Complete

After a mad dash to Essex taking almost 4 hours in the car I have the box and it looks great. The embossing works really well. I'm very happy with it overall.

I have learned a huge amount throughout this project, but most importantly I have stayed true to my initial brief . I've tried my utmost not to let other influences compromise my project and have have continually felt in control of the progress it was making.

Sourcing a printer with such fantastic knowledge and such an interest in the project was a true god send - I often wonder how this project could have turned out without such a person on hand. I am also very proud of the sponsorship that I got myself for this project - it's nice to hear once in a while that what your doing is valid and can gain such interest.

Overall I can say I am very pleased with the outcome; as with any project there is always room for improvement and that is in some ways the case with this project. There are things I would have altered - I suppose hindsight is always useful! So as a conclusion I can truly say I've learned a huge amount from this and have truly found it the most enjoyable project I have undertaken. Most of all I shall miss updating my blog!

Finished

It's all done. The last thing remaining is the box which will be collected first thing tomorrow morning. I am photographing 'Process & Finish' once I have the box. An early night now - surprisingly!

Last Minute Panic...

Yesterday I came across a problem with the poster when cutting it out but decided to ignore the problem and carried on with the restructuring of the book instead.

So this morning when I decided to face my poster fears I came to realise that the positives which were printed out for me by the lady at Pellafort were scaled down by few mm, therefore making the poster once folded down, smaller that the desired A5 format. I completely didn't notice this at the time and feel so stupid for not noticing it - but the damage is done now.

My maths is completely horrendous so the thought of having to work out how much it had been scaled down by and then having to work out how to add a border to make it A2 to then get an A5 format once folded completely baffled me - so I enlisted my very helpful Dad who helped me work it out (when I say help - I mean did it all for me while I watched):

The reasoning for not just living with the scaled down version was that it looked awkward when placed on top of the book which is how it will be packaged. It is all sorted now and nicely folded down to a very accurate A5 and looks much better with the book. To be perfectly honest I'm not a huge fan of the poster, and the last min redesign of it at the screen printing place has left it not quite as I had hoped. I could have got it printed digitally after a redesign but I feel that a digital print in amongst the rest of the print processes would have been ill fitting. At the end of the day it is displaying another print process and that's the whole idea of the product.

Today

...I've been trimming down the posters and folding them. I'm still not decided on which paper stock/colour i'll go for.

I have also been altering the categorisation of the book - Originally I had the book categorised in process & weight order which made the band of colour down the side look like a naff tie (in my mind anyway) So I have gone ahead and altered the categorisation, it now works by colour, each colour is then organised by weight. Shown in the photo below: new organisation (left), old way (right). Also I am definitely using the binding screws.

I think this way works better for the 'readability' of the book. Making it easier to see all processes in one colour together & being able to select a specific colour by looking at the edge of the book. Oui?

Binding

After the incident on Wednesday (which we shan't speak about EVER again) with the lost binding screws, I have received a new batch in the post. These ones aren't quite the same but in fact are slightly better suited to my book - every cloud has a silver lining and all that jazz. The new ones look a little different and are 30mm as opposed to the 25mm lost ones - 30mm gives a little extra room for movement which i'm very happy with.

However, while I was waiting for new screws I decided to bind the books with the silver bobbly things (brain has lost the plot and can't think of their name) and started to think they would work well. They allow the book to be flicked through like a book and also splayed open like a sample book - aesthetically not quite as pleasing though.

Seeing as I had such a problem getting the binding screws, I decided to give them a go and trial both binding techniques side by side. The new screws are slightly longer so it allows the book to splay and also open out as a book - ergonomically satisfying. Pretty sure i'll use the screws.

All that remains to be done is:

• Trim the posters down & fold
• Decide on final categorisation (have been musing over the idea of changing the categorisation to colour order as opposed to weight & process?)
• Decide on cover page: white or black uv varnish design?
• Box - monday morning!

Posters Screen Printed

The posters which contain the literature accompanying the handbook have been done! I spent the day at pellafort press doing them after collecting the paper from GF Smith. I'm glad I had several stocks & colours to print on because some of the colours just don't sit well with the handbook. There was a hiccup with my design which has seen a change in the imagery. The halftoned photos were coming out very heavy so I quickly changed them to the illustrator designs I used for the designs throughout the handbook - annoying but I think they work well.
I printed some without the second colour which I am starting to prefer far more.

Two Colour

With a second colour. The design will still work without the second colour, I've designed it like this just in case there are any problems when I come to screen print it tomorrow. Grid/lines illustrate the folds of the paper.

Something I keep forgetting to mention is my choice of typeface. I have gone for Frutiger 45 Light & Frutiger 75 Black throughout the poster. The spot varnish design is also Frutiger. The typeface remains a constant throughout. I chose it because it a clean, crisp, readable sans serif. I like it's clarity and simplicity.

FSC Approval

I have also incorporated the FSC logo as the stock throughout the project (even the board for the clamshell case) is FSC approved.

FSC Approval: By displaying the FSC logo you are showing others that your printed products have been independently certified as coming from forests that meet the internationally recognised FSC Principles and Criteria of Forest Stewardship. In time, hopefully by displaying this logo others will become more aware and choose FSC Certified Printing.

Seeing as at this stage the handbook is a prototype and could possibly be developed into something viable I thought it appropriate to display the products environmental credentials, especially as environmental and sustainable design is such an important factor of design. Seeing as the project is completely based on paper stock etc it would be irresponsible not to acknowledge it.

Developments & Acknowledgements

Here is a rough idea of what the poster will look like. The images have been colour halftoned so they can be screen printed. I have included a brief descriptive caption for each process as well as a comprehensive list of the stock names, colours & weights of paper used and also the colour foils used.

As I was completing the poster I decided to add in a brief acknowledgement:

I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in the production of this volume, especially the companies who were more than generous. A final thank you to Chris Pollard at Dayfold Print and Alyson Hurst at GF Smith for all their help and support.

I thought it necessary and would have felt uncomfortable not thanking them in some way within the handbook - After all, Chris & Alyson have made this project both affordable and possible.

I will now be adding a second colour to the design.

This is it at the moment:

It is A2 in size and designed to be folded down to A5. The design incorporates a 'front cover' and 'back page' for when it is folded down.

Inspired/Procrastinating

I have a folder on my desktop named 'Wish I'd done these', which is full of little snippets of design which I really love. After a little bit of a designers block I decided to raid the folder and found some bits which should inform the layout/style of my screen print which has to be completed by tomorrow morning ready for printing in the afternoon...

Paper's i will be screen printing onto:

Zen (pure white in 150gsm )

Mohawk Navajo (brilliant white smooth 148gsm)
PhoeniXmotion (xantur 150gsm)

Colorplan (Mist & Vellum White 175gsm)

Once they are printed and I can see how the papers look with the samples I will decide which is most successful.

Here's what I found. And yes I do realise this is a massive act of procrastination but hey!

To Complete:

Now that the books have been categorised and put in their correct orders there is just this left to do:

* Design for literature to be completed for screen printing (All day Thursday for this)

* Paper to screen print onto (Already ordered and will be able to collect from GF Smith Friday am)

* Screen printing (Booked in to do it myself at 12.30 Friday)

* Binding screws (New batch -still pains me to say this- to arrive Friday am) All samples are hole punched already - did this at Dayfold.

* Box - Last thing to do. Will be collected 8.30am Monday morning.

Categorising...

To calm myself down after the binding screw incident I decided that I should categorise each volume into colours, weights and processes. I had to spend a long time popping the die cut negatives out as the die cutting process doesn't remove the negatives.

Once they were all laid out in colour order etc I was able to put together the final copies one by one...this appealed greatly to my rather obsessive compulsive nature.

I also became aware that I am missing a sample of gold foil on both white and real grey. This isn't too much of a problem and it was due to the run of gold foil going a bit wrong when it was being printed. In total I have a couple perfect copies with samples of absolutely everything, I then have another few copies which are missing just a few of some foils.

Minor Set Back

Things were looking good.

After spending four hours on the motorway today to sort the box out and collect the binding screws (the place I went to is the only place that sells the ones I like) I have lost them. Somewhere in between there and home I have managed to lose them. I have searched and searched - I have searched my local high street where I stopped on the way home to get food and crawled about looking for a small bag of nickel screws. I was convinced at one point that my dog had eaten them, and was then convinced that I'd thrown them away so rummaged through my kitchen bin. Joy. This has rather annoyed me and has resulted in me wanting to tare my hair out. I can get more but will have to wait 'till I collect the box, which is a huge annoyance and very inconvenient - in the mean time though I will have to make do with some other nickel ones, and use them as a backup if all else fails.

Interesting Print

As I am now completely obsessed with all things print, process & stock I thought I'd post this - just because it's interesting and I'm fed up of talking about my project non stop!

The ink is developed by Ruben Esser for his graduation project at the design academy. The ink "grows" when it's heated and becomes a rubber, foam-like material. Very clever - wish I'd made it!

More Progress

Now that the printing is all done I am on a mission to complete the finishing touches. I have designed the 'logo' which is to be embossed onto a black buckram clamshell box which will house the samples - I've been in Essex all morning at RS who will be making the clamshell box for me. I have also ordered some more stock from GF Smith to screen print the literature which will accompany the sample. I will receive the box first thing Monday morning (i know it's a little late - it will be completed by friday evening but needs time to dry etc) I will be collecting it personally so that shouldn't cause too much stress. As for screen printing, I am doing that on Friday.

Specs for box:

A5 Buckram Clamshell Box (Internal size 220x160mm) in BLACK

Blind Emboss (no foil etc)

Depth: 35mm

Printed!

I have spent the day in Dorset at Dayfold overseeing and documenting all the various printing processes. It has been a brilliant day and I am so so happy with the outcome. It's amazing to finally see it in it's intended form rather than on screen. I have uploaded all of the documentation onto Flickr which you can see here: My Flickr Set

Packaging Worries

I'm having a few issues with getting the packaging printed - i've decided to go with screen printing as the packaging requires A1 printing and litho just wouldn't be economical. I'm hoping to get some response from the various screen printing workshops in London who i've been contacting. Seeing as it's a bank holiday weekend it's probably going to be Tuesday at the earliest that I hear from anyone...

I do have a contingency plan if all else fails but i'm hopeful!

Reflecting

I've just spoken to Chris again on the phone and have arranged to be in Dorset at all day on tuesday 1st at 9am to oversee the printing. He's arranged it so that I will be able to take it all away with me that day which is fantastic. I have been looking at the first few posts I made on this blog and it has pleased me to see that I have stuck to my original intentions and have continued with the project, and have collaborated with professionals along the way who feel this project is worthwhile.

I wrote this earlier on in this blog: "The level of craftsmanship is also very important and the excellence of it's production through collaboration with manufacturers should ensure that it is not only designed well but is evocative and beautiful". - This is now completely achievable with thanks to all the brilliant advice and help from both Dayfold & GF Smith.

Also a fairly fitting quote I came across:

Coco Chanel pioneered the concept of giving away free samples, realising that consumers were far more likely to build a relationship with the brand and its product when they held the product in their hand.

More Boxes

I'm on a roll with this box making. This latest one known as a 'display carton' seems to be far more workable than the last attempt. The skillet carton has an extended lid which opens to reveal a display recess. This would be die cut from a single sheet, and provides a specific compartment for my product. The internal flaps that form the frame also add to the rigidity of the structure as well as helping to protect the product. This design only requires one side of the board to be printed which is an important factor due to cost effectiveness.

Excuse the dingy photos, the light is fading.

Packaging Trial Run

I did a quick trial run of the box below. I haven't ruled it out as a possibility but I've come across some flaws in the design which could possibly be remedied, but I have a few other possible boxes to trial run...more to come.

More Packaging Considerations

Melissa suggested a really helpful book which has given me some more ideas regarding the packaging of the book. I still think it is necessary to have the product packaged due to the delicate nature of the papers.

This book cover carton would act as a good piece of packaging for the outcome. The design incorporates a large flap fixed to the left edge of the carton's main face that acts as a front cover. The internal faces provide an excellent platform for product information and graphic design.

Designs All Together

The quote from Dan Mason will be UV Spot Varnished onto colorlux ebony matt stock - It will act as a title page/front cover. The rest as mentioned below in previous posts.

This is the sequence in which the designs will appear within the outcome.

Documentation

Chris at Dayfold has arranged for me to spend the day there this coming tuesday to document the printing process in situ. I will be able to photograph and document the various processes which will be brilliant. Despite photographs and documentation not being necessary or included in the final product, I think it will be an invaluable experience. Hopefully it will all be completed by the end of the day and I will be able to take it all home with me.

Endorsement

GF Smith have now supplied me with their logo as an illustrator file to include in my project. I am putting together a piece of literature to accompany the samples which will include their logo.

I'm very excited to have such a well established and respected company backing this project, and I really couldn't have asked for a more welcome response from them. I look forward to them seeing the final outcome.

The Last Adjustments To Print & Stock

Due to a few minor details I hadn't taken into consideration the spreadsheet detailing which process will be printed on which weight has had a final tweak...

It's all pretty much the same as before just one alteration really:

Embossing - 175gsm all colours

Die Cutting - 270gsm all colours

Foiling - 350gsm all colours + Colorlux gloss)

De bossing - 540gsm all colours

UV Spot: Colorlux Matt

The blocks are all being made up at the moment and will be ready for this Thursday (27th May). Very excited!

Carton Container

I recently purchased an iPod as a present for my Dad's 60th and had it gift wrapped by Apple (for an extortionate £3). I really love the carton that they gift wrapped it in and am seriously considering adapting the design to use as a carton container for my outcome.

The net is very simple, I will be making a mock-up to fit my A5 product asap.

Another aspect of this and a design consideration is the vast amount of printing space there will be on the inside of the unfolded carton - this space could act as the holder for the copy which will accompany the product.