Artist’s Notes
To create a cover for the DEI special issue of Technical Communication, I worked with first-generation students from across campus to obtain their feedback. The students provided feedback about what they believe is missing from other academic cover illustrations. My goal was to design illustrations that go beyond the aesthetics of traditional academia. In general, my design philosophy became to create bold, colorful, fun, clever designs that attract attention, have a clear message, and appeal to a new generation of technical communication students, practitioners, and researchers.
About the Artist
Lucas Robbins is a technical writer in Austin, Texas, pursuing an M.A. in Technical Communication (MATC) at Texas State University. While focusing on social justice in Austin, Lucas developed an interest in graphic design during his MATC studies. While a graduate consultant at Texas State’s University Writing Center, he applied design techniques to promote equity and inclusion on campus, refining his skills and philosophy through collaboration and iterative feedback. For the DEI cover illustration project, Lucas leveraged his diverse team experience, incorporating voices from the Texas State community to reflect its diversity, equity, and inclusion. In the future, Lucas hopes to study and implement design strategies for accessibility, inclusion, and diversity. Aspiring to champion research and student support services, he is dedicated to creating designs that are useful and effective for all users. Lucas can be reached at ogj11@txstate.edu.
