Sometime around the end of the ’90s, their presence became
hard to ignore. They were multiplying like flies, filling seats at
bars, shows, and dinner parties all over Portland. They all seemed to
have irregular schedules, permanently casual wardrobes, and the vaguest
job descriptions in the world—they were graphic designers, and
they just keep coming.
Nearly a decade into the 21st century, Portland has gained a
reputation as a “design town,” a mecca for young people looking for
jobs in advertising, media, technical and web design—to name just
a few of the fields in which graphic design is an integral component.
Competition is fierce for dream jobs at locally based major firms like
Nike, Adidas, and Wieden+Kennedy, not to mention the innumerable
lower-profile gigs and startups, and young hopefuls continue to flock
here. Plus, graphic design is a major aspect of the DIY and zine
movement that is one of the anchors of Portland’s cultural identity,
visible in everything from the way we dress to the way we eat.
Despite their prevalence, the methods and tools of the graphic
designer remain more or less alien to those of us who don’t really
understand why font jokes are funny, even though we use and enjoy the
results all day, every day—from packaging on products to
editorial layout to film credits to the instructions on an airplane
barf bag.
The Cut&Paste digital design tournament, taking place in
Portland this week, aims to correct that ignorance, and throw back the
curtain to expose the creative process at its most entertaining.
Born in November of 2005, Cut&Paste is the Iron Chef of
graphic design, with competitors creating timed pieces based on certain
themes, and within certain constraints. “Oxymoron” and “George W. Bush”
are examples of past design themes, and the contestants may be required
to do something like include a photo of an audience member or a
surfboard in their design, bringing it all together in under 15
minutes. With the frantic competitors’ works-in-progress projected on
live monitors, music pumping, and booze flowing, the event is meant to
have a party atmosphere and be an interactive way to witness the
designers’ technical prowess and aesthetic wit on the move. Expressly
reaching out to an audience outside the design crowd, the events have
gained popularity in much the same way that breakdancing and beat
battles have become popular outside of their immediate scenes.
(Although make no mistake that the opportunities for networking and
exposure to industry types are a bonus for young designers
participating and attending.)
“I’ve been into hiphop for years,” says Kris Kanaly, one of the
contest finalists. “Battling always played an important role, so I was
geeked to hear about a ‘design battle.'”
In keeping with the spirit of being descended from the Pillars of
Hiphop, the event is hosted by Ohmega Watts and soundtracked by Rev.
Shines of the Lifesavas, as well as DJ Kez. Video footage of past
events shows a performative spirit among the designers, a high-tech
joie de vivre, and a rapt audience of hipsters.
In addition
to the sort of creative professional tourism that such an event offers
for the design curious, laymen are encouraged to try their own hand at
designing, with workstations equipped with design software set up in
the venue, and a low-pressure amateur contest that anyone can sign up
for. (Not that anyone will be looking, but at least a rudimentary
knowledge of how to use some of these programs is advised.)
Nerdy in that hipster way, Cut&Paste has rapidly grown from a
one-off into an international event, and this year Portland is one of
11 cities in which it is taking place. Aside from its native New York,
the competition has previously been held in Chicago, Los Angeles, and
San Francisco. This year sees a dramatic expansion with Portland among
other first-time cities Boston, London, Berlin, Sydney, Hong Kong, and
Tokyo.
To get Portland involved, Melissa Delzio, a full-time designer at
Creative Center Advertising in Wilsonville, put together a proposal
using fun facts about designer-saturated Portland (“Ranks fourth in
nation for metro areas with largest increase of college-educated
25-34-year-olds”; “34% never married”), although Cut&Paste
Executive Director John Fiorelli needed little persuasion, having
visited and become familiar with PDX’s design scene.
Delzio set about recruiting contestants through local schools with
design programs and design or art-related websites, then held an
audition to whittle them down to the final eight who will compete
before a live, paying audience this Friday, September 21. They’ll be
judged by the likes of Plazm founder Joshua Berger; Jose Cabaco,
Wieden+Kennedy’s creative director; Jason Bacon of “urban vinyl toy
company” UNKL and Big-Giant design firm; Eric Lawrence of Ziba Design.
Inc.; and the visual art program director of PICA, Kristan Kennedy. For
the finalists, Cut&Paste is an opportunity to launch themselves
into the consciousness of potential employers, helping them build a
reputation. Not to mention the respect and admiration of their peers
and other designers.
“The judges are some major players in the industry,” says Kanaly.
“There’s not a single one who I wouldn’t feel privileged to meet and/or
be judged by. Hopefully no stones will be flying my way, though.”
In the meantime, the rest of us can have a drink and relax in the
soft beams of the 21st century’s projected computer light, watching the
latest incarnation of competitive entertainment—a tradition vital
to the culture of every civilization, from the gladiators of the Roman
Empire, to medieval jousting, to Sunday morning football. That, and we
can get a better idea of just what exactly it is that these people
do.
(Cut&Paste takes place Friday, September 21 at the Wonder
Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 7 pm, $10 in advance at cutandpaste.com, $15 at the door, 18+;
Afterparty at Plan B, 1305 SE 8th, 11 pm, 21+)