I’ve had this idea for such a long time, so when I learned about The Chelsy Tomashoff Memorial Scholarship For Print Design Excellence, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to design a calendar! Established by Thomas Group Printing, the scholarship is open to any undergraduate or graduate student in a design, art, or visual communications program.

Today’s digital age is fast-paced, instantaneous, and flashy. Screens infiltrate everywhere into our everyday lives: our homes, our pockets, our watches, and even in our cars. Retrieving information or contacting someone far away can only take a matter of seconds.

But with such instantaneity, what do we leave behind? We are not just leaving behind inconvenience, but wholesome, entire experiences. Browsing the library stacks is abandoned to type in a Google search. Turning of pages is replaced by scrolling with a finger. What is lost is the physical pursuit of information that has already led to so many great discoveries. And what is important is not just the answer, but how to find the answer.

The physicality of the pursuit of information comes from the handling of books, papers, pamphlets, and more. That is why print design can go beyond even visual arts—its tactility contributes to a more engaging, rounded-out experience than digital media, which is often visually overwhelming. Consequently, factors such as paper weight, paper types, and size play significant roles in print design. The stimulation of the sense of touch causes the viewer to slow down their pursuit; the experience then is more immersive for the viewer.

Even with visual stimulation everywhere else, print design stands strong because it has more to offer than just information: it brings a physical journey of experiencing to the viewer.