Design Context

Kirsty Fruin Design Context

Design Context:: Postcards

I have today taken a few photos of my design context postcards...

I think these work well as a series and show what drives my work.

Design Context Final Postcard

I have produced a final postcard for my design context response. 

This card contexualises the rest of the postcards; giving an explanation of who gave each quote and a link to their website, as well as how I have produced each of the postcards. 

Design Context:: Digital Print

I have digitally printed a quote from We Are Glad. I originally printed this with a 50% tint of black, however, on seeing it printed out I realised that it would look good to make a hierarchy between the word communicate and the rest of the quote. To do this, I have used 100% black for the word communicate and then continued to a 50% tint on the rest of the quote.

Design Context:: Embossing

I have today picked up my embossing plate and pressed my paper. I have used a GFSmith fabric embossed paper so that the print will make more of an impact. 

Design Context:: Screenprint

This morning I popped down to Vernon to make a screen so that I could screen print a spot colour using Generation Press' quote. It has turned out really well. I tried printing the fluorescent colour onto various stock colours, but I have decided that the white brings out the fluro colour best.

Design Context: Presentation

I have been considering how I am going to present my series of 6 postcards to make them look visually engaging from the offset.

I think I am going to use a thicker stock to protect the front and back, and then maybe something like a elastic belly band to hold it all together.

Brief 3:: Potential Store bag to mock up

Bags I could potentially mock-up with Liv's branding...

 

Brief 3:: Store bag

I want to propose what the store bags could look like. I have researched into existing high end fashion store bags and it seems that luxe paper/card bags are used.

In addition to this I have found that Harrods have branded bags which are re-usable. This is the case with a few stores, even those on the high street. So this is something I could look at producing.

Design Context: Postcard Design Development

I have changed the aesthetic of the type to suit the printing process.

DCpostcard designs.pdf

Brief 3:: Vogue magazine ad

I have been looking at the Vogue magazine ads to see how designers normally advertise their collections. It seems to be that these high end designers use full bleed images to make a high impact and then position the brand logo onto the page too.

vouge ad.pdf

Design Context:: Embossing plate

This morning I have made an embossing plate to deboss my fifth postcard. It will be ready to pick up tomorrow so I will go and deboss my postcard tomorrow.

Design Context:: 4 so far

So far I have 4 postcards, each showcasing a quote from either a printer, paper supplier or designer.

I think the muted colour scheme works well with one another so I am going to produce the other two with white and a cool grey stock.

Design Context:: Foiling

I have foiled a typographical quote from Box-Head...

unfortunately it did not come out quite as smooth as I would have liked, so of the letters foiled really well but others didn't due to the toner in the printer. As we are not allowed to use our own stock in the printers with the better toner and time does not allow me to make a screen and foil this properly, I am going to have to just use the best of a bad bunch. At least it gets my idea across. 

Design Context: Laser Cutting

I have laser cut a quote from Team Printers. I cut the design on a darker stock to ensure that I didn't get burn marks on the page. I have then layered a piece of grey card behind this to produce a colour in the holes.

I also tried cutting a pattern and layering this behind, but it just looked far too much and took away from the type itself.

Design Context

This morning I have been down to Vernon to letterpress the first of my postcard designs.

letterpress.pdf

Brief 6:: Presentation

I have been considering how I can best present the work I have. I learnt a lot from photographing my GoPaintball collateral about lighting and background colour, however I want to now focus on the presentation and layout of my Typo collateral to ensure it looks professional.

Consequently, I have been looking at how others have presented their printed work...

Design Context:: Team Printers Response

Simon, Hello!

Thank you for having us in the other week, we really appreciated your time.

Whilst talking to you we touched upon the current situation with regards to the use of print today. I am currently working on a brief questioning the statement 'Print is Dead' so wondered if you could please take a few minutes to answer the following questions?

1. How do you think the current rise in digital based media has affected print based media? Massively, the truth is that lots of printing companies have ‘died’, any printer producing ink on paper products that we basically used for info only uses such as price lists, catalogues etc has suffered as this can be produced more effectively and easily updated electronically on the web. The marketing budget is now split across far more mediums (print, SMS, e-mail, web, etc) than it used to be. Therefore what is spent on print and paper is a fraction of say 10 years ago.

What printing companies have had to do is really find their USP to add value to what they do, just been a printer is not enough in these times. At Team we embraced the high end design led markets (fashion, arts, corporate) offering a full in house service of all facilities (litho, digital, POS, foiling, embossing, varnishing, etc) to enable us to produce any client requirement to any quantity.

Other printers have embraced more of a marketing solutions approach by linking print to SMS and electronic media, this is termed web to print. Either way just putting ink on paper is not enough.

2. Do you think the rise in digital media has affected the way in which designers design for print? Yes, because print is less used, when it is, designers want it to have more of a wow factor. Colours, processes, finishes, techniques, bindings are used to really make the experience of print more luxurious.

3. Is it beneficial for designers to take into consideration print processes and print finishes from the initial stages of the design process? Absolutely, see above. When designing for print, it is not just about creating something that looks good on screen, you need to know what is possible and how it will reproduce.

4. Has there been a noticeable change in type of print jobs clients require? Yes. Mainly shorter runs but more process and higher quality.


I hope you can find the time to answer my questions as it will truly aid the development of my brief.

Thanks,

Kirsty

Brief 3:: Exhibition Space Lettering

When visiting Ikea this week is noticed they had raised lettering like how I want Liv's logo to appear in her exhibition space, so I took a snap. I am going to produce Liv's white on white, but the concept is there.

Brief 6:: Exhibition Banners

I want to propose that branding for the whole Typocircle talks, so I am looking at the exhibition banners that will be present at the event to direct people and ensure they are at the correct building; a visual presence for the JTW building the talks will be held in.