OUGD504 - Design Production Workshop 2: Design For Print

This afternoon we put all of our objects on the table and as a group categorised them. Using the six different categories we put the printed materials in different piles. 

First category - Format

We separated our printed material into the following groups:

• Bags
• Packaging
• Promotional material
• Business cards
• Magazines/Publications

Bags

Packaging

Promotional material

Business cards

Magazines/Publications

We then divided the group further, using a variety of different categories.

Subdivide 1

Packaging

Food and drink 

None food and drink

Bags

Canvas

Paper

Plastic

Publications

Entertainment

Promotion

Information

Promotion

Flyer

Leaflet

Tags

Ribbon

Badge

Business cards

Self promotion

Business promotion

Subdivide 2 (COLOUR)

Monochrome

2 colours

3/4 plus stock

Full colour

We then had a discussion about whether things look cheap or expensive depending on the colours used. For example, Molton Brown is a high end brand, but it is a monochromatic design, and therefore is probably less expensive to produce than a full colour design.

Subdivide 3 (PRODUCTION)

Mass production

Short run

We didn't have any bespoke examples, so I am interested in researching further into this category.

Whilst categorising production, we considered the audience size, as well as the cost of production as well.

Subdivide 4 (PROCESS)

Embossing

Foiling

Screen printing

Digital

Impression

Spot varnish

Pad printing

After this I presumed we would do finishing and stock, but we had actually covered these categories already within our other divides. 

We then had a discussion about ordering our printed materials into cost. Initially we had Liz Earle at the high end, but once we had a discussion about it we decided that packaging is in fact thrown away so it is likely to be more of a mid range design example.

After the break we organised the same objects into the following categories:

• Branding and Identity
• Packaging and Promotion
• Publishing and Editorial
• Information and Way finding

We put ours into groups, but we didn't have any for information and way-finding. 

Branding and Identity

Packaging and Promotion

Publishing and Editorial

We were then asked to write a list of things we want to find out more about:

• What quantifies as mass production?
• What is pad printing and how is it applied to design?
• The cost of high end packaging
• How to emboss/impression
• How does the ink used on high end branding/packaging differ to low end?
• What is a bespoke brand?
• What are examples of bespoke brands?
• Do high end brands pay more to print on their packaging?
• Is screen printing the cheapest option?

We then went round the class and shared what we had found:

Other people mentioned the following:

• Spot varnish
• Difference between mass produced/short run
• How receipts are printed
• How to make inks
• How to print on napkins
• Pantone
• Refresh the colour theory
• How to foil professionally
• Improving general knowledge (binding etc)
• Printing white on black stock
• Packaging software (one of my thoughts)