OUGD504: Design Production - Design for Print Talk and Task

This morning Phil gave us a quick talk about finishes and formats when it comes to print. He gave us a list of finishes to research into. I think I would have benefitted from this task more if it were set at the beginning of the year as it is getting very late in the day to be still researching into different processes.

• Coated and Uncoated papers
• Die Cut
• Emboss
• Deboss
• Litho Laminate
• Duplex
• Foiling

Initial Research on the web:

Varnishes

Varnish is often associated with wood. However, what you may not know is that varnishes are also used on paper. Paper varnishes are applied to paper stock to give the page a smooth and consistent texture as well as having the added benefit of sealing the printed material to help preserve it better. High-quality books and magazines usually have a paper varnish applied to their pages.

Varnishes can be glossy, as the example below shows:

Or matte (below):

Typically, varnishes are applied to the entire printing surface when a page needs to be robust but without adding too much weight to the paper stock, making it suitable for magazine pages, magazine covers, and brochures.

Lamination

Lamination adds a layer of protective coating (usually some type of plastic), often glossy or matte, to the printed surface while also improving its sturdiness and water resistance.

Lamination also has the added benefits of improving the tactile feel of the of the printed surface, lending it a smooth finish.

If a high gloss laminate is applied to the printed surface, photos and images appear to have more contrast and have better sharpness, as shown below:

Matte laminated prints are more subdued but add a very luxurious and elegant finish to the printed surface:

Lamination is not unlike varnishes. However, whether lamination or varnishes are to be used in a project is wholly dependent on your needs and your desired outcome.

Typically, lamination is used if sturdiness is required such as for business cards and soft covered books. Also, in my experience, lamination tends to be one of the more expensive print finishes.

Spot UV Varnish

Spot UV varnishes are paper varnishes applied to the printing surface and is cured or hardened by UV light during the printing process. This results in a glossy coating on the surface of your print, as shown below:

UV varnishes are usually used as a spot application where only specific parts of the page get a UV varnish.

This effectively gives texture and focal interest to different areas of the printing surface while leaving other areas untreated.

 Foil Stamping

Foil stamping is the use of a malleable metallic material applied to the print surface by using heat and pressure.

Foil stamping adds reflective properties to various elements of your design and can serve to add a bit of luxury to your project.

Typically, it is used on text and the logo on the page or when certain elements call for it.

Embossing

Generally, embossing refers to raising parts of the page for emphasis and texture.

This print finish adds physical depth to the embossed elements and thus, shadows and highlights are also produced in the design.

Embossing also adds a tactile dimension to your design. Images and text are literally felt.

Often, embossing can be combined with other printing techniques such as foil stamping to enhance the effects of both techniques.

Letterpress

Letterpress printing is one of the oldest printing techniques available. Some printers may call letterpress printing by the term debossing.

A letterpress is used to depress or indent certain portions of the page. It can be seen as the opposite of embossing.

Traditionally, the letterpress technique was used only for applying ink on a page as a form of relief printing and usually only for text. But it has evolved to also include pressing logos and other design elements directly into the paper substrate.

Source

Blush Publishing

I was looking at some print finishes on Pinterest and came across an article which linked me to Blush Publishing. Their website is very succinct and tells the user exactly what print method has been used and what finish it has applied to it.

Client:
The First 65

Designer:
The First 65

Stock:
Colorplan Duplex

Inks:
Silver / tint

Finishing:
Edge colour

Client:
Brain Up

Designer:
Brain Up

Stock:
700gsm Colorplan

Inks:
Black / Green / Grey

Finishing:
Edge colour

Client:
Delaine Gardner & Adam Coppack

Designer:
Adam Coppack

Stock:
300gsm Somerset Cotton

Inks:
2 colours both sides

Finishing:
Crease

Client:
Samantha & Elliot

Designer:
Elliot Jay Stocks

Stock:
1000mic Cairn Board

Inks:
Black / Green

Finishing:
Die cut corners

Client:
Genius Division

Designer:
Genius Division

Stock:
540gsm Colorplan Duplex

Inks:
Red / tint

Client:
Netfélagid

Designer:
Jökull Sólberg

Stock:
540gsm Colorplan Black

Inks:
Silver

Client:
The Ubiquitous Manufacturing Company

Designer:
The Ubiquitous Manufacturing Company

Stock:
1000mic Cairn board

Inks:
Silver / tint

Finishing:
Edge colour

Client:
WRK

Designer:
Mark Lindop

Stock:
650mic Cairn board

Inks:
Silver

Finishing:
Edge colour

Looking at Blush Publishing's Blog:

Task:

With a focus on stock, substrate and 'special' print finishes find as many variants as possible for each of the following design areas:

• Branding and Identity
• Packaging and promotion
• Publishing and Editorial
• Information and Way-finding

(Primary research would be more appropriate when possible)

Branding and Identity:

Liz Earle logo - Embossed

Source

InForm architects branding - varnish and debossing

Packaging and Promotion:

source

Fleur De Lys - foiled

Source

Packaging - die cut

Source

Coffee Packaging - Embossed

Expatrius Estate - hand etched crown, gold foil emboss

Publishing and Editorial:

Pasta book - foiled

Information and Way-finding:

Source

Custom Embossed Wayfinding

Primary Research - Foiling:

OUGD501: The Look Task

I have chosen the advertisement for Gucci’s fragrance Gucci Guilty. There are two separate images, which promote this product, and each portrays a woman in a different way.  In the first image the male is the dominant person because he is returning the look from the audience, the woman could be looked at as a prop, she is simply there to make the man look more attractive and to make the audience engage with the product.

The second image sees the woman returning the look from the audience, though she does this and it would seem that she is in control of the image, the look in her eyes could be seen to welcome the look from the audience and suggest that it is ok to look at her body in a sexual way.  ‘Those women on billboards, though; they look back. Those fantasy women stare off the walls with a look of urgent availability’ (Coward, 2000, Page 34) this suggests that women who are in the billboards who return the gaze of a male are welcoming it and do not feel objectified like the women on the streets. This type of ‘looking‘ gives the man complete control and allow them to avoid a life of rejection. ‘Perhaps this sex-at-a-distance is the only complete secure relation which men can have with women. Perhaps other forms of contact are too unsettling’ (Coward, 2000, Page 34) this gives the looker freedom to look upon a woman without the fear of rejection and also allows them to keep the power and control over the woman. ‘Voyeurism is a way of taking sexual pleasure by looking at rather than being close to a particular object of desire, like a peeping tom. And peeping toms always stay in control.’ (Coward, 2000, page 34) This links to Freud’s theory about sexual fantasies and how people receive sexual pleasure at a distance, this alienation from the reality of existence brings them comfort and confidence. ‘Distanced he may be, but secure he remains’ (Coward, 2000, Page 35).

The representation of femininity is one, which is very typical in the world of advertising because the main goal is to entice a person to buy into a consumer culture in order for them to feel included and important. Coward suggests that this a way to trap women into buying a product to become confident with men looking at her from a distance rather than uncomfortably up close.

OUGD501: Context of Practice - Study Task 2

Task:

Using the text Berger, J. (1972) 'Ways of Seeing', write one critical analysis of an advert which, in your opinion, reflects the logic of consumerism, or the social conditions of consumerism, discussed in the lecture 'Consumerism' (17/10/13). Use at least five quotes, referenced according to the Harvard system, in support of your argument.

The above advertisement is taken from page 133 of John Berger's ways of seeing. 

This advertisement focuses on a false promise of acceptance to a higher social class through consumerism. The line ‘Think of it as an exclusive club for which most men will be eligible’ suggests that by owning a suit from this brand will mean that the consumer will become part of an ‘exclusive club’ which would increase their social class and make them feel accepted.

The line actually suggests that the man could be accepted but probably won’t because the members of the ‘club’ are from a higher social class than them. This tactic allows the upper-class to make fun of people who aspire to change their social class and be envied as a result of them buying into consumerism and being unable to become accepted. Berger wrote ‘Being envied is a solitary form of reassurance’ (Berger, 1972 Page 133) this suggest that the upper classes gain satisfaction from the lower class aspiring to be like them. This in turn increases their confidence and reassures them of their status.

The stance of each of the men in the advertisement portray them observing the looks of envy from the lower classes and the gazes which they return are incredibly impersonal and un-relatable. ‘You are observed with interest but you do not observe with interest – if you do, you will become less enviable’ (Berger, 1972, Page 133) Berger suggests that the upper class must observe without interest in being envied because if they do they will become less envied, this is apparent in the emotion coming from the men in the advertisement because they need to be envied in order to be secure about themselves.

The false promise within this advertisement misleads the audience into thinking that by buying into this product it will improve their life ‘Publicity principally addressed to the working class tends to promise a personal transformation through the function of the particular product it is selling ’ (Berger, 1972, Page 145) This follows the concept of rags to riches and how buying a product can change someone’s life. The advert is suggesting that a suit can make someone feel more confident about his or her self-image in a very materialistic way. In the same way that this advertisement targets the lower classes who have to ambition to become accepted it is also aimed at the middle class who are very close to becoming part of the upper class but never quite make it. ‘Middle class publicity promises a transformation of relationships through a general atmosphere created by an ensemble of products’ (Berger, 1972, Page 145) this suggests that if someone already has a high status and is wishing to improve on it they can by more products which will allow them to alter their self-image and be accepted into the higher class.

With this Berger addresses the idea of the dreams of glamour, which each person has. ‘Publicity does not manufacture the dream. All that it does is to propose to each one of us that we are not yet envied – yet could be’ (Berger, 1972, Page 149) Berger is suggesting that all people have the need to be envied in order to feel confident and superior to others. The advertisement supports this statement as it plays on the natural human instinct to be involved and included into groups, this being the exclusive club for men.