something new

Paint dripped onto tables as students worked diligently to finish their designs by the end of the workshop. Before we knew it things were finally starting to take shape. Compositions began to emerge from a sea of art supplies, scraps of material and working hands. Throughout the day students learned the value of being able to work with what they had.

The challenge was simple: choose a pre-cropped square of used vinyl banner material and create a new composition that builds on the existing shapes and elements originally printed on the banner. Some students chose to create new compositions that featured images and type that appeared on the scraps. Some chose to allow the elements to serve as a backdrop. Others ignored the elements completely, using outrageous combinations of paint strokes and splatters, fiercely asserting their own independence.

One thing was certain, the underlying composition seemed to have an affect on the overall process. It became a key factor in the decision-making process along the way and allowed them to struggle with the challenge of incorporating existing elements and limitations into a design. “We’re not always painting on a blank canvas” became the mantra.

The result was a room filled with vibrant, original works, echoing the pronouncements of each banner’s former sales pitch. It was a post-modern proclamation, exuding the skills and ability of each student to reconfigure and rearrange. It seems as though the students got the jest–hopefully they will be inspired to build ideas that can flexibly adjust to a world that is changing faster than ever before.

Nick Cottrell, co-principal of istitch graphic communication, led a one-day workshop for Link, an AIGA San Diego program that mentors high-school art students. The program exposes participants to concepts and techniques associated with art and design, encouraging the pursuit of higher education in the creative field.