In High-Low Tech: Exploring the Intersections of Manual Craft, Digital Fabrication, and Virtual and Physical Experiences in Graphic Design, designer and educator Diane Lee invites participants to consider creative possibilities at the intersections and overlaps of historic and contemporary practices in the field of graphic design. As design disciplines shift to increasingly orient towards digital products, human-computer interfaces, and virtual experiences, there is also a sustained interest in physical, tangible, design objects. Graphic design programs across the country are—at the same time—equipping themselves to support new media platforms (AR/VR), and digital fabrication (3D printing), as well as experiencing a renewed interest in analog processes like RISO printing, letterpress, and calligraphy.

This session intends to bring together design educators and practitioners whose methodologies integrate both the digital and material; who make use of both high- and low-tech tools; and/or both virtual and physical experiences. We invite proposals that respond to the following questions:
- How does an understanding of analog and manual production methods support exploration into digital fabrication methods and/or designing virtual experiences?
- How might we contextualize analog processes, like printmaking, bookbinding, and calligraphy, for students whose career paths will most likely be characterized by designing interactive digital experiences?
- How have you supported a “both/and” approach to analog and digital production methods?

Session Chair:
Diane Lee, San Jose State University

Presentations:
"Office Offset"
Jan Blessing

"Making to Transgress, Risograph Printing as the Practice of Freedom"
Elaine Lopez, Maryland Institute College of Art

"Applying Variable Font Design to Letterpress Type Production"
Ryan Molloy, Eastern Michigan University

"Both Analog and Digital Syntheses"
Tricia Treacy, Dartmouth College

"Migrating Dimensions: The Book Space and Sculptural Typography"
Rebecca Leffell Koren, Washington University in St. Louis