Mai Reynainterdisciplinary designer, photographer, andartist based in St. Petersburg, Florida. About 
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Revisiting Analog Processes in the Digital Era

design thesisThe emergence of the digital era has significantly shifted graphic design towards a reliance on digital tools. Creating designs was formally a hands-on, physically active process. This new digital focus can unintentionally limit creativity that was only achievable through physical means. Six posters were created by breaking free from digital constraints, blending tactile and analog techniques with the innovative possibilities of the digital realm. A variety of tools and methods were utilized, including vellum, scanning, glasswork, painting, collages, and stamping. This approach resulted in a synthesis of the best aspects of both analog and digital worlds.

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Hand-made Stamps Method


I took foam sheets, cut them into shapes, painted them, and stamped them onto cardstock paper. Next, I scanned the paper into the computer and used Photoshop to separate the individual letters. Each letter was then used to design and modify various compositions.







 Layered Glass Method


In​​​​​​​ this method, I collaged and altered several pieces of images in Photoshop and then printed each image separately on paper. The images were then carefully hand-cut arranged between sheets of glass and relocated to a well-lit area. I then took overhead photographs to capture their natural shadows.






Cyanotype Photo Process Method


I utilized the cyanotype photographic printing process. I arranged objects, cut the paper, and added printed icons on transparent paper. This paper was coated with light-sensitive cyanotype emulsion, exposed to sunlight, dried, and scanned. The scanned image was further edited in Photoshop.




Scanner Glitch Method


I printed text on paper, positioned the letters on a scanner and while scanning, intentionally moved the paper to create a glitchy distortion. After scanning, I used Photoshop to extract and arrange the text, resulting in a composition.




Colored Vellum Paper Method


I cut out various shapes from translucent vellum sheets of paper, arranged them into a composition, and scanned the result. This process of printing, scanning, and reintroducing them to the computer added a physical texture and genuine transparency.Glass Distortion Method


In this approach, I created several digital graphics and printed them. I placed different drinking glasses over each print, causing unique distortions based on the glass’s physical traits, and then photographed the effect. You can achieve a similar effect by holding a drinking glass over a computer screen. Finally, I used Photoshop to make the finishing touches on the photographs.