The Welcome Edition
4 February 2026 · By Pavement Print Studio Team
Welcoming New Students Through Print
The Welcome Edition was our O-Week activation at RMIT's Brunswick campus on February 4th, 2026. Five graphic design students created postcards as personal artistic responses about beginning studies, which we printed as welcome gifts and distributed to incoming students whilst facilitating hands-on printing throughout the day.
The activation ran 12-2pm in collaboration with RMIT Creative. We engaged close to 90 new students who printed with us during the session, taking the mobile studio out into the public again and demonstrating that Pavement Print Studio has genuine longevity beyond single events.
Five Students, Five Perspectives
Each of the five crew members created their own postcard design reflecting on the experience of starting at RMIT. These personal artistic responses became both welcome messages for incoming students and documentation of this particular group of graphic design students at this moment.
The designs work individually or as a complete set, offering different visual approaches to the same territory. Together they form a small portfolio representing the collaborative nature of the project even though individual students created each piece.
Production Details
Hand screen printed in two colours using Permaset Aqua Glow Magenta and Glow Blue inks on Strathmore Wove Ultimate White 352gsm paper from Ball & Doggett. Double-sided printing means each postcard carries imagery on both faces, creating more complex visual relationships.
We printed an edition of 125 complete sets. During the activation we gave away packs containing all five postcards plus stickers and information about the project to the first students who engaged with us. Each participant also had the opportunity to create their own prints using our mobile studio setup.
Why This Format Works
The postcard scale suits both giveaway items and hands-on printing. People can engage meaningfully within the timeframe of an orientation event whilst producing outcomes they actually want to keep. The format is small enough to be accessible but substantial enough to feel considered.
Two-colour printing with transparent inks creates visual richness through overprinting whilst remaining achievable within the activation timeframe. The double-sided format maximises surface area without requiring additional printing time.
Student-Led Practice
This activation demonstrated what student-led practice can achieve when given genuine responsibility and professional partnerships. The crew managed all aspects from design through production to public facilitation, operating autonomously whilst maintaining quality outcomes.
The project brought five new students into Pavement Print Studio, expanding the crew beyond the City North Festival team and building capacity for future activations. Working with RMIT Creative provided funding support whilst maintaining the student-led character of the project.
Shop Availability
The remaining Welcome Edition sets are now available through our online shop at shop.pavementprintstudio.com. Each set includes all five student-designed postcards, documenting this specific educational moment and collaborative practice.
These aren't leftover promotional materials; they're artifacts from genuine educational practice, produced during a real activation with actual community participants. The postcards carry that context as part of their meaning.
Looking Forward
The Welcome Edition proves the format and methodology work for orientation contexts. We can adapt this approach for future O-Week activations, creating ongoing documentation of cohorts and welcome messages whilst facilitating hands-on printmaking with incoming students.
The success of this activation positions Pavement Print Studio well for upcoming projects including Melbourne Design Week in May 2026 and potential ongoing partnerships with RMIT Creative for future orientation programming.
All photography by Aan Ko, 2026.
Tags
- o-week
- rmit
- brunswick
- postcards
- education
Share
Recent Posts
- Shop Launch: Collaborative Prints Now Available
- Melbourne Design Week 2026 Acceptance
- Transmedia Relay Collaboration
- City North Festival: Our First Major Activation
About Pavement Print Studio
A student-led mobile printmaking project from RMIT Associate Degree Graphic Design, bringing collaborative screen printing to public spaces.