OUGD504 - What is design for print? Concepts and idea generation 18th Oct - 26th Oct

Design for print - Concepts and idea generation

After looking and exploring a range of different printing techniques, I starting playing around with different concepts and coming up with a few ideas.

The main thing I really wanted to include was, other than showcasing as many different techniques as possible, I wanted to have an element of interactivity in my final product. This is really important to me because this is why I love working with printed material rather than digital because it's physical and touchable - I wanted to show that the most.

Ideas

26th October 2013

I'm really struggling to come up with a good concept for my design - I want a theme that will run throughout the project as I already have a topic (print) I need another element!

Technologic Motivational Posters

A series of posters inspired by the (truly poetic) Daft Punk song, 'Technologic' and loads of printing and finishing processes.

For example:

• Gloss it 
• Matte it
• UV it
• Gum it
• Emboss it
• Etch it
• Laser Cut it
• Foil it

... Or something along those lines. The posters will fold out in one big piece, and be perforated so you can tear from the rest and display how you wish.

Motivational Print Posters

I was wondering what kind of content to include in my manual - I didn't want it to be all facts I wanted it to be enjoyed and interactive - maybe use some big quotes about print?

Of course, a lot of them will be out of context and perhaps be referring to tabloids and printed media as opposed to printing as an art form, but I think will maybe even be humorous because of this?:

'If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.'

Benjamin Franklin

'A beautiful print is a thing in itself, not just a halfway house on the way to the page.'

Irving Penn

'Sarcasm doesn't translate in print at all.'

Megan Fox

'Print is the sharpest and the strongest weapon of our party.'

Joseph Stalin

'Just because it's in print doesn't mean it's the gospel.'

Michael Jackson

'You can't stop people printing what they want to print.'

Alan Sugar

OTT Print

The idea of having a print manual overfilled with different that it looks over the top? 

Power Cut

If there were a power cut right now, who would see your website? But who would see your metallic inked, foiled, flocked business card?

Could feature this opening mechanism ripping through a 'cord' and revealing a lightning bolt behind to show the user cutting off the power.

Exploration and Discovery

A Jules Verne/ Victorian/ Steampunk style contraption made of paper, helping the user to 'discover' the power of print.

Print isn't dead

'Operation!' game made using print finishing processes

Print isn't dead 2.0

The idea that print is a zombie - reaches out to a younger audience of designers who might tend to design for web and digital media without realising that print is still very much alive and relevant!

I decided that I could combine a few of these ideas - the OTT Print and the 'Exploration and Discovery' ideas to create a juxtaposition with something silly that will entertain and humour the audience. I have decided to do a 'Posh Pass the Parcel!' 


The infinity folding card

The infinity card is a cool and interactive way to engage with the audience. There are many different sides and ways to view each panel - it could be a really cool way to showcase all my different print methods?