Eclipse transformed into calendars, snack boxes and magazines in St. Edward's Lab

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Alyssa Garcia flips through the pages of her handmade calendar with enthusiasm. Each page decked out in neon ink, tracking the lunar cycle and astronomical events. Every month has its own unique design, starting in April 2024, with space-themed illustrations dotting the margins.

"I call it the cosmic calendar," Alyssa said with excitement, turning the pages to February where colorful lanterns mark the Chinese New Year.

The calendar, like the rest of the art adorning the walls of St. Edward's University's Risograph Lab, was inspired by the April 8th eclipse. This semester, Associate Professor Jimmy Luu asked his students to create their own projects themed around the once in a lifetime event.

"I'm obsessed with (the eclipse), because it's the only time probably in my lifetime, that we'll be able to be in the path of totality in Texas," Luu said.

An alignment of art and science

The Risograph Lab is as unique as the art the students, mostly juniors, produce.

A Risograph machine is a type of printer. Unlike a traditional printer, it only lays down two inks at a time. If an artists wants to add more colors, they have to run pages through multiple times to generate unique effects.

Because the machine doesn't mix inks like a traditional printer does, it can produce fluorescent and metallic colors. "It has some special qualities about it that make it conducive to people who are into creativity," Luu said.

The students all took very different approaches. Ethan Gorelick made snack boxes for Moon Pies and Eclipse gum. Liam Molina created a magazine dedicated to eclipse glasses, fake advertisements sprinkled throughout its pages.

"I've known about Riso for a long time, which is why I wanted to take this class. And so when I was told about this project, where we had to relate it to something in a class, I knew I wanted to do a calendar," Alyssa said about her own project.

Turning art into commerce

Students had to make more than one of their product because they hoped to sell them. On March 30, they took their products to Corpus Christi for Riso Rama, a publishing event aimed at highlighting work done in the Riso field.

Students sold their work ranging from $5 for a small print to $20 for a book or a calendar. According to Professor Luu, students received positive feedback for their work. While Ethan Gorelick's Eclipse gum packaging was purchased by Mexico City-based independent press, Miau Editions.