COP - Practical Work - Study Task 9

Practical Work Ideas Evaluation 

What were your initial aims?
The initial aim of this practical work where to produce work that fitted with the conclusion of the essay that it that print medias role in the Digital age is to work in combination with digital design to produce work of high standard. To create 3 magazine cover as this topic is related to the essay in different way, indie magazine can be created more easily and faster using digital advancement but they relay on print media to produce/advertising them, they are on of the major business keeping print alive in this new age.  These magazine covers would explore the combination of different digital and print media in combination for their covers to see how the style work together and the benefits of both ways of working can be expressed.

What processes/strategies have you used and why?
For the practical work i have create 3 different printed covers, these use digital print, digital design, letter press, screen print and mono print. the processes have ben done to see how they can work together to create a design for the covers but to also allow me to conduct physical research into the downside and benefits of each first hand.

What literature have you read that informs this work?
Print is dead, long live print
Modern Magazine
Print is dead, book in the digital age

Is the work effective (in terms of your aims)? In what ways? How do you know its effective (testing)?
For this brief i know the work is effete as i have asked for feedback on the work, i have asked an audience if they feel using these techniques together has made the design better and they have agreed with the process and said that this style of design has worked better over all .The work is effective as it has allowed me to leaner first hand the benefits and downfall of these medias, allowed me to see which should be used for each part of the process and why. Its created a greater knowledge into these industries and why they relay on each other to succeed, how they can work together for the final outcome to produced work that achieve the best product.

Does it communicate what it should do (in what ways)?
The practical  work communicated the ideas of both style working together via the way its obvious that they have used a combination of styles, it clear from the cover of eye magazine a mono print has been scanned in because of the over all textured look of the cover, the sliver thick ink makes it clear that the gentlewoman cover has used letter press along with the imperfect slightly messy yet detailed print outcome, the screen printed cover takes advantage of the precise, texture and florescent inks available for this technique and uses this to benefit the design outcome to enhance the colour scheme.

What are the successful elements and why?
The main successful element where the screen print and mono print, this ask they could be bent more for this brief where letter press was very inflexible, the final letter press outmode was very different to the intent style due to lack of typefaces, letter and size but the other designs used the print techniques to the best of the ability to produce accurate cover that could be used for the brands.

What areas need improving or developing further and why?
The ares that need improving would be to use a different style of cover for letter press,s the gentlewoman might be to modern for this traditional style of print, a different magazine might be more suitable for this cover. Also use more techniques of print, like foiling or etching could have been used on the cover too, this would have given a different effect to the cover and shown different effect of different print media therefore shown the benefits of all the range of print media combined with digital. Also the digital aspect of the covers could have been enchained by using a gif or a animation for the covers, this would have been a benefit of digital media that could have been explored.

COP - Practical Work - End of Module Evaluation

End of Module Evaluation

Over this module i have conducted different styles of research into different media, using both books, digital and also physical research were i have tested the techniques to find out the downsides/positives first hand. Overall i feel that doing this had given me a greater knowlegde as i could experince the issues reading about them but also in person, i could work out if in my opinion the final outcome where worth the effort of print techniques or if i could have created them digitally they would have been more successful. It turned out that after creating the piece by hand myself i had more of a connection to the design, the over all piece of work meant more to me after i had gone to the effort to make it and the time to produce the effects myself, print has a messy imperfect effect but this in my opinion isn't a bad thing. The style of print is less clinical out put due to the mistake, this module has shown the that design doesn't need to be perfect to be successful, more messy design lies in the letter press it can also give an output that allowed the audeince to connect more will it as its less digital, they can see the physical traits of the creator which allows them to understand the effort of the process more. When i started this module i could see the benefits of digital design as i have used the software before, and understood how digital media could one day replace print as everything i read now it mostly digital but this print allowed me to see that print wont 'die' but it will change purpose, the physically print versions of the covers could directly compared to the digital and the benefits be seen. Research conducted in this module has shown stats on the predicated rise in digital media but then contradicted this with the way that people think, people prefer manual because of the look and fact they ca hold the product. This module has allowed me to see the different ways people appreciate and use print, take part in the techniques to learn the downfalls and benefits first hand combined with detail research into the opinions of professionals in this field,  this is drove me to be more confident with the final outcome and using traditional print methods. Before this brief i thought the best form of outcome was a digitally design document as it could be applied to anything, changes easily and send easily this module has soon how people in general feel that even if digital is more technically useful the benefits of traditional print shouldn't be ignored. Print has its uses and benefits as well as digital, there will always be creative that prefer print and ones that prefer print but used in combination i feel they produce the best outcomes.

COP - Practical Work - Summary/Synthesis

Summary/Synthesis  

When creating these designs the main point that was obvious is that traditional print takes longer to produce, experiment and fix any issues where as digitally this can be done in half the time, maybe less but the reason that print is still used is due to the aesthetical qualities that can be produced digitally. The print media method side of the production took a large amount longer that the digital designing and had to be done a place that had access to the equipment which would be hard to find if the college was useable. Also the mistake or issues cause when printing are hard to undo, usually the process has to be repeated when it doesn't work out as aim, for example the first letter press type seems to formal for the cover therefore had to be completely redone where as this could have be change if it was digital. Even thought there are all these disadvantages to print media there are also many benefits, the final outcome produced for this practical brief are improved drastically but the use if these media in different ways for each cover. The creative review cover uses fluoresce inks that cant be copied digitally then was mass produced many different covers cheaply, the letter press gentlewoman cover has sliver metallic ink used which also can be mimicked digitally that gave an over all style that added a sense of expensive and class to the cover, the mono print cover used a textured, free, unique design style that cant not be recreated giving the piece a since of individually whilst dramatically reflecting the theme of art without the use of words.
 
In the essay it talks about how Jeremy Leslie, the author of the modern magazine states talks about how the influence of the digital age has improved the creative aspects of the magazine culture, this link to this practical work as the digital software used for designing allow me to edit and experiment more with the cover of the Eye Magazine as well as with the layout of the other two magazines. The new digital media allowed me to overlap, change the colours, move and change the size of the mono print i created for the Eye magazine cover, this couldn't have been done manually as each time the print would have needed to be redone but therefore cauaing a different output due to the nature of unique mono printing. Digital media then also allowed me to apply a branding style to creative review and eye magazine that is the same as their current house style, Digital media can be used easily to create grids and layout basics for these magazine where as this would be hard to make the same every time due to the nature of human error with print. Digital media gave allowed asses the imagery for both the creative review cover and the gentlewoman cover, this allowed the more accurate imagery to be included so that the covers reflect the branding/idea of the magazine, it allowed the use of a photography take by an source to be applied where there wasn't a physical image, this would have been hard to to do via print without the original file due to no way to source the imagery for printing. It allow allowed the perfect version of the illustration to be applied to the the creative review cover, this would have to be redone without the use of digital media meaning that it would be slightly different to the famous original, digital media makes it more accessible to import existing files/images to work rather than having to recreate them as they would be for print.  These feature an benefits of digital media agree with essay that currently digital media is enhancing print style rather than being uses against it, these are the features that digital has effected print in a positive way rather than having to be used one form or the other. Digital media has its benefits, mostly time saving and experimental work but the print techniques used here also had their different benefits, both media used in this project effected the final pieces outcome in positive ways which was the aim. To show that print and digital work better when they are combined rather than used separately.

The final pieces created for this brief benefited massively from the accurate design and experimental work available using digital media, this practical work was conducted to see if their is any need for print in a world were 2 in 3 people in the UK have a smartphone, they can access the same data/facts fast and easier via their smart phone so that are the benefits of print techniques? The essay discusses that physical print researches and appeal to a difference audeince, an audience that still love their magazine to fill up their personal shelves and spaces, people who relay on print for decrotive means the over all effect of print is that after used the piece seem more expensive as it was clear that had been manually produced which shows that someone has personally taken time to make it, they also used style that can be recreated using digital media therefore looks better than the on screen versions this is as the texture or colour of the piece was improved by the ink/medium used. The print techniques has a wider range of specialist materials available and fabrics could apply the designs too where as digital only takes one form, on screen. The benefits of the print techniques used for each piece are made clear when looking at the final outcomes, the print styles have given the piece benefits that no digital media can relate too. This proves that print still has a market as the essay suggests, it shows that there are still benefits of print that taken over digital and vis versa, Print will never 'die' due to the fact it meets the downfalls of digital but this is true of digital. Even thought the sales of print have been effect via ebooks and new digital media print will always have a place on our shelve as it has benefits that digital cant compete with, its being use more for decorative uses now rather than as need use of communication/design but its evolving not dying, the role has shifted form vital to wanted.

COP - Practical Work -Feedback on Covers

Feedback on Covers

Too see if the final outcomes from this brief have benefited from the use of both medias i have asked for feedback, the aim of this beef was to use digital with print to created piece that were beneficial and of a greater quality due to this nature.
To see if this has been achieve, i have asked a group of people if they prefer the digital files or the printed version of the covers, this will show if the brief has been fulfilled or if the digital media has made the role of print reduced. To see of the time and effort put into the manual printing of the cover has enhance the over all look or if this brief would have been more successful don't using digital media, if the audience can appreciate the style or if easy/perfect design is more successful for this brief.

Final Covers

FEEDBACK

'i feel that digital design always feel clinical, its just a file with no practical use and issues with technology, these final outcome are much more reliable as pieces as they are physical copies'

'there an effect of manual print that just give a better look, its more personal less perfect and it give make the look of these piece better, this is shown clearly in these especially the screen print'

'the texture achieved via the manual print is a feature that can't be done digitally, as it can't be held or felt'

'for mass use or sending out document digital might be a better solution but for one of piece these look better, they have a feel that isn't matched digitally'

'the use of different inks that are usually seen due to the fact they can be used digital enhance thee

 design of these cover, it add a factor that standout due to the nature its uncommon in most design these days which makes the cover more successful' 

'i always prefer printed design, this just shows the colours, texture, style and imperfectness of the design that shows its been produced by a human rather than a computer program.'

'as a designer i can understand the benefits of easily digital design but here i can see that the print method that take long do have positive effect on the pieces'

Overall the feedback has bought up some points like the ease of digital design compared to the print production, this is something i experienced when creating these pieces but it has mentioned that even thought digital might be more practical the final look of the pieces is drastically improved by the print. Print might take longer but it create a output that in general people prefer as it seem more human, it seem more imperfect therefore more relatable, it had textures and colours that digital media can't match but its also take a large amount of time. the process of digital production is more time effective and give more chance to experiment, it also allows files to be saved, edit and send easily and mistake to be changed but people in general still prefer print to the future of both these media is to work together as that work uses the best each style.    

COP - Practical Work - Final Mono Print Covers

Final Mono Print Covers

These are the final edits picked for the cover, using print i will apply these design to glossy card, the glossy/shine over the cover will add attraction to the designs it give it a more expensive feel which is associated with more upperclass magazine but will enhance the colours saturation and the spareness of the image of these print as the ink will be absorbed less. 

Using a digital print can't apply of the selected inks that screen print or letter press can but this process always more detailed imagery (like photographs) to be produced, also it can produce different layers of colours a lot quicker rather than with scene print or letter press where different ink/paint has to e added then cleared off each time. Digital print produced more accrete image quickly but don't have the texture or personal touch of manual printing, also it needs the produce to be produced digital so it relays on digital media were as the other print styles can b produced on their own. 

Digital print is the most common form of print at the moment due to the easy and fastness of production therefore i have included this form in the practical work. The major downfall of this technique does require the audience to have knowledge of the technology and have access to the equipment needed, the down.  

DIGITAL PRINT RELAYS ON DIGITAL TO PRODUCE PHYSICAL 

COP - Praitical Work - Final Screen Print

Final Screen Print 

For the cover of creative review the print media selected is screen combined with a digital file, this combination will aim to produce the best outcome by using the specialised ink available for screen printing but with the accurate reproducing style of digital. Digital has allowed me to select artist work then directly apple their designs to the screen print via digital software, this was faster and more visually accurate to the style of the art its that drawing/reproducing the the image by hand would be then the fluorescent colour scheme can be added using screen print. Both these media will enhance the quality the final piece that produced as they have different yet influential benefits the the aesthetically finish of the outcome.

Layers Used

FIRST LAYER

SECOND LAYER

THIRD LAYER

FINAL PRINTS

One of the benefits of screen print is that once the screen have been created it easily and cheap to produce a large amount of print at once time, this process created 12 different copies of the cover for the same time it would have taken me to proceed 2, also when the screens and ink is set up its very cheap to produce a large amount of produces. 

BENEFITS

cheap and fast to produce on a mass scale 

suitable for mass production

each one is slightly different, more personal 

people prefer screen print to digital files 

uses specialised inks

no bleed/crisp print

accurate copy

can be applied to a wide range of materials

DISADVANTAGES

hard to produced any sort of shading/gradient effect

alinement of overlapping layers is hard to perfect

each colour needs a new layer

takes a long time

screen needs washing after every colour then left to dry

hard to create detail due to the exposure of the screens

hard to create text smaller than 12pt

ISSUES

Issues i found when producing this amount of prints was that some has a few mistakes with them, this is a issues that makes the final outcome more person but also means for the designer not as perfect as they would be digital. Most people including the audience of this magazine would prefer this handmade asethecial quality for the finial out come, people like to own screen print over digital files as its an item they can keep and look at rather than just use for practical reasons.

Issues -

the R/Text hasn't fully printed due to the ink not being pouch thought the screen correctly 

When the screen had emulsion on someone accidentally got water on the screen this produced wholes in the screens so the black ink can through in places it wasn't intented 

Too much ink was added to the screen then when it was pushed throughout the screen it created this effect , this blotted up and gave an uneven surface/print, someone people may see this texture as an advantage as the effect wasn't necessarily bad 

On the first print it was hard to eight the paper perfectly so that it matched up with the first layer, this was the illustration had overall ping part and lots of gaps in, it was very unclear if the whole picture was alined to the print as produced but i added for help and managed to change this for the final prints 

Overall Review 

Screen print have a genrallly more attractive outcome, this is achieve via the ink used and the durability, and use of these print. Digital files can use more animation ect in their apps for magazines but the audience has to have internet/access to the software to use these, where as once printed this covers can be enjoyed to anyone anywhere and will not fail to load or crash which an issues with digital media, therefore these final print are more reliably. Because of the way they are prodded by pushing ink into the surface the final print are also very durable, they will last year in the same format where as digital files might break or become unusable in few years as the software updates. Screen print is a way of producing digital files so that they can be physical used, physically kept for longer and enjoyed by everyone one more. 

For these final outcomes the digital design process was made easier and faster by using digital media then the final prints were record in a screen printed manner which allow me to use a fluorescent ink unavailable on screen(this can't be seen in the photos look at final outcomes in file). The ink is used in a  lot of the artist  this cover is promoting works, this showcases the style of the artist more accurately as it reflect the processes as well as the final outcomes of their work linking with the style of creative review magazine covers. The print method will make the design stand out against the cover magazine cover which will use duller inks due to the specialised ink used ,the aim of a magazine cover is to grab attention of the audience quickly to attract them to read it, for this using a fluorescent ink will do as its abnormally brighter than the other digital printed ink used in other colours. 

Screenprint takes a larger amount of time to produce the designs as every time a new colour/layer is added he screen needs to be washed and left to dry for 30 minutes, also setting up the screen for this takes a while but the final outcome produced allows be to hold the outcome and produced a large amount of the print fats and cheaply. Combining the digital and print production for this means that the outcome has the benefits of both, its suitable for the brief as it fits the style of art its needed to produce a cover for this selected magazine with the correct branding but also with a fluorescent durable inks that has a crispy clear cut with no bleed. Each cover that has individual mistakes over all showing personal feel as it reflect the way that this print has been produced by hand it therefore show that using both these techniques together enhance the design and production of the piece which can now be sold for a higher price due to its one off look.