OUGD504: Design Production - Design for Print Design Boards

OUGD504: Design Production - Design for Print Final Product

OUGD504: Design Production - Design for Print Illustrations

The content of my book is primarily based on illustrations to explain the process and the products which come out the printing technique. I drew out the illustrations of the machinery from images off google as it was near impossible to draw each from memory. I had an idea of what most of the machines looked like as I had been to visit LGP print in Leeds where I was shown all of the machines which are used within commercial print.

OUGD504: Design Production - Design for Print Content for Book

Digital Print:

Digital print is one of the most common ways to print. It is also one of the cheapest options because it does not require as much preparation as some other processes. Digital print is usually used for smaller print runs (up to 500 sheets) as it does not have as a high print quality as Lithography does (page 17). There are many different sizes of digital printer but the largest is up to A0 (Page  69) The printer on the right can print up to any length until the roll of paper runs out. It is also fitted with a built in trimmer to cut the paper when the design has been printed.

Process:

With digital print there are two different processes which we can go through. The first is Inkjet printing which uses CMYK inks. These printers are the more common home/school printers which you will probably use. The second way to print is using a Laser printer. This does not use ink it uses toner. This process is slightly different to an Inkjet printing as it involves a laser beam passing over a charged drum which defines the image. The drum then selectively collects the correct colour toner and transfers the image to paper.

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Litho Print:

Lithography or Litho print requires several aluminium plates in order to print designs. A design which is to be printed using Litho must be split into different colours or inks before it is sent to the printers. Each of the colours requires an individual plate. Each plate will travel through a machine (see left) where it will be coated with the ink colour and printed on the paper, card etc. The colours will be layered up on top of each other to create the final image. Litho print is a cheaper alternative to digital print as it allows for much larger quantities to be printed at once. Plates can also be stored away for future print runs.

Process:

The process of  Lithography is based on the principle that oil and water don’t mix. In order to print using lithography a design must be prepared onto an aluminium plate (see left). A plate is made by etching a design into it. This is done by firstly printing the design onto the plate using a polymer (oil based) material, this is then coated with a chemical solution which will etch the design into the plate. The process of etching creates a raised area where the ink will be contained. The ink is added to the plates through a variety of rollers. The plates are dampened, first by water rollers, then ink rollers. The ink gets to the plate from the ink fountain which will be filled the intended colour. The image area of the plate picks up ink from the rollers. The water rollers keep the ink off of the non-image areas of the plate. Each plate then prints its image to a rubber blanket which then prints the image to the paper. The plate itself does not actually touch the paper, this is called offset lithography.

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Silk Screen Printing:

Silk screen printing can be done on a large scale but it can also be quite small and bespoke print runs. The majority of products which come out of silk screen printing are road signs. They are produced at a large scale with very specific machinery which allow it to work much quicker. For smaller bespoke screen printing such as handmade cards and gig posters the machinery is much smaller and requires a lot of work from humans. 

Process:

• A Silk Screen is selected depending on the size of the print.
• The design is printed off onto clear acetate which will make it easier to expose the design onto the screen.
• Screen is coated in green emulsion which will allow the design to be transferred onto the screen for printing.
• The screen is then taken to an exposure unit which uses a powerful UV light to expose the acetate design onto the screen.
• The screen is then rinsed off so that the design is all that is visible.
• The screen is then clamped into a screen printing bed. Paper is placed on the bed underneath the screen. 
• A collection of ink is then placed at the top of the screen ready for printing.
• A squeegee is then used to pull the ink over the screen which will press through  the tiny holes to the paper underneath. The screen will print as many times as you wish as long as there is enough ink.

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Flexography:

Flexography can be used to print on materials such as cellophane, polythene and metallic films, so it is often used to print plastic shopping bags. It is also used to produce milk cartons, plastic carrier bags, disposable cups, labels, envelopes, newspapers and wrappers. It is the cheapest way to print publications and packaging in large quantities.

Process:

Flexography is very similar to litho print, it uses plates, unlike Litho though Flexography uses a rubber plate instead of an aluminium plate. There are many different ways to produce a plate for Flexography but the most recent is called Laser engraving. This involves a laser cutting into the plate to create a raised area in the shape of the design.  Ink is transferred onto the raised areas and a doctor blade is used to remove the excess ink. The paper/material is then sandwiched between the plate and the impression cylinder to transfer the image. The design is then passed through a dryer before it can be touched.

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Gravure Print:

In gravure printing, the image is made up of small holes sunk in the surface of the printing plate. The holes are filled with ink and any excess is removed. Paper comes into contact with the ink in the holes when it is pressed against the plate. Gravure printing is used for long, high-quality print runs such as magazines, mail-order catalogues, packaging, and printing onto fabric and wallpaper. It is also used for printing postage stamps and decorative plastic laminates, such as kitchen work tops.

Process:

Like Litho and Flexography print Gravure print also uses plates and rollers to print an image. In this case the image is transferred to the plate by a laser which creates small holes in the shape of the design which contain the ink, like flexography the excess ink is removed by a doctor blade so the design is not saturated with too much ink when it is printed. The plate is then rolled around the plate cylinder onto a pice of paper/material which is sandwiched between the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder. 

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Pad Print:

Pad printing is a great way to print onto small, awkward shapes and also a variety of materials. There is a wide selection of inks which have been developed for pad printing and it has become very popular. The process is very simple and can be done with large industrial machines as well as manually at home or school. 

Process:

Like other print processes in order to pad print a plate must be used. The design is etched into a plate which is then covered with ink, a doctor blade scrapes off the excess ink so that all is left is the raised area which has a layer of ink. The ink which is used evaporates and becomes tacky which is what will stick to the silicone pad. The pad will e lowered to the plate and the tacky ink will stick to it, the pad is then moved to the object which is going to be printed and is pressed to it. Because the pad is silicone the ink comes off on the object perfectly without the pad needing to be cleaned for the next use.

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Embossing:

Embossing is the impression of an object onto another which creates a raised outline. Like the image on the left embossing makes for a very high quality finish on print jobs. It is usually only used for the cover of a publication or a specific type of branding such as a business card. It is an expensive process as it requires a copper plate to be engraved with a design. Unlike the printing plates copper plates take several hours to make and require constant attention in order to make sure it does not over develop.

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Debossing:

Debossing is the opposite of Embossing, instead of the design being raised out of the paper it is indented into it. The process of this is very similar to embossing though it does work with a wooden plate which can be laser cut, this is a much quicker and cheaper option to develop and has a great effect on a piece of artwork. 

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Foiling:

Foiling is another popular process which can make a design look extremely high quality. Foiling involves the design  being stamped on the material through a metal foil this forces the foil into the surface of the material and adds a great final effect to a design. There are many different colours of foil 

which can be used and it can be done on a wide range of materials, not just paper. 

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Die Cut:

Die cutting is used to make multiple, identical shapes. It works in a similar way to a biscuit cutter. A shaped blade called a die is used to cut material. The material to be cut is placed under the die and the die is lowered. For creasing, blunt blades are used. The blade does not cut through the material but creases it. This is useful for materials that need to be folded such as packaging and publications.

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Laser Cut:

Laser cut is a great way to make quick stencils and debossing plates from wood. It involves a high powered laser cutting a design into a material. There aren’t many limitations when it comes to material choice as it can cut through almost anything. The process is very time consuming as it can only cut one design at a time, unless on a very large commercial printer in a specialist factory.

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A Formats:

A formats are the most commonly known to the general public. The size of paper in A format varies quite significantly with the largest being A0.

The Dimensions:

A0 - 1189 x 841 mm

A1 - 841 x 594 mm

A2 - 594 x 420 mm

A3 - 420 x 297 mm

A4 - 297 x 210 mm

A5 - 210 x 148 mm

A6 - 148 x 105 mm

A7 - 105 x 74 mm

A8 - 74 x 52 mm

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B Formats:

B format is more commonly used by people within the print community. They are very similar to A formats though they are slightly larger.

The Dimensions:

B0 - 1414 x 1000 mm

B1 - 1000 x 707 mm

B2 - 707 x 500 mm

B3 - 500 x 353 mm

B4 - 353 x 250 mm

B5 - 250 x 176 mm

B6 - 176 x 125 mm

B7 - 125 x 88 mm

B8 - 88 x 62 mm

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C Formats/ Envelopes:

C format is used for envelopes, they are created so that A format papers can fit inside a C envelope without being folded more than twice.

The Dimensions:

C0 - 1297 x 917 mm

C1 - 917 x 648 mm

C2 - 648 x 458 mm

C3 - 458 x 324 mm

C4 - 324 x 229 mm

C5 - 229 x 162 mm

C6 - 162 x 114 mm

C7 - 114 x 81 mm

C8 - 81 x 57 mm

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Perfect Binding:

Perfect binding puts all the pages or together, roughens and flattens the edge, then a flexible adhesive glue attaches the paper cover to the spine. Paperback novels are one example of perfect binding. Telephone directories and booklets also use perfect binding as it can work for publications which are a few inches thick. It is relatively an average costing binding method and it is very popular with commercial print. 

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Saddle Stitch:

Saddle stitch binding can be done with cotton/string or staples. The most common process is to simply staple down the centre of the booklet, this is very effective but cannot be done on very thick publications as it is not strong enough. Cotton saddle stitching can be done by person or by a machine. It is a very popular way to bind and it is probably the easiest.

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Wire Binding:

Wire or Wire-O binding is another very popular way to bind a booklet or file. It is done with a small machine which punches a series of wholes down one side of the paper and then wire is fed through the wholes, force is then added to the wire which bends it into an O shape which keeps the book together. It is a popular way to bind but it is very time consuming unless it is done by a machine. 

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Japanese Binding:

Japanese binding involves 4 wholes and a long piece of cotton/string. Four wholes are made in the book and the cotton is hand sewn through the publication. This process is more popular with hand made bespoke books rather than large print runs in commercial print. 

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Concertina Binding:

Concertina binding does not involve anything other than the paper itself. A series of folds/creases to create a fan-like effect which will create a small unbound booklet. This is the most simple of all binding as it does not require any specific technique or any other equipment to achieve the effect.

OUGD504: Design Production - Design for Print Design Development

I am creating a book aimed at teenagers between 14 - 18 years old. I want to make it very simple but I want the audience to be able to connect with it whether it be interactive or written in a specific tone of voice. 

Initial Ideas:

I had lots of initial ideas for my book, some of which were more interactive and others were a traditional book. At the beginning of every project I come up with a sheet of thumbnails with all of my ideas on, most are achievable but some do not play to my strengths. I had many crits where I proposed to make some of the ideas which were interesting but not very me, these were met with slight criticism so they had to be changed to fit my way of working. I know that it is important to try new things but I want to make sure that what I produce looks like I have produced it and produced it well. 

Box experiment - materials are included so the audience can have a go at the processes. 

A selection of books inside a belly band, information graphic based. Step-by-step walk throughs.

Manual with information graphics, activity book to test how much information has been retained, example book.

Example book to show first hand what all of the processes entail.

Concertina step-by-step books which can be individually torn off and carried around/stuck on the wall

Concertina for businesses which is sent to clients about the different ways which that business can print one thing.

Childrens book with doodle illustrations, for parents to explain how something has been printed

Perfect bound book called Ever Wondered How. Case studies which explain the processes.

Wire bound Ever Wondered How book.

Concertina which folds out into a large poster with information on the reverse.

Perfect bound book with pull out aspects

Set of wire bound books inside a file.

Manual, activity book and a build your own letterpress

Print manual, information graphic, vector image based.

Wreck this journal, encourage people to use the book and the processes

Information graphic posters which can be hung in the workshop areas.

Folder/File with examples, leaflet explaining the processes and stock examples. Would be sent from a printer to a client.

File with booklet explaining the print processes, examples of finishes and stock choices concertina books.

After having crit's with other students and Phil and Lorraine I  decided to settle on the Ever Wondered How? Book which will be based on information graphics and case studies to explain how something has been printed.

Cover ideas:

I have to come up with a cover which is appealing to the audience but I also want them to use it as a resource to revise from to help them with their school work. I think it is important to keep the simplicity within the design as well as making it young and appealing. 

I decided to settle on a simple and bold cover which simply gave the name of the book, I want my audience to understand from the off that this book is a concise and to the point source for them to use as a reference. 

The content:

I made a spider diagram of all the content which I think is necessary for my print book, I think it is important to include most of the commercial printing methods as opposed to the more hands on bespoke printing methods as more things are printed commercially than by hand. I have added a few bespoke printing techniques but I might choose to change this when it comes to designing my book. 

I made another spider diagram of all of the illustrations which need to be done. It would be a lot easier to use photographs but I think this is a lazy way to produce such an important brief. I want to draw out the illustrations to make it more personal, I also think that illustrations make it less scary for a teenager as showing them a large flexograph machine would be very daunting. 

I know I want use some form of case study style within my book so I did some quick research into some of the products which are produced by each printing process. I think that showing teenagers what products come out of each process will help them to identify with the process and how it affects them.

I did a lot of work on my target audience throughout the crits until I finally came up with the concept of producing something for teenagers. I want my design to be something which could be given as a gift but also used as a resource for teens revision. 

I made a quick spider diagram detailing all of the things which someone might need to know before producing work for print. Though I might not use all of these things within my book it allows me to select from the list and define my content more. 

The final content of my book:

Inks

Vegetable based inks

Digital Print

Litho Print

Flexography

Gravure

Pad Print

Screen Print

Foiling

Embossing

Debossing

Die Cut

Laser Cut

A format

B format

C format

Saddle Stitch binding

Japanese binding

Perfect binding

Wire binding

Concertina binding

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Design Ideas:

Now I have settled on the content of my book it was now down to the fun part - designing. I have a clear idea of what I want my book to look like and I know I want to make something which is not a traditional format, I drew out lots of different sizes for my publication which I took along to my crit. The final size which was chosen was the 160mm x160mm. Feedback I got from my crit was that the square made the book stand out and look interesting. I have produced a square book before for another brief and I do agree that the shape makes it seem more interesting. 

200mm x 140mm

140mm x 200mm

140mm x 140mm

160mm x 160mm

Binding options:

I wrote down different binding options for each of the sizes and asked for feedback within the crit. The favourite choice was for perfect binding which I think is the best option, though saddle stitching could work aswell. 

As I am including a section about formats I would like to have a fold out piece of paper detailing all of the dimensions for the audience to have a decent look at. I tried it out for my crit (not to scale) which worked really well though it did add to the thickness of the book which might affect the binding options which I can use. 

Trying out binding:

I have used saddle stitching before in my university projects and found that it worked really well, I had not tried perfect binding. I watched some tutorials on YouTube and followed them, I used PVA glue and bound a stack of folded A4 paper together. It worked really well and I would consider it if I were to print my book myself.

Finishes I could add:

Having done some research into the finishes which are available I tired out embossing for my cover. I used the laser cutter and made a wooden plate and used the Hydraulic Nipping Press at Vernon Street.

Link to embossing post

I found the process very enjoyable and would like to try it out with debossing as well. 

Wooden plates:

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Defining my content:

Text content:

Illustration content:

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Designing my book:

Now I have looked at the content of my book and any finishes which could be added I need to design the content. I have gathered all of the information and drawn out the illustrations, it is now time to put it all together in a creative way. 

I had an idea of what I would like my book to look like and the grid system which would be used for it. I mocked up some quick sketches of some of the ideas which I have had and also mocked them up quickly on illustrator.

Rectangle shaped pages

Square pages, opposite as the content develops.

Mock up on A5 sized paper

I chose the square paper size as the feedback from my crit said that this was the best option.

The grid system applied to the page:

I set the gutter to 4mm and the margins to 10mm. I also used a cannon to make sure that the pages were proportioned properly.

I am very happy with the grid system and the content I have chosen, it is not time to put it all together.

Final Booklet: