Presentation

The presentation of the stock & print is a crucial part of the success of the project. At this stage i have a rough idea of the quantity of outcomes i will have to work with, so it is important to keep an eye on size, depth etc of the final piece. At the moment I am pretty sure i see the outcome as a beautifully crafted book/brochure/catalogue. I will have to start thinking about binding etc soon, I know that I will be printing the majority of the process' at different stages and seeing as they will each be on differing stocks it will be made of single leaf/pages. Perfect binding would work for single sheets, but not for differing weights of stock i wouldn't have thought. There is the possibility of leaving the sheets loose and presenting them in a box/folder, but this could result in lost pages. Bindings & fixtures will be something i will be looking into over the next week or so.

Linear

A bit of inspiration for line/vector artwork from Phil Armson...

Some more very inspiring line based artwork from Tom Pratt...

Type Faces

Just a quick idea based on some type faces i saw absolutely ages ago on Just My Type. The two type faces below are designed from lines. If i were to design a type face consisting of and built with lines (such as these i'm showing) I could tackle the issue of point size and line weight and have something rather interesting looking. Just a thought at the moment - i'm keen not to overcook or complicate this.

Line Weights & Point Sizes

Below is a very shoddily put together set of line weights, type point sizes etc.

This is by no means a final or even anywhere near a prototype for the designs, i just wanted to portray the importance of having these elements within the design. They serve a real purpose as well as an aesthetic value.

I will contact my printers to gauge the most popular and successful weights, type sizes and fonts for each process.

At Present...

As it stands i am now figuring out the final product/outcome and the realistic forms it can take. I am doing this project based on the tactility and the lack of physicality available to designers, combined with the beauty, glamour and inspirational qualities paper stock and print process has.

The final outcome must be considered and not a self indulgent piece.

I've been drawn towards book form, something easy to reference from, and something coherent.

The process' i have decided to use will be each printed on several stocks and in different colour variations. The designs for each process will be formed with different elements to best show off the process' in order to show their limitations and highlight the expanse of their capabilities.

Differing line weights, point sizes etc etc will form the designs. Each process will have a different design, but each individual process will have the same design. For example two different die blocks will be made for embossing and de-bossing - each with a different design - therefore each piece of embossing will have the same design on each page if you will, but on differing stocks. This way of producing the processes is not only far more cost effective, it is also crucial to what i am trying to demonstrate. If each page for one process is the same, it gives the viewer a consistent with which they can make informed print decisions.

I'm not quite sure if i've delivered what i'm trying to say in a very coherent way but right now i know what i mean as do my printers - more of a concise post to come!

Print Posters

Happy F&B's work seems to be as close as i can find to explain with an example what I am trying to achieve. Some more relevant work from them:

Posters to remind designers that Elanders is one of the oldest, largest and foremost printing houses in Sweden. The posters present advanced printing techniques in the form of geekish themes such as: Movie Bad Guys (relating to the increasing popularity of horror films), Sweedish Summer (in the run up to vacation) and First Novel (at the time of the Goteborg book fair)

More Arctic Paper

Gothenburg based design agency Happy F&B, through their work with Arctic Papers, have amassed an impressive portfolio of promotional paper catalogues. Their Wood on Wood brochure is a remarkable design statement. 'We wanted to show the connection etween wood and paper aswell as the tactile qualities of uncoated paper and what the surface can do for printed images.

Arctic Paper by Happy F&B

Look At This: Contemporary Brochures, Catalogues & Documents by Adrian Shaughnessy features Arctic Papers promotional brochures. Faces and Surfaces is a nice example of showing off paper stock.

The photos of the book don't really give much of an idea so i'll include the blurb -also i took the photos while attempting to catch a bit of the sun so apologies for the grass and knees etc in the background!

A confident, unfussy brochure for Arctic Paper's Munken range. One hundred people were photographed in revealing, almost brutal, close up. 'Paper has a lot in common with the texture of skin,' explains designer Lisa Careborg, 'from soft and smooth when we are young to rougher and frailer when we are older. In the book we started with a one year old baby on page one and ended with a 100 year old person on page 100. The book starts with Munken's whitest and smoothest stock, followed by creamier and rougher paper, finally becoming smooth and pale again towards the end of the document'.

Documenting the Process

I'm really keen to document the processes' I use for my FMP to go alongside. Perhaps a website to explain the processes' in further detail. This is only an idea at the moment. I will however ask to keep the dies and blocks used - they are another beautiful element of print.

Design Decisions

Since the start of this project i have been heavily influenced by my personal indulgence in books & beautifully bound catalogues/brochures etc. At the moment i see the outcome as being more of a bespoke piece which would be used by design agencies/designers who have the budget but not necessarily the time to explore stock & process when making creative print decisions. Think of it if you will as almost a print, stock & process pantone book - something far from ephemeral and overly influential.

All materials & print can be experimented with, but it will take time and organisation to ensure that these experiments work. One of the aims of this project is to provide something which takes the time and effort out through tried and tested successful outcomes.

A major problem is that many manufacturers & printers fail to produce samples or effective literature. This would remedy both.

A rather pompous way of describing it would be to say that the outcome would act as a conduit between designer & manufacturer/printer.

Some things to think about:

While i was waiting for Chris to arrive yesterday i was scribbling some ideas down about material & process selection:

. Selection (for both stock & print) should avoid anything too wayward or unusual - this is due to supply being highly fragmented & costs beyond budget. Please note, this does NOT mean that i will be using cheap shitty stock or stuff you can pick up from WHSmith.

. Processes included and chosen in this project are chosen because they offer an alternative, or offer an exciting opportunity to print and reproduce on a variety of materials.

Little Black Book

The technical team at Dayfold produced this guide to help create the best black for a print job. Printed on both coated and uncoated stock, the samples shown provide a comprehensive range of colourways that allow comparisons. Type and rule control guides are also included. The reason for me posting this is because is is in the same vein as what i'm trying to achieve - a reference and pre print/stock decision sample for designers.

Samples Coming Out of My Ears

Some of the lovely stuff from Dayfold. Dayfold have said they would be able to do the printing for the final outcome - seeing the brilliant quality of their work and meeting with Chris has put my mind at ease in regards to finding a good printer.

Progress to Date

Yesterday i had my first review of my work since i have come up with the concept so it was good to hear that it's a viable and exciting project. I also met with Chris Pollard from Dayfold later in the afternoon to discuss the project.

He was really helpful and gave me some great insight into what he's often asked by designers and how he thought the best way of informing them would be. Chris was very generous and gave me a massive folder full of samples of the stuff they print & design at Dayfold. They really know their stuff and the quality is brilliant. He also very generously gave me a couple of copies of their publication 'little black book' - with is a book designed to act as a reference for designers looking to print the perfect black on both coated and uncoated stock.

He also mentioned GF Smith and a contact who he has there and the possibility of sponsorship for stock.

I'm really keen to make this project just as much about the paper stock as the print process, after seeing the difference paper types can make to processes i'm really keen to get more involved with differing stocks.

Some more good news is that Paul Haslam from Benwells has offered me some work experience, either 5 whole days to start with or 10 mornings so i don't have to miss tutorials/work etc. I'll be starting asap. This will be a great learning curve and a chance to work with people who know a lot about the area i'm looking at.

Arctic Paper Design

It's Nice That have featured this beautiful embossing today:

"A bit of a noteworthy emboss here by Hamburg’s Juno studio for Arctic Paper. I can’t understand a whole lot of what’s been written, but you don’t need any words to be impressed by the intricacy".

www.juno-hamburg.com/p

On the topic of materiality (below) this is spot on. A beautifully simple yet intricately executed piece of print process which if you had it in your hands would wow you even more.

Materiality

I think the key to this project being graphically beautiful is the imaginative use of materials. The quality will be defined through textural engagement and the interaction with it's materiality. 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.

Just from receiving and examining the samples from Benwells it is obvious how evocative and inspirational print and process can be when produced to a high standard. I want to achieve a level of inspirational aesthetic realisation - not sure that makes sense but i know what i mean at the moment!

Fun Stuff

Here are some photos of my Benwells samples...my favourite is the rather loud & garish gold foil blocked smiley face!

Update

Chris Pollard has just called me to confirm a time and place for us to meet - it's nice to actually talk to someone rather than continuously send emails, he sounds really helpful and very friendly (a rarity i've found when speaking to printers)

I'll be meeting him on Wednesday. By then i hope i will have more of an idea about the form the project will take...book/catalogue/brochure/box etc and the exact print processes i will be including. I'm really starting to gain momentum now with this project and am feeling pretty pleased with how it's going.

Exciting News

I have been sending some emails and making contact with printers who i am confident have the right skill set and knowledge to help me with the development and technicalities of my project. The best and most exciting response i have had was yesterday from Chris Pollard from Dayfold Printers. I had a long chat with him yesterday and he is really keen on meeting up next week to talk more about the project. He said it was a great idea and something that as a printer he would find really useful. He mentioned he has a lot of design clients who he thought would love the idea as it's often hard for them to see finishes & outcomes all together to make an informed decision. He also mentioned GF Smith (who Dayfold use regularly) and the possibility of sponsorship.

Better Than Christmas

This morning i had a very exciting visit from the post man. Alongside the books i'd ordered from Amazon were a couple of other treats! I got myself a sample pack from Benwells designed by We Made This, and my new GF Smith Sample book. I wonder if i could flog the RHS gold certificate at the chelsea flower show this year?

1000 Graphic Elements, Print & Finish & The Production Manual:

These are a few books i was interested in having a look at. Shall post more as i get through them but the general gist of them run along the lines of the other books i've looked at: Informing print & finish decisions with limited images and no tactility.

The Production Manual: A Graphic Design Handbook - Gavin Ambrose.

"The Production Manual" teaches all aspects of getting a job to production. It is a very practical 'hands-on' guide or manual for graduate students who tend to leave college without any of these skills. It will teach students how to use the knowledge they have gained during their course.In the case of printed work, this would include; plate-making, resolution, printing techniques - everything to ensure that the project is produced as required. The book also shows the inspirational side of production, for example, creative printing and how to achieve tricky effects like duotones and halftones. All the areas that fall under the remit of graphic design are covered including exhibition, packaging and signage.This title is suitable for graduate students of graphic design, photography, media studies, fine art, industrial, and product design as they start out in their careers, those wanting to get even more out of the production process, practising graphic designers, and those teaching different aspects of design.

Basics Design: Print & Finish - Gavin Ambrose.

An introduction to a variety of printing techniques, such as letterpress and litho as well as a range of finishing techniques, including varnishing and embossing. Printed on a series of seven different paper stocks allowing the reader to see the results that can be achieved from creative stock selection. Demonstrates advanced printing techniques via the use of three special colours to show how metallic, fluorescent and pastel inks can be used to great effect.

1000 Graphic Elements: Special Details for Distinctive Designs - Wilson Harvey.

Often it is the small details that make a piece shine - similar to the way that unique buttons on a white shirt can give it an entirely new look. This book explores 1,000 of the embellishments available to graphic designers across all kinds of projects, from books to brochures, invitations to menus, CDs to annual reports. Exacting photography focuses in detail on the different options, and the reader is invited literally to shop for ideas. Content is organized by type of embellishment, ie: a designer searching for an unusual binding would find a wide collection of fresh ideas in the binding section. Other topics covered include fasteners, graphics, unique materials, embossing, debossing, speciality inks, type treatments, interesting colour usage, add-ons, die-cuts and much more.

Dayfold Print

Due to the loss of my saved bookmarks it took me a while to think of the name of this printers and find their website and subsequently their blog which is really useful.

This is what they have to say about themselves:

Dayfold are a print company.

Well, not just any old print company . . .

We are experts in creative printing and we think hard about what we do.

Most of our clients are designers who love our involvement in the creation of their beautiful work.

We are specialists when it comes to paper and board, much of our work is produced on unusual, mainly uncoated materials – we have spent a lot of time getting this right!

Our work regularly uses foils, embossings/debossings, die-cutting and intricate hand make up.

We would love to help you if you are a print designer – if you would like help with quotes, dummies or even just advice, we would love to help.

I've been in touch with Dayfold today and hopefully will be able to get some advice from them!

This is an example of Dayfold's High Build UV Spot varnishing.

Benwells

Alistair Hall at We Made This designed Benwells new identity for them, and alongside took some beautiful documentary photographs on site of the printing process. You can see the series of photos on flickr here.

Speaking of Benwells printers, they are one of the few printers who have dedicated a section of their website to images of their processes'. The images are very nice and certainly give a feel for what they offer, however images and captions don't make up for the lack of tactility.

Printers

Two printers who i'm hopeful will be able to help me with my project are Benwells and Push. I've spoken to both printers before regarding other projects and have found them both very helpful. I've also seen and own things they have printed for example the 'It's nice that' Publication Issue 1, April 2009 printed by Push.

I've also just spoken to GF Smith who are sending me their latest paper stock guide. My last one disappeared magically!?

What I'm Doing

What i'm trying to achieve is something along the lines of what the books I have looked at below aim to inform. However, what I will produce will be realised with real samples of the techniques talked about to act as a designers reference guide to print techniques, paper stock, inks etc; whereas the existing books only offer photographic evidence which will never be as viable as real examples. It will act predominantly as a guide to inform designers to make innovative process/outcome decisions, and also act as a guide for designers showing clients possible finishes etc. Another thought would be to include within the final outcome a variation of binding techniques.I have a few ideas as to the final outcome of the project and the form it will take,but i'd rather focus on content at the moment.

Not only will this project allow me to learn about and use a variation of print processes and ultimately create something materially engaging, it also gives me the opportunity to achieve a well designed piece of aesthetic graphic communication through layout and design.

PRINT WORK - Capture The Best Publication And Promotions.

"Printwork" showcases the intimate relationship between prints and publications or promotions design. Graphic designers are continually challenged to find new ways to lend impact and interest to their work. The special printing methods collected in "Print Work" are employed to great effect in book and product design in innovative and exciting ways. Colors, gloss, and texture all add visual and tactile appeal to products, packaging and print designs. "Look and feel" has never been more important to the success of a product or campaign. "Print Work" encourages designers to experiment with unusual printing methods and techniques and challenges them to think beyond the computer screen and into the dimension of the realm of the senses. Presenting actual techniques featured in the book inviting readers to touch each page, allowing them access to the haptic quality of the finished products.

Materials, Process, Print. Creative Solutions for Graphic Design - Daniel Mason

'There is currently an enormous wealth of materials and of print and manufacturing processes available to designers. These opportunities are rarely fully explored, whether from lack of knowledge, or from a belief that they will be too costly, too complicated, or too time-consuming. Materials, Process, Print explores these diverse possibilities, providing insights into how they can be stretched, skewed and subverted to produce original results. In-depth analysis of specific materials and of key print and manufacturing processes is combined with a series of case studies showcasing innovative practice from major international studios at the cutting edge of contemporary design. Functioning as a handbook for reference and a highly illustrated source of ideas and creative solutions, this book suggests fresh approaches and new ways of thinking for designers working in graphic design and packaging, and will also be of interest to product designers and anyone who commissions design in these fields'.

Materials:

The book is split into 3 parts, the first being Materials. Each page introduces a new material. There is photographic evidence and a short write up of it's uses. The images are helpful, yet lack any sensory reference.

Process:

The next chapter is Process. Processes' such as lithographic printing, limited binding methods, die cutting and inks are documented.

Print:

The Print section of the book provides a series of real projects with descriptions of the processes, materials and print used to create them.