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Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti

@literaturegeek.bsky.social

8.8K followers 5.2K following 4.7K posts

@ScholarsLab Director ✨💻📚🏳️‍🌈 just+joyful, critical+creative tech+culture *Experimental/DH/library futures & community *DIY scholcom=letterpress+zines+blog+code *Bookadjacent data+making 3 neon !s in a hoodie; abolitionist Dr! 🏳️‍⚧️ They/Them AmandaVisconti.com

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Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · Nov 9

Hi new folks! I post on: intersections of tech/culture/justice, making+craft (zines, weird resin, letterpress/book arts, color+light, retro tech), directing a digital humanities research center, transformative justice, bookadjacent code/data. General enthusiast; laugh inappropriately loudly at puns.

Photo of a full-size-skull (front half) made of translucent resin, with embedded ramen noodle block in the brain area, and chatter teeth in the teeth area, held up to the sun so the light shines through the translucent resin from the back.

Photo of materials for the Ghost Books project artfully arranged on a floor, including a swirl of blue LEDs with silicone diffusion making them look like neon lights, superglue, acrylic and glass cut to size to be assembled into a rectangular-prism/book shape with smoothe or crenellated edges, and one of the books I'm basing the initial prototype on (10 PRINT) because of it's interesting blue and white patterned cover.

A photo of a white lab-hound mix dog lying down but with head up, basking in the bright sun with eyes squeezed shut in pleasure. There is a red brick wall behind the dog.

Example themed reading card deck, prepared for the ACH 2023 conference's #DHmakes (digital humanities making) session. An open plastic playing card case holds a playing-card-style card with information about the "#DHMakes at #ACH2023" project governing the readings chosen for inclusion in the deck; next to the case is a fanned-out pile of playing-card-style cards showing tech, GLAM, and social justice zine titles such as "Kult of the Cyber Witch #1" and "Handbook for the Activist Archivist"; on the top of the fanned pile you can see a whole card. The whole card is white with black text; the title "Design Justice for Action" is in large print at the top of the card, followed by a list of the zine's creators (Design Justice Network, Sasha Costanza-Chock, Una Lee, Victoria Barnett, Taylor Stewart), the hashtags "#DHMakes #ACH2023, and a black square QR code (which links to an online version of that zine).

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Reposted by Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti

Matthew Kirschenbaum @mkirschenbaum.bsky.social · 19h

Virginia State Senate Dems just brought down fire and fury regarding the “Compact,” notifying the President and Rector that UVA would lose ALL STATE APPROPRIATIONS if it signs and cedes the University to “federal political control.” Notably, their letter directly restates points made here by @siva.

Siva @sivav.bsky.social · 21h

The “compact” for higher ed is an unserious document written by unserious people from a position of spectacular ignorance. No one should take it seriously. Sadly, my bosses are taking it seriously.

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Reposted by Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti

alix e. harrow @alixeharrow.bsky.social · 18h

hi charlottesville! if you're voting in the city school board election this november, there are four candidates running for three seats. here's where they stand on the return of police to our schools:

keep police out of cville schools! 2025 school board candidate guide.
zyahna bryant [✓]: opposed school resource officers
lisa torres [✓]: voted against SROs
dashad cooper: supports SROs
emily dooley: voted for SROs as chair
VOTE NOV. 4 2025

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Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 6h

I know @walshbr.bsky.social has listened to some (including for his walshbr.com/dh-on-the-go) and may have recommendations of ones he's fully listened to & thought well done?

DH on the Go · Brandon Walsh

walshbr.com

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Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 7h

I've got a free zine on free & inexpensive options to access or buy a press, in peer review right now—I will try to remember to share directly once it's out in case it's useful (& will research & add vices to the options!)

Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 16h

I agree! @shane.logoff.website has also designed & 3D printed custom diagonal spacing for some neat italic wood type in our printshop that no one was using because spacing was difficult

Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 18h

#DHmakes <3s experimenting w/new tools for longstanding crafts (here, letterpress printing blocks):

Shane Lin @shane.logoff.website · 18h

Laser cutting is a great way to make cuts with thin lines that FDM 3D printing definitely isn’t the best at! But I’ve actually gotten good results 3D printing thicker areas that then transfer the texture of the top layer.

A print made with an FDM 3D printed letterpress cut of railroad tracks, where the surface texture of the print looks kinda like wood.

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Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 18h

Can confirm this looked great in person—a neat wood-like texture

Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 19h

Free hybrid event: "Data Ethics for Historical Research" 11/10-12. 'Neither data nor computational techniques=neutral tools; historical source datafication risks amplifying inequity in access+infra+POV; diverse historical experience=>rigid categories entrenching existing bias' HT @dhnow.bsky.social

Data Ethics for Historical Research

International Conference on Data Ethics for Historical Research

ieg-dhr.github.io

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Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 19h

That seems theoretically possible? I'd love to hear if you try this! (I forget if you're in Cville—if so we're working to get some small presses refurbished for @scholarslab.bsky.social makerspace so folks can use, in the next couple months 🤞 & also local printshop should reopen before end of year?)

Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 19h

Really doesn't need to be deeply engraved to print, just enough paper doesn't touch etched-out parts; always can be way more shallow than I expect. I have not attempted vice printing (cool idea!) but as long as you're getting even pressure across whole plate (w/a board between vice + paper/plate?)

Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 19h

I'm not certain, but it seems worth trying? @shane.logoff.website knows more than me re:3D printing for letterpress; I've been working w/a friend lasercutting acrylic intaglio plates w/our but also a cheap home lasercutter–haven't heard back yet how well those printed (Sizzix craft press?)

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Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 19h

I read that they are now okay and back out. And yeah, despicable, unconstitutional, immoral violence.

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Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 19h

Thank you for suggesting! Excited to print with this too.

Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 19h

3x3" reverse print block of @queermedieval.bsky.social's art (nondrawn areas will be inked); now cutting a big 10x8" version (drawing part will be inked). Rather than mess w/mounting .25"-thick acrylic, will print in 2 passes on top of sketched showing where type (.918") can fit around printed image

Photo of lasercutter work creating printing blocks using @queermedieval.bsky.social's art depicting the Portland Frog (person in full blown-up frog costume) facing off against two heavily armed government agents. In the foreground, a finished 3"x3" clear acrylic block is held up; the art has been etched on it horizontally flipped, so it will show the right way once printed with ink on paper. The drawing parts are cut away, so it'll be the empty non-drawn parts that are inked in the print. In the background, a large 10"x8" acrylic sheet is being lasercut with the same image but larger, and this time inverted so that the nondrawn parts are etched away, and the drawn parts of the image will be inked in the print.

Photo of yellow construction paper that's been used to outline the 3x3" image block, so that after printing it I can lay out moveable type to print on the same paper using a second pass, and know where that will show up in relation to the image

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Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 20h

Thank you @queermedieval.bsky.social for creating the QTd drawing! I'm lasercutting it right now so I can letterpress print it w/added text #DHmakes (Researching this, I learned gov agents peppersprayed this person directly through the breathing hole of their costume)

Photo of a lasercutter engaged in etching a clear 3x3 acrylic plate with a horizontally reflected version of @queermedieval.bsky.social's drawing of the Portland Frog (costumed protestor) facing off with two heavily armored government agents

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Reposted by Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti

tuck woodstock @tuck.bsky.social · 2d

The 11th(!) Gender Reveal grant cycle is now open for applications. We're particularly interested in TPOC-led collectives engaged in ongoing community work.

Apply 💫 genderpodcast.com/grant 💫

If you'd like to help fund one of our no-strings-attached grants, visit genderpodcast.com/donate, tysm!

graphic that says: are you a trans person of color doing rad organizing, art, or community work? we want to give you $1000! applications for the gender reveal podcast's 2025 grant program are open now thru October 31. apply and learn more at genderpodcast.com/grant.

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Reposted by Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti

Siva @sivav.bsky.social · 2d

I can’t believe my life is being affected by the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Reposted by Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti

Ryan Cordell @ryancordell.org · 1d

Hey @queermedieval.bsky.social your illustration prints *beautifully*!!

Anti-fascist frogs hot off the press

A print made from wood type and linoleum. The linocut is an early-modern style woodcut rendition of a protester in a frog costume facing off against two ICE officers in riot gear. The text reads

STAND UP
TO
FASCISM!

The ink is green on an off white paper.

wood type and linoleum set for printing in a proofing press. The linocut is an early-modern style woodcut rendition of a protester in a frog costume facing off against two ICE officers in riot gear. The text reads

STAND UP
TO
FASCISM!

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Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 1d

Just scheduled some lasercutter time here tomorrow!

Reposted by Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti

Anthony Moser @anthonymoser.com · 1d

google wants to introduce errors into my spreadsheets and attribute them to me

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Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 1d

I'm glad—I'm also obsessed! (& wanting a Vandercook/Challenge press) I've got a zine containing my research on accessing or buying your first press that'll be available for free once it goes through peer review for a journal (bsky.app/profile/lite...), will try to remember to share once it's online

Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 16d

31-page "accessing or buying your first press" #zine draft is done now, too! Again, focus=letterpress accessibility (physically using the press, cost, etc.). Ideas for finding local free/low-cost press access; DIY, used, new options from free to ~$3k (for groups/schools/libraries w/some grant $)

Screenshot of the Canva design software's grid view, showing 31 pages of zine at a zoomed-out distance such that you can see there's a lot of informative text, but also a lot of colorful photos and not a few incongruous good dog photos

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Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 1d

(Am hoping to try the type soon, as our local printshop should reopen in the next month or so, & I think their kind of press will work best w/the size of our braille type. Will share when I do! Thanks again for your teaching.)

Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 1d

She did not; she used 3D printers and a metal milling machine, but spoke about realizing how the constraints of the machines and materials impacted the usability of braille, & learning to design for inclusion of braille.

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Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 1d

. @aelang.bsky.social authored a tutorial on creating 3D printed plotspaces likes she presented on designing & fabricating: aelang.github.io/research/Plo... #DHmakes

aelang.github.io

Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti @literaturegeek.bsky.social · 1d

. @aelang.bsky.social adds to Peabody's "interplay of viewer, image, text" bodies, ability, & labor; critical making can draw attention to power, a major point of feminist theory/approach