FLIESSEN VOL. I ISSUE II.
Contents Page Student Work 03 15 19 23
Professional Artist Work 06 14 20
RBG 9-11
Comic 12
Designers Impact on Political Campaigns 16
Mail-in Ballot Mistakes 18
How to Target Young Voters 22 Photograph by Paloma Delgado Collage on cover, back and page 3 by Gabby Napolitano
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
Political Digital Illustration
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Digital illustrations by Claire Stone
Claire Stone Graphic Design ‘21 clairelstone.com I consider myself politically involved... engaged, but I never thought about how to incorporate that into my art. It’s a scary thing to make something new and open it up for judgement from others, but when it comes to the current political climate, it was necessary. Through these two posters, both in support of Joe Biden, I wanted to engage the viewer. Pull them in. When it feels like everything we look at these days is politicized, I wanted to take a more playful stance on the candidates still involving that political message needed and exploring a new way to portray it. My only hope was to give people another method of sharing their values, their beliefs, and a poster of the only candidate that we all should be voting for.
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Stephani Stilwell Illustrator Insta: @stephstilwell
This year’s election has felt absolutely critical and more high-stakes than any election I’ve participated in before. I’ve always been sort of middle-of-the-road when it comes to political action; I worked on some local campaigns as a high schooler, I’ve voted in every election since I was 18, and I’ve gotten into my fair share of political arguments with conservative family members. But, I had gotten comfortable when it came to politics, and it wasn’t until this administration that I realized just how flawed the system is and felt the need to step up, use my voice, and get more involved. I started with writing postcards to potential voters in Florida and Texas, supplying local businesses with VOTE posters, and working with friends and family members to ensure they are registered and have a safe plan (and back up plan) for voting this year. And while I felt that these were important, helpful tasks, I was still always looking for more ways to get voters motivated.
Then, in September @nycvotes and LinkNYC announced a call for art for their Visualize the Vote 2020 campaign and it felt like the perfect opportunity to contribute my art for the cause. So, I gathered a handful of beloved New York icons (everything from the Statue of Liberty to Pizza Rat), something every New Yorker could recognize, and paired each one with a different message to encourage voting. The best part of this project is that I’ve had New Yorkers reach out to me via social media, sharing their eagerness to vote, which has been incredibly encouraging and inspiring, especially during such unprecedented times. My hope is that this initiative motivates even just a handful of potential voters to get out there and make their voices heard — but it’s also worth reminding ourselves that even once the election is decided, no matter the outcome, there is still so much work to be done. Illustration by Stephani Stilwell
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Soffia Obando Graphic Design ‘23 Insta: @soffi_54
Check Yourself and Do What’s Right
Our worldviews are shaped by the people around us, the people we keep close to ourselves. And for the sake of fitting in, it’s a good thing that we think like the people we hang out with... we feel accepted. But, as comfortable as it is to fit in and share opinions with others, it is important to question our worldview outside of that circle. You must question how you have an impact on others whose views differ from yours and maybe even accept that what you believe might directly affect them. For this upcoming election you should keep in mind that you aren’t just voting for yourself and your group of friends, you are voting for all the people who live in the United States, citizens or not. Unfortunately, I cannot make you change your opinion just because I ask you to, so I want to invite you to reflect and question yourself and your views. These past few months have seen the younger generations engaging in political conversation and, surprisingly, there are still people being raised to believe basic human rights are up for debate. If you are one of those, here’s a few things you might want to re-check: your privilege, your biases, and your stats. Topics like abortion, police brutality, immigration, and public education affect people differently, if it even affects them at all, and that’s where privilege comes in. Privilege comes in all shapes and sizes and everyone’s experiences with it is different. For example, a BIPOC man may be privileged within his community, but that privilege goes out the window once he is in a predominantly white environment. It is important that you pay attention to the dynamic that plays out when you are in a certain situation and question how things would go differently if you were a person of less or more privilege... What if your skin was a different color? What if you were the opposite sex? What if your legal status was different? What if your school district had received more funding, or less? Understanding how your life might have been different if you were someone else is the first step to this journey of enlightenment, so let me take you to the second step.
For this part remember that your opinions and beliefs were shaped by the people around you and that you are not obligated to keep them. Biases are opinions you have accepted as truths, these are embedded in your subconscious and influence the way you think. There’s a theory about thinking fast and slow that was made to get rid of your biases and it works like so: you have to pay attention to what your mind says when you’re thinking fast, then analyze what it said and take responsibility for your thoughts until they no longer pop into your head without your permission... in other words, you start thinking slowly. This can be an embarrassing process because once you start catching these thoughts, you will begin to wonder why you think like you do and hopefully realize that having a bias against a group of people is wrong. But fear not, because there’s only a bright future ahead. Now that you can see your biases at work, let’s get to the other big influencer of opinions, information. This one is closely related to your biases because once you have a belief set in place you will most likely find research or news articles that take your side of the story. So, beware of your biases when looking for research and ask yourself this: Am I looking for information or confirmation? You must also make sure that your information comes from a reliable source, an opinion article will never substitute a research study. You are constantly taking in information and your privilege and biases are always active, so make sure once you start the process of reframing your thought-process, you never stop. By checking these three things you can become more conscious of the people around you, their experiences, and how they relate or differ from yours. You will become more empathetic; you will care more about others. While you begin noticing things and questioning these frameworks that you live by, don’t forget that the time to take action is now and make a decision that your higher self will not regret later. There are a lot of things at stake right now that will affect everyone if we don’t collectively make the right decision. This pandemic has brought the economy to a halt for the common people, yet the rich are getting richer. The virus is claiming more lives than it should because of Trump’s administration’s incompetence. The 2020 elections are not about views or opinions, nor taking sides, this year’s elections are about what’s best for the people. And before you say you are entitled to your views, remember that no one should have to pay for your autonomy with their life. Illustrations by Jack Pecau
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Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Legacy
Amanda Bohn Graphic Design ’23 Insta: @ambohnn Ruth Bader Ginsburg made a great impact on the United States and is well known for her extensive contributions to gender equality. The devastation of her passing on September 18th of this year was felt all across America and led many to reminisce about the many opportunities and rights she fought for women. One of Justice Ginsburg’s most significant cases was United States v. Virginia. In 1996, after Virginia Military Institute claimed that their training was too extensive and women were not fit enough to participate, Ginsburg wrote in her opinion: “Generalizations about ‘the way women are’ estimates of what is appropriate for most women, no longer justify denying opportunity to women whose talent and capacity place them outside the average description.” This case determined that VMI’s male-only admission was unconstitutional and violated the Fourteenth Amendment. In 2015, Obergefell v. Hodges ruled that same-sex marriage was protected under the Equal Protection Clause and the Due Process Clause. Justice Ginsburg was a huge part in the making of this decision, as many of her male counterparts were either unsure or opposed. One of her most famous quotes from this case is “Marriage was a relationship of a dominant male to a subordinate female. That ended as a result of this court’s decision in 1982 when Louisiana’s Head and Master Rule was struck down…Would that be a choice
that state should [still] be allowed to have? To cling to marriage the way it once was?” She believed that because marriage was not meant for a woman to be subordinate to a man, and the fact that not all couples had to have children, everyone should have the right to love and marriage. These cases are just two examples of many that the Notorious RBG contributed to our country. The work of Ruth Bader Ginsburg has inspired people everywhere to become more passionate about important issues like gender equality because as much as she made a huge difference in our country, we still have a long way to go. Her death was extremely tragic and caused many to lose hope in the future. However, it also woke people up at the same time, with many realizing all she did in her lifetime and the responsibility that is in the people’s hands to continue her legacy. It would be easy to become cynical at the idea that a new woman, who opposes many things Justice Ginsburg spent her life fighting for, could be confirmed into the Supreme Court. But nothing would get done if we all lost hope and believed that we, as citizens, are too small and powerless to make a difference. We must continue fighting against the injustices of the world and put pressure on our leaders to do the same. In the words of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” May she rest in peace and may we continue to care, speak out, and fight to make the world a better place for ourselves and future generations.
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AMY CONEY BARRET TO REPLACE RUTH BADER GINSBURG Isabelle Bryson Interaction Design ‘23 Insta: @brysonize Amy Coney Barrett is an American attorney and jurist who currently serves as a circuit judge in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Barrett was nominated for the Seventh Circuit by Donald Trump in 2017, and following the death of former Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was nominated for the Supreme Court on September 26, 2020. This nomination is contested by Democrats, as it comes very close to the upcoming presidential election in November. It seems as though Donald Trump is attempting to rush her nomination in order to fill as many seats as he can before he is likely voted out of office. This is particularly interesting because this is similar to what Barack Obama attempted at the end of his presidency, but was blocked by the senate. This is particularly ironic, as conservatives celebrated this feat at the time, citing that the elected president should make the decision. Today, this view has now reversed, with conservatives celebrating the rushed nomination.
OMG RBG just died I guess we have to replace her with a woman
But.....what if we said..... RGB but make her take AWAY rights not give them ;)
Oh that’s a PERFECT idea.....ur mind
This nomination will heavily alter the ideological composition of the Supreme Court, as Barrett is a known conservative whose beliefs contradict those of her predecessor. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a celebrated proponent of progressive ideals, including women’s rights and the rights of marginalized people. This clash in ideals held by Barrett and Ginsburg not only makes this nomination a huge ideological issue, but also highlights the political divisiveness that runs rampant in this country. Barret’s views suggest that she will attempt to restrict abortion rights, LGBTQ rights, and follow a more deeply conservative agenda. While the intellect of Barrett is undisputed, as she is a renowned professor at Notre Dame and notable academic, it is her stance on many important issues that cause liberal Americans to fear her nomination. With Barrett’s appointment, the Supreme Court could become the most conservative it has been in decades, giving conservatives the ability to make influential decisions in the long run. Donald Trump’s previous nominees are relatively young and incredibly conservative, setting the stage for largely republican ideals in the Supreme Court for a lifetime.
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2020 HALLOWEEN costumes Pence’s fly
cranky man
coronavirus
murder hornets
Social distancing
Just add fire!
aUSTRALIAN WILDFIRES
Comic by Stephen Bruce, Vickiana Dulcio & Jack Pecau
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Power
Hanifa Abdul Hameed UI UX Designer at IBM NYC Insta: @colorsofhoney My name is Hanifa and I’m a first-generation Indian American from New Jersey. I was a world traveler in the first few years of my life – from Saudi Arabia, to India, to Canada and finally I moved to New Jersey when I was 10 – which is coincidentally the year I decided I wanted to be a renowned fashion designer. I didn’t move forward with becoming a fashion designer – but I did stay in the creative field. Currently I’m a UI UX designer at IBM and a part time illustrator. I’m inspired by my love for fashion, color, culture, and strong women. I always loved art as a child and wanted to go into fashion design for the longest time. At my university, I ended up studying Graphic Design and immediately after got a job working as a UI UX designer. In my spare time I would draw with traditional tools. Due to the pandemic I started digitally illustrating. At first I wouldn’t quite concentrate on the topic of the illustration, but eventually I felt like my art should have some purpose. I’m passionate about women’s rights so I began including it in my art.
of a Vote
Illustration by Hanifa Abdul Hameed
Despite living away from my home country pretty much my entire life, I am strongly connected to my culture and it influences a lot of my decisions. Growing up I didn’t see much representation of my culture and therefore I find it very important to showcase it to a wider audience. This year because of the election, I felt even more of a need to put out art that encouraged people to vote. South Asians, which is the audience that my art most identifies with, unfortunately have the lowest voting rates. Only when we exercise our right to vote can we expect political change to happen. Digital illustration on page 15 by Stephen Bruce
Designers Impact on Political Campaigns Design Intern Perspective
Brianna Hawley Graphic Design ‘23 Insta: @artbyhawley Designers play a critical role in the impact of political campaigns. As campaigns move into the digital age, there is an increased need for visuals. Everything from political ads to social media posts, email graphics, and video now need to be designed for campaigns. With different headlines relating to prominent social causes releasing everyday, design teams work toward creating visuals that correspond to the American people. As a Multimedia Design Intern at Sapphire Strategies, I help with all different design projects that campaigns bring to us. Having this internship during a presidential election year yields various tasks that change daily. Two of the most frequent assignments I get are making political ads with call to action steps and awareness statics for politicians running for office. Both projects start off with creating a 1080 by 1080 Facebook ad, which is given a tagline, photo, and button response to start. Then the rest of the layout is left up to the designer. We know that clear messaging with strong emotional appeals works best based on analytics from previously compared graphics. We put all our creativity and design strategy knowledge into making interesting compositions with a distinct direction rather than opting for designs that resemble more as decorations. After a graphic is complete, our team’s Head Multimedia Designer and Director of Digital Strategy look over it for edits. The editing process can be short or long based on known client needs and may entail making disclaimers more legible, rearranging composition, and creating a more cohesive color scheme. Once a design is approved by our team, they are sent to campaigns to get approval, which may lead to more editing or a job well done. Once a political ad is complete, it is sent to its specific media platform to be run, in this case, Facebook. Facebook keeps track of analytics and lets us learn which designs yield better audience engagement and improve future graphics. Once the primary awareness graphic is complete, this is used as the foundation for creating DSP and Google Display sizes. Again, these options are designed, sent for approval, and completed to be used by the campaign on different social media platforms and websites. And the cycle is repeated, leaving out jobs as designers are never done. But knowing that your work leads people to take the time to be more informed and aware of their local political candidates never fails to bring fulfillment to our days.
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Collage by Brianna Hawley
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Mistakes that can Disqualify your Mail-In Ballot Amanda Bohn Graphic Design’23 Insta: @ambohnn 1.) Not sending your ballot back on time. Many people believe that, because they have received their ballot early, they have plenty of time to submit it. For years, election experts have said that the deadlines provided by many states do not give the United States Postal Service enough time. It’s best to submit your ballot as early as you possibly can, as well as having the proper postage. Many recommend up to two weeks before Election Day as a safe amount of time to ensure it is counted. Also, if you are worried it’s too late to get your ballot in on time, some states allow you to drop off your ballot at your local polling place on Election Day.
3.) Improperly filling out the ballot. Similar to incorrect ink color, even the smallest mistake when filling out your ballot could disqualify it. Make sure to fill out all of the required areas on your ballot, as well as being attentive to the details and directions provided.
2.) Using the incorrect ink color. 4.) Forgetting to sign or having an unmatched signature. While it might seem unnecessary, it is extremely important to use the correct type of ink on your ballot. Each state will be different, so be sure to read through your ballot’s instructions carefully before filling it out.
Forgetting to sign is one of the most common mistakes that could disqualify your ballot. To prevent this from occurring, make sure to sign the envelope and confirm that the signature matches what your state has on file. Checking your signature on any documentation you have filled out, such as from the Department of Motor Vehicles, mail-in ballot request form, or voter registration, is a good way to ensure that your vote will be counted. Some states are more strict or specific about matching signatures than others, so it may save you time by doing some research beforehand. 5.) Most importantly, follow the instructions carefully. Each state’s mail-in ballot will be different, and if you have any questions, you can either go to your state’s government website or call the phone number provided on your ballot. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Happy Voting! Illustrations by Emma Caamano Digital illustration on page 19 by Stephen Bruce
Instagram Reel by Kim Saira
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Use Your Voice Kim Saira Illustrator Insta: @kimsaira My name is Kim Saira and I am a freelance digital artist and activist. As a freelance digital artist, most of my artwork revolves around activism, pushing political change, and illustrating my experiences as a POC who grew up as an immigrant in America. AOC had talked about artists, and said that art has the power to provoke real change, which is something I really attest to in my work. Although visually, at first glance, the art seems playful, light, and uses bright, pastel colors- the messages in the artwork are powerful, and the captions that come with every photo is really what draws the viewer into learning more about the basis of the work. I do research on the topic of my artwork before even writing the caption, and I
make sure that all of the statistics and information that I am giving to support my political claims, are fact checked. I think that this is incredibly important, especially if you are trying to push political activism with words and art. For some of the political activist artworks that doesn’t involve actual facts and statistics, I would use my experiences as a POC to explain topics such as why we should care about the human rights of marginalized lives. I find that my artwork appeals to a lot of young adults and teenagers because of how it looks aesthetically (I think back to when I was a young girl and was so drawn to Lisa Frank art). Because of this, I make sure that I’m illustrating powerful messages that they can take away meaning from, such as pushing them to go vote. For example, for one of my art posts, I explained how as a POC who immigrated to America, one
of the best things about this country is its democracy and that when you turn 18 you have a say in who our leaders will be and what direction this country can go in. I try to speak to the younger generation through my art posts about voting to inform them that they have the power to make change in the country. And it’s worked really well! I’ve gotten messages from people letting me know that they’ve dropped off their ballot or have voted for the first time! This is where I’ve realized that my artwork has definitely provoked political change and has encouraged young people to vote! I want to continue inviting open conversation and pushing political activism and change through the topics of my artwork. Art is a great way to captivate someone’s attention, and I think that artists should utilize this more in order to get powerful messages across and provoke social change.
& Vote
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How to Target Young Voters Brianna Hawley Graphic Design ‘23 Insta: @artbyhawley 1. SUPPORT YOUNG LEADERS Many students and young folks have a passion for being politically active and are interested in getting their peers to vote. Building relationships with youth leaders and organizers who have spent recent years growing movements related to issues like gun violence and climate change in their community is the best bet. 2. ADDRESSING ISSUES THAT MATTER TO US Young voters want to know about politicians’ plans for dealing with student loan debt, the creation of jobs and the state of their future employment, and healthcare. Don’t discuss issues that matter to young voters just because you think we will not turn out. 3. SPEAK TO US As young voters, we know what we want, but we don’t see anyone offering it. We are not interested in the old political game; we want real policies that will affect real change. 4. BE ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA Everyone loves a good political meme or an informative infographic that draws you into an issue, but young voters are looking for more. Genuine online connections that allow voters to get to know the candidate and be informed about their policy plans should take precedence over superficial posts. Illustrations by Jack Pecau Digital illustration on page 23 by Oliver Davies
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