Now that’s a Wrap!
As a graphic designer for the past 13 years, I have had the pleasure of working on a variety of creative projects. I’ve never been a part of designing a Central Arkansas Transit Authority city bus, however. And, for such an historic event!
When my co-workers told me I’d be responsible for the artwork regarding the 50th Anniversary Freedom Riders Celebration in Little Rock, I hadn’t heard of the Freedom Riders and began Googling “1961 Freedom Riders” to learn all I could to capture the feeling, mood, tone, and emotion these courageous young people faced. If you are unfamiliar with the Freedom Rides, you can watch the PBS documentary to learn more.
Little did I realize how much detail and thought would go into planning a 35 x 10-foot design to wrap a bus. It was challenging and frustrating. I tried to capture the drama of this time in the Civil Rights movement through the harsh black and white color palette with the dash of red to represent bloodshed, while at the same time I had to be aware of details like where a window frame or an air vent was placed on the bus so that the art would work. I think you’ll be pleased with the outcome below and find it representative of the real people pictured on the bus who came to Little Rock in 1961 to make sure everyone had equal rights, even in a bus terminal.
For more information on the UALR Freedom Riders event, visit LRfreedomriders.org.
Above: The employees of Target Wraps in Sherwood work busily to complete the bus wrap for our UALR Freedom Riders Event taking place Sunday, July 10.
Top left to right: Samantha Blakley & Paul Schneider pull apart the printed panel to place on the front of the bus. Then they stretch & line up the panel to fit.
Bottom: Nick Nesterenko trims away the access paper and cuts in the grooves allowing for the vents, lights, etc. to be revealed. Samantha does the same for the door of the bus. And Paul cuts around the windshield wiper. Once the panels are cut away from the windows and doors a different paper is printed, with the same image, which is then applied in the same manner as the first paper. This second panel allows one to see through it while driving, or while sitting on the bus.
Wrapping a bus isn’t easy; it’s a long and tedious process (these folks just make it look easy).
Top left to right: Nick smooths out the panel with a sponge-like tool to release air bubbles. Working steadily, he places the next panel and repeats the process until the entire bus is complete. There is a paper backing that is peeled away as he works to lay the entire panel.
Bottom: Paul Schneider with owner Van Blakley and his wife, Samantha Blakley, pose in front of the fantastic job they did on wrapping this bus. Thank you Target Wraps! It was a pleasure working with you!
Top left to right: “Tada!” There I am excited to see the bus design come to life! Kim Fox, Angela Parker, and I pose in front of Annie Lumpkin and Janet Reinitz, two of the 1961 Freedom Riders who were arrested in Little Rock. Angela explains to Samantha what the Freedom Rides were all about.
Chancellor Anderson unveiled the design at the Central Arkansas Transit Authority terminal before the bus rolled into rotation around Little Rock last week. Read about the ribbon-cutting ceremony and view more photos of the bus.