I just finished my second to last week of my practicum at porchlight press, and this will be my last blog post. This past week went very well for me! Heather offered me a position as an Illustrator and press operator starting after my practicum! For a minute there I didn’t have a job or place to live but considering I moved into a new place this weekend, I’m back on my feet!

Last weekend I was panicked. I had to pack up my entire apartment, on top of, an assignment Heather asked me to take on last minute. This was an unusual rush job since there had been a lot of back and forth on the direction of the style and the deadline was close. Despite this, I managed to pack all my things in one day and made time to finish the illustrations.

And Heather loved the finished pieces. When the client got back to us he said the new illustrations were well worth the wait and that he had no notes. I feel like I’m crushing it this week.

Not much else happened this week, but I did fill some orders for the website. Some of the pieces ordered were not in stock so I made the missing notebooks. I did the whole process on my own now that I have it pretty much down: collate pages, get a cover piece, change staple colour, fit the stapling machine to fit the size of the notebook, staple, flatten, cut, bellyband, and voila.

The existential dread about finishing school has calmed down as I slowly get used to this whole new arrangement. But it’s for the better because big changes are a chance to grow as a person! And make new friends?

See you in the 1000-word report,

Naomi

——————————————–

IG: nomi.evers

naomievers.com

This week things were busy as heck at Porchlight. To make these prints for a client, the new plate maker needed to get installed which has been keeping everyone’s hands full. The new plate maker is much bigger and can make bigger plates. And typically porchlight uses the Heidelberg press but it cannot handle anything bigger than around 8.5 x 11. But a big poster can be put through the Vandercook press. The Vandercook is the press that I used in the Porchlight workshop back in February 2020.

There were also a few wholesale orders of stationery made through the website. I was able to help put together a bunch of stuff. Mostly stapling, since the already bare-bones crew already had their hands full this week.

I also did a handful of drawing this week. Heather had an illustration that she planned to use but it needed some tweaks so I took care of that. Seeing the old version and my updated version side by side is pretty cool, it’s like a lesson in creating good compositions. I also created another Christmas card but this one was cozier and dreamy. So not as many bows and bells. I really liked how it turned how. I drew a lot of trees this week. If you need an illustration of a birch or a yellow pine tree then I’m your girl.

After things went well with my remake of the old deer illustration, Heather tasked me to fix an illustration this weekend that a client was not happy with. It felt good to know she trusted me with something like this. And I definitely think it is something I can handle! (She also said she would be able to compensate me for this work, since it will be outside of practicum hours.)

Also is this my last blog post? I’m not sure, I think I’m writing one more since next week is my last week of practicum. Okay, see ya!

Naomi

————————————-
IG: nomi.evers
naomievers..com

Another week over, and the existential dread of finishing school is starting to set in. A lot of things are coming to a close for me in the coming month. But I have been able to focus my last remaining time at University. And so far, so good. Things went pretty smoothly this past week.

I Finished 3 card illustrations and packaged all the files. I got to learn the best practice for sending files to print. Heather wanted me to indicate in what order each colour needs to be printed on the press. Black is usually the last colour unless, however, there is a foil layer. The foil must be printed last because any colour printed on top of the foil will stick to the foil and not the paper.

In the past month, heather has also brought on Alex to take charge of porchlights social media. And one day, the two of them needed a caption for their easter post on Instagram showing the “hoppy easter bunny card.” I suggested ‘hop off the presses, ’ which was a slam dunk IMO.

Heather and I also had a check-in with Judy about the practicum, which led to a good talk between Heather and me about transparency and communication especially considering my ongoing mental health struggle. It felt good to talk that openly with Heather. An employer needs to trust their workers and vice versa, just like any other type of relationship.

The last thing that happened to me is that I almost choked to death at my desk. I was fine but, Marcel sure got a scare. It turns out you shouldn’t multitask while drinking water. If you don’t pay attention while drinking, the flap protecting water from entering the trachea (epiglottis) might not close, and water could get in. That’s what the saying ‘went down the wrong pipe’ means. The intense coughing got all the water out of my trachea, but I still called my nurse mom to make sure I didn’t give myself pneumonia.

Next week will be my last blog post, I’m worried, but all I can do is keep going. Everything about my future feels unsure, but I take comfort in knowing I’m not alone in this. All eighteen of my idea 2021 classmates are in the same boat, and we can support each other.

See you next week,
Naomi
———————————
IG: nomi.evers
naomievers.com

Half-way through!

This week I learned a couple of new stations and kept plugging away at my illustrations. The fruit and vegetable notepad covers are still coming along. I think I’m on the 5^th iteration now. Oof. But I think they’re super close to being done! Besides the notepad covers, I also created an ice cream birthday card this week. Heather and I were worried that one design element on the card was too close to the Ernest Ice Cream logo. They happen to be right next door to Porchlight Press. But ultimately, we decided it was different enough when we placed the two illustrations side by side.

As far as the printing stations, I got to see how a press plate gets made. For those who don’t know, printing plates are the things that get attached to the plate cylinders on the printing press. Ink and water are applied to rollers, then transferred to another cylinder and then to the plate, then pressed onto the paper.

I’m no expert on the process of making a printing plate but here is my bastardized version: You take a piece of photopolymer plate then place a piece of photo paper on top with the design on it. That then goes into the plate machine, after which some science happens and voila a printing plate!

Lastly, this week, I learned how to use the industrial paper cutter. It’s this machine with a HUGE blade that can cut through dozens of pieces of paper at once. The way the machine is designed, one has to press two buttons with both hands simultaneously for the blade to come down. This way, no one loses any fingers! It’s really satisfying to watch the blade cut through a stack of paper lie butter. Yummy.

See you next week!
Naomi
————————————-
IG: nomi.evers
naomievers.com

This week was a productive one. I finished two Christmas card illustrations, and after the notepad illustrations seem to be taking me so long, it feels good to have finished something. Heather was excited with the result, as they fit the porchlight style. I can’t show the ones I made, but these are the cards I was trying to emulate.

Another small victory this week was scoring a bunch of free Procreate texture brushes. A targeted Instagram ad led me to this site, and they give out a sample brush pack when you sign up for their newsletter. Texture in printmaking is a must, so I am excited to test these out.

But by far, the most eventful thing this week was my tiny little mental breakdown. I won’t get into the details, but as anyone with a mental illness will understand, sometimes, when something goes wrong, I spiral into depression.  This is nothing new for me; these things happen every once in a while. But I was proud of myself. Despite a clouded head, I could still make it to work each day and be productive. First-year Naomi would not have been able to do this.

My time in university taught me a lot about being a successful illustrator and designer, but more than that, it has given me a solid handle on myself. I’ve learned how to separate myself from the art that I make. I’ve learned to take failure in stride, and most importantly, I have learned to reach out for help. I cannot control everything, but life becomes much more manageable if I can clearly communicate my perspective.

See you next week!
– Naomi
——————
naomievers.com
IG: @nomi.evers

Week two of my Practicum has come and gone so fast! I have settled into a routine now, I help around the shop in the morning and work on my own illustrations in the afternoon. I’m still working on the fruit and veg notebook covers, but they are taking much longer than I thought they would. In the meantime, I’ve made two Christmas card illustrations, one featuring cats and one with dogs.

I’ve also learned a few new stations in the shop. Felicity (printer/ person) taught me how to make a Pantone colour to go on the press. To create the right ink colour, you need to mix the right percentages of base colours.

I mixed it pretty well, but I forgot to put on the gloves that Felicity gave me and my hands are still green three days later. Crisco is very useful in cleaning the area after you’re done.

I also learned how to use the stapling machine for bookbinding. I’m sure it has a proper name, but it’s like a scary sewing machine. I kept putting my fingers too close to where the staple pops out, making Kirsten nervous. Thankfully, I still have all my fingers.

This practicum is going to be over before I know it. I’m still having a great experience.

Naomi

IDEA Practicum 2021 (Week 1)

Before the disease, I had been to Porchlight Press (a letterpress printing and design studio in East Van) two times for two different typesetting workshops. I absolutely loved the atmosphere, from the craft of tactile design to the office wiener-dog Marcel.

Porchlight appealed to me because of the skilled craftsmanship that goes into the work they produce. Creating designs digitally is one thing, but not every design is feasible in printmaking when translated onto the plates for the press. You need the expertise of the printers to tell you what will work and what will look good. As such, there are limitations. However, any limitation is a chance to be innovative because it forces you to take advantage of the unique medium. A perfect opportunity for me to grow as a designer!

So, when it came time to picking a practicum host, I was resolute.

I was so insistent on wanting to go to Porchlight that I didn’t contact any other places. I put all my eggs into one basket. (I’m so sorry, Judy)

Another bonus of working at a shop that produces physical material is the inability to do that on Zoom. So, I am one of few people in my graduating class who leaves the house for their practicum. The whole Porchlight team is only four people. With masks and plenty of room between everyone’s workstations, everything is Covid safe.

The people here have all been very welcoming, especially Marcel, who seems to remember me. We are becoming fast friends.

The other pros working here are Felicity and Kirsten (the printers), Michael (designer), and the owner Heather. The four of them are super supportive when I ask them to explain to me what they are working on. (Sometimes twice because I’m still thinking about that man outside who said hi to me­– A friendly guy. Do I know him? Did he think he knew me? Do I have a doppelgänger in East Van?)

This week I worked mostly with Heather, who is a great artist to soak up knowledge from. She has me at work creating illustrations for the in-house stationery line that Porchlight does.

I created three cover pieces for spring-themed notebooks. Heather said she was looking for a fruit and vegetable pattern with eye-catching and bright colours. The illustration direction that we came to together is looking pretty good. I value working on a project from start to finish with a person(s) I can learn so much from.

Better photos are coming soon. Hopefully, when the process is all done and the books are for sale, I can do a post about the whole journey. I feel like I unlocked the key to creating attractive compositions this week. (be prepared to forget I wrote this)

I really admire Heather and what she has built. I feel like Porchlight Press is exactly where I want to be, and I am so excited to see where this practicum will go!

See you next week,
Naomi Evers

—————————
nomi.evers on Instagram
naomievers.com

I started my ideation for my personal brand logo with a mind map. From there I had a jumping-off point; if I ran out of ideas I could refer back to the mind map. The first few ideas I had were predictable and boring, but as I had to keep trying I arrived at some interesting places. I think the last page of my sketches was the most interesting. The top three logos I choose ended up all coming from that last page.

Client 
Me! (Naomi Evers)

Backstory
Before I know it I will be out of school and looking for a job. Having a direction in mind as to what kind of design work I want to be doing, might make the process of deciding where I want to work a little more streamlined. Especially so if I have a strong personal brand (Logo, website, tone of voice,) that echoes my vision for the future and lets those who I want to work for know that I am the right fit for them. 

Objective  
Develop a personal brand identity that is authentic, targeted, memorable, flexible. 

Target Audience  
Potential design industry employers, or potential clients

Moodboards

I found the process of making these much harder than I had first anticipated. Especially when trying to think of images for the mood-boards concerning the five senses. It would have been easy to put a soft blanket under textures that I like, but I had to choose things that were uniquely me. A surprising amount of self-reflection was happening.

Despite the fact that the mood boards took me forever to put together, I still had a pretty fun time. I was mostly just looking at pictures of cool stuff I like so I can’t complain. I think I put a pretty accurate representation of myself together. I give myself a 10 out of 10.