimmy Hescock. It was a gathering space for students of InterQuest, an online philosophy course that I created and taught. Learners used avatar modification to explore identity and the personal phenomena of “immersive reality” to address epistemological issues.

Béatrice Moissinac, a machine learning researcher, used Beaver Island as a model for a grant project from the USDA to develop immersive strategies for influencing health behaviors - the WAVE~Ripples for Change Childhood Obesity Prevention.

The island attracts OSU faculty and students interested in immersive environments. A notable instance is a 3D tutorial for Veterinary Medicine students learning to diagnose and treat damage to a dog’s larynx. Professor

Sarah Nemanic established significantly higher course outcomes for students using the 3D tutorial.

Oregon State University in SL Inworld photo by Kimmy Hescock

The University of Oregon had three buildings in SL: Hedco (College of Education), Rainier (UO CATE), and Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. Working at CATE projects managed by Lynne Anderson-Inman and related to art education, science education, and virtual reality (ESTRELLAS, STILTS, STELLAR), I replicated the second and the third buildings and developed the island of CATE. Oregon teachers met there for professional activities. Development of virtual venue spaces and presentation functionalities is an interesting field of instructional design, and SL offers rich affordances for this.

Beaver Island is one of my favorite places in Second Life. There is something enjoyable in visiting virtual places that you currently cannot travel to in the real world, say, because of COVID-19 limitations. Some residents design their real-life locations to be fanciful but OSU was built close to its authentic look. Strictly speaking, the campus was not replicated exactly but its most remarkable halls make OSU recognizable with characteristic Beaver’s spirit.

Sylvia Ashbourne, Math Instructor, Pacific State University The PSU Math Project was located in SL as a part of the NW 21st Avenue Project, a non-profit venture started by Ty Magpie and dedicated to showing the world a slice of real-life Portland and also bringing Portland artists, musicians, and small businesses together through the SL virtual reality platform.

Then we moved PSU to the Portland Connection, where we had replicas reminiscent of the downtown area, including Pioneer Square, Oregon Coast, Portland Zoo, Japanese and Rose Gardens. I felt, after visiting other University buildings, that it was important to include the community around the University scene, not just have the University alone.

Portland State University in SL Inworld photo by Dusty Karsin

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Teacher session at University of Oregon in SL Inworld photo by Ulad Slabin

Show must go on! Some countries opened their embassies in SL; some universities offered their classes in SL; some singers arranged their concerts in SL; police had their operative training in SL; artists and museums exhibited their artwork in SL; finally, some people found their spouses in SL. One day Second Life will become a part of our real everyday life, and virtual reality designers are up to it!

Spring 2021 | The Bleed | Volume 12

O

Out Of Step Books

&

y r e l l Ga

prints

an interview with co-owner Dr. Jinxi Caddel

ou it y bm

also

su

SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Out of step books (OOSB) has been serving the community for over a decade, raising curiosities and adapting to different artistic mediums. Originally started as a bookstore it quickly became a space for fine art exhibits, lowbrow art publications, tattoos, beer drinking and community drawing. Next time your in Eugene OR, and need some rad inspiration in your life then go put your peepers inside the OOSB & Gallery.

r

WORDS + DESIGN + PHOTOGRAPHY SETH PEMBERTON

art

at

45 oosbooks.com

The gallery is beautiful. You

have done an amazing job finding unique artists and producing group publications. How do you find contributors for the publications?

Thank you for the very kind words and support of the gallery and publications. It means so much to us and we truly appreciate you visiting us here and checking out the art and our books! So, when we first started creating the books we decided that we wanted the process to be inclusive and to allow artists from all around the world and of many different calibers to participate. Submitting art does not guarantee that you will be chosen to be in a book, but it does allow everyone to have a chance and a voice. We find that the collaborative process and being a part of a bigger project that includes such a wide array of artists can be very inspiring and motivating for everyone who takes part. With this idea in mind, we decided to offer open submissions for most of our book projects. In order to do this, we settle on the theme/focus of the book (for instance, skulls or insects) and then we have an open submission period which allows artists enough time to create their work, photograph it, and then submit it to us. For many of our large-scale coffee table-style books we received over 4,000 submissions to the projects. Once the deadline has passed we then organize every single submission and go through them one by one, choosing the work that will be in the book. It’s a long and tedious process, but it allows us to find the gems of the art world – from a wide array of mediums, as our collaborative books feature chapters on tattoos, paintings, drawings, sculptures, photography, mixed media, graffiti, and more. We have also done a few invite-only books, where we hand-pick artists and invite them to take part, however, most of our publications feature the “open submission” format.

You have had quite an arcing career. Currently

your title is Dr. Jinxi Caddel mental health therapist and co-founder of OOSB & Gallery. After all of this, what is next on your to do list?

Well, that’s true, I have had an interesting and exciting journey so far. Many decades ago, I started out as a writer and worked for many tattoo magazines in the tattoo industry. This grew into jobs working at publishing companies, where I learned the ropes as an editor and also how to create books from start to

46

finish. After working for other publishers, my husband, Steve, and I started Out of Step Books in 2010. We did so with the vision of having an inclusive company that gave artists of many different genres a chance to be recognized. In addition to my love for art and books, I have also been an advocate for mental health for many years. I received my bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1993 and started grad school way back then while Steve was in law school. But then we became the proud parents of three amazing kids (a daughter, Brynn, and twin sons, Aidan and Shea) and I decided to put graduate school on the backburner. Then once our kids were in high school and approaching college age, I decided that it was time to go back to school to finish what I had started so many years before. I earned my master’s degree in sports psychology and my doctorate degree in clinical psychology. I have worked in many different positions in the mental health field and am currently a mental health therapist at a high school and middle school on the Oregon coast. I also do speaking engagements and have a curriculum that is tailored towards artists in helping them with mental health wellness tips.

I’m not sure what is next, but I usually try to balance my creative side with my mental health work, so I’m guessing that a new project that involves both of these passions will be coming soon. I get the summers off with my school-based therapist job, so I will have to start figuring out what is next on the horizon.

Are there any particular artists, albums or particular art pieces that inspire you?

Well, there is definitely a musical artist who inspired the name for our company – Out of Step – and that is the hardcore punk band Minor Threat and their incredible album “Out of Step.” It was a life changing album for both me and Steve. Our company’s name is an ode to the importance that it brought to our lives. We are also huge fans of the band Propagandhi and so much of what they create and sing about resonates deeply with both of us. In terms of art, we are both huge fans of dark art, underground, and lowbrow artists (as you can probably tell by the art that we post, print, and curate). Mark Riddick is one of my favorite illustrators and we have been lucky enough to have him in several of our publications.

Some of my favorite tattoo artists are Jeff Gogue, Teresa Sharpe, Kelly Violet, and HoodeTattoos. I also really love the painting style of Dave Koenig, Jackee Sandeland-Strom, and the late Jed Leiknes. Oh, and

an all-time favorite of mine is Mary Blair, an iconic conceptual artist for Disney who did a great deal of inspiring work from the 1940s-1960s.

Had you planned this career path or did one career lend itself to the

next big step?

Oh gosh, I could never have planned the path that I ended up taking. I did always feel as though I wanted to be in the “helping” profession, so earning my doctoral degree helped me to accomplish that, but I also am simply not content without the creative side in my life, so I suppose that the blending of these worlds has really allowed me to live the dream. Steve graduated from law school back in the 1990s and during that time I was working as a proofreader for a court reporting agency, so I would say that our early path was more legal-focused, but we definitely drifted far from those early explorations and crafted a life that suited our passions and interests in a much more authentic way.

Have you always been a tattoo shop? Is this what you envisioned when you started in 2010?

So, everything started with Out of Step Books, which is our publishing company that we started in 2010.

This grew out of decades of previously working in the tattoo and art worlds, where I met thousands of artists and interviewed tons and tons of artists throughout the years. This background made that transition to creating art and tattoo books so much easier. We grew Out of Step Books and then saw a time when we wanted to expand on what we had started by opening an art gallery that offered a glimpse into what we printed on pages – and translate that in a different way - up on actual walls that people could visit. From the gallery, the growth into the tattoo side of things came and it was a natural transition once again for us, since we had worked so intimately in the tattoo world for so many years. The tattoo craft is family to us and has been for almost three decades, so opening OOS Tattoo was the next step in our journey to bring creativity and inspiration to those around us. We are so fortunate to have an amazing crew of tattoo artists here that exemplify the love for art and ink that we have.

We are very grateful that our progression through these different stages have led us to this point.

Spring 2021 | The Bleed | Volume 12

47

sniped

The Bleed: So, how did this all start for you? How did you get to where you are in your career?

Sniped6 : I think I was about fourteen years old. I used to ride skateboards and bikes with my friends, I still do actually. Anyways, I used to have one of those really cheap flip phones, and I would just film or shoot my friends while we did tricks and things like that. A few years went by and at one point I wanted more control over my shots and videos. My mom ended up giving me

PHOTOGRAPHY AIDAN “SNiPED6” JAMES WORDS+DESIGN: MORGAN C. MEYERS

Sniped6, also known as Aidan C. James, is a freelance photographer and videographer, based in Eugene, Oregon. He provides a wide range of photography and video for local artists. I personally got to have one-onone interview with him, about being in the film industry and photography field. To start off the conversation, I asked how he got to where he is now as a young and rising artist.

4

an old DSLR camera and I went wild with it. Fast forward to 2021 and I have my own personal company doing freelance photography and videography for local artists in town and Protland.

The Bleed : So , if you had to choose one, videography or photography, which medium do you feel the most comfortable with, or prefer over the other?

Sniped6 : Wow, you guys really like to ask the hard questions don’t you? That’s a tough question to answer. Although photography would have to be my choice of poison. Photography gives you more time to set up things, stay in that moment you know? With videography, which is mainly the work I do and get

Sniped6

anything from other artists out there posting videos on

how to better use the program you use or are learning.

No one is going to get mad at you for knowing how to use a program better than the person next to you hired for, it takes a good amount more time and focus.

File sizes really come into play here and owning a very strong and fast computer can mean a lot when producing pieces or videos. The amount of technical

because you stayed up late and found a Youtube video that showed you a work-around. I feel that if you have

the drive and WANT to be in this field, there is nothing that will be able to hold you back.

work can also be very overbearing, you can lose the creative driving force easily transitioning from one to

The Bleed : Do you see yourself doing freelance for the

the other. I love both mediums, but photography gives

rest of your career or do you see yourself working for a

you more freedom in the end I feel, as opposed to

company at one point in the future?

videography right now.

Sniped6 : To be honest, neither actually. I’d really like The Bleed : How do you feel about those trying to get

to have my own small business/studio in town, use that

into the field. Do you feel a school degree is the only

as a home base, build a clientele in Eugene and the

way to enter the field?

surrounding areas along with Portland, and then travel the world for shoots.

Sniped6 : Again, very tough question to answer and there is no right or wrong answer here to me. I

The Bleed: Ok, last question. Do you have any advice

personally do not have a degree, I am self-taught and

for those who would like to enter the photography or

learned a lot from Youtube videos, it may sound cliche,

videography fields?

but very true. Although we need to be resilient artists these days, we need to look at every available option

Sniped6 : Make as many connections as you can. It’s

to help us in the field. That means using school options

very community based, I feel here in Eugene. Don’t

and every other option at the same time, including

be afraid to make shitty content either, it’s part of the

youtube, or whatever you can find to help you. Just

learning process. CREATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, I

because you’re in school does not mean you can’t learn

cannot stress that enough, also have fun!

Spring 2021 | The Bleed | Volume 12

5

B We Design Lies It’s not your fault, it’s the industries.

WORDS+DESIGN RICK WILLIAMS

Have you ever given much thought to the recycling symbol at the bottom of your water bottle?

Graphic designers put that label on packaging. We have to due to federal law. People think of this symbol as the label of whether or not something is truly recyclable.

When it only means what chemicals were used to create that plastic. Number 7 plastic is everything but the kitchen sink. It gets rejected by recyclers because they don’t know what’s in it.

Just as we inform our clients that a design decision would be detrimental to their brand, there is a responsibility to be aware of the impacts the packaging we make and print has on the environment, and to teach our clients accordingly. This means informing them that their product might not be recyclable. With local products, you can just talk with your recycler to be able to guide your clients to choose a truly recyclable product. This is harder nationally.

With varied international laws around recycling, it’s impossible to design something recyclable for an international audience.

Decisions as small as what the coating is on coated stock can change whether it is recyclable.

Even the shape, size, and color of the material affects its ability to be recycled. Being forced to put the recycling label on packaging only adds to the confusion.

But we can’t stop, otherwise we’ll be breaking the law.

So when in doubt, throw it out.

• Are they required to put the

recycling symbol on takeout containers in their area? Food containers are garbage and will be thrown away no matter what.

• Make the recycling symbol

number no smaller than 10pt.

• Make the products larger

than 3”x3”x5”. Small products and packages aren’t big enough for some recycling plant sorting machines.

• Avoid unique shapes for the

Here are some product/ packaging design decisions and best practices you can discuss with your client:

product/package. Instead, opt for basic shapes like squares, circles, and rectangles. (So they can fit in the sorting machines.)

• Print the label on the pack-

with bold colors. Items will be thrown away if the recycler can’t see a compost label at a glance.

aging itself, instead of on stickers. (They have to be removed in order to be recycled.)

• Do they need the item or pack-

age to be a composite of foil paper and plastic? Single substance materials are easier to recycle.

• Use clear plastic wherever possible, colored plastic is harder to recycle.

• Make the compost label big

• If your client wants coated

stock push for clay coated paper first. With the exception of food items going in the refrigerator, you must use unrecyclable plastic-coated paper. Any other paper will warp and bubble, becoming ugly from the moisture.

• Use #1 and #2 plastics, they are preferred to any other.

Just because it has a recycling symbol doesn’t mean it’s recyclable.

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Spring 2021 | The Bleed | Volume 12

CHELSEA CALLAS + DEB HANSON EDITORS-IN-CHIEF HAILEY FISHER + HEATHER VAN DOORN ART DIRECTORS ULAD SLABIN + VICTORIA STEPHENS + JAY WAYLETT COPY EDITORS MORGAN MEYERS + RICK WILLAMS PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHY ALEC TUCKER + SETH PEMBERTON DESIGN CHELSEA CALLAS + KATINA CORCORAN + HAILEY FISHER + DEB HANSON + MORGAN MEYERS + SETH PEMBERTON + ULAD SLABIN + RACHAEL SMITH + VICTORIA STEPHENS + SCOTT STURGIS + ALEC TUCKER + HEATHER VAN DOORN + JAY WAYLETT + RICK WILLAMS + LACEY WINTER WRITER JONNY BENCH + CHELSEA CALLAS + KATINA CORCORAN + DEB HANSON + MORGAN MEYERS + SETH PEMBERTON + ULAD SLABIN + RACHAEL SMITH + VICTORIA STEPHENS + SCOTT STURGIS + HEATHER VAN DOORN + JAY WAYLETT + RICK WILLAMS + LACEY WINTER

Colophon

Brought to you

QSL ad

The Bleed is printed on #80 Lynx uncoated cover and #70 Lynx uncoated pages.

The body copy fonts are Calluna and Proxima Nova.

Calluna is a serif typeface designed

by Dutch designer Jos Buivenga and released in 2009 through the exljbris Font Foundry.

Proxima Nova is a geometricgrotesque sans-serif design, created by American typeface designer Mark Simonson in 2005 Printed in Eugene, Oregon, May 2021 by QSL Print Communications

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