As I can't risograph due to cost-efficiency for this project, the book is still meant to be risographed when mass produced therefore based on my digital printer experimentations and the feedback I got I have developed a method for my final design to imitate what a risograph printer would do as I want that effect of ink being layered ontop of each other as a direct link to the theme - sharing a space translating into visual information and processes sharing a page as well.
First Layer/Print
For the first print, I already ran into an issue where I forgot that in a risograph printer, only one colour can be printed on the page at once therefore I should have printed both images in the same colour however for the sake of the experimentation and also to save time (as this is a benefit of a digital printer) I continued printing different colours at separate times.
The images are bitmapped at 50 - 60 frequency with a round shape to differentiate from conventionally printed images, to add texture, and to also allow for the colours to lay ontop of each other due to the bitmapping process.
For the second layer, I bitmapped an image of an item that belong's to that room to experiment with scale and layering as a way of conveying to the viewer the personality of the room and also the idea that there is a lack of control in shared spaces - your flatmate may place an item somewhere you don't expect or want them to.
I bitmapped the image with a lower frequency so that it would sit on top of the first image more interestingly as the larger bitmaps would allow for the colours to merge and fill in gaps rather than just overlap, and provide more texture - this relates to the idea that the visual information needs to provide a sense of a physical experience - the items are real and representing real spaces therefore the bitmap is a link to this physical texture.
To print this way, I have to use photoshop and print directly from there as their print feature allows me to move the image wherever I want on the page. I can't see or predict exactly where the image is going to go which is effective as a process in itself for my book as the lack of control is a large theme that represents shared living and what I want to convey.
Issues I had with this is the unpredictability can be stressful when printing final pages on the actual paper stock which I need a solution to, and also the image has printed at an angle which is due to the cartridge paper being slightly crinkled as it was still went therefore going through the printer at an angle. I also printed the image upside down as it's difficult to try and remember which way it will print due to the way in which the original paper is placed.
To fix the issue with the upside down cactus image and to explore even further, I printed another image of the same cactus to explore a more hectic approach that is to be further down my book inspired by the McNeill Brother's zines. The black on top of the green provides more contrast allowing more of the image to be shown whereas the purple allows for interesting overlaps and also gives the page a more positive feel to the reader.
Considering colour choices and how colours work together is important as I don't want to always communicate to the reader that shared spaces are negative - they can be positive as well or even just neutral.
The second overlap is what I'm most happy with as the colours compliment each other, are lined up properly and provide the effect of a screenprint/risograph print that I was looking for.
Paper Placement Method
To solve the issue of being unsure of how the image will print and which angle it will print at and whether it will print at the top or bottom of the page, I trimmed the image down first, stuck it onto a test sheet and printed that way. When I noticed that the print was initially being printed in the wrong place, as shown by the cut off rectangular image, I stopped the print and adjusted. This also gives me a better idea of where the image is going to print as as I can see it in comparison to the initial image.
Once a double spread has been completed through these methods, I would scan it in then print onto my final paper stock as a digital printer would still imitate the layering of different colours the same way whether it was printed at once or passed through the printer multiple times for each image. This also ensures a more professional outcome which would be easy to achieve with a risograph printer when mass produced.
After cutting down the pages, I wanted to experiment with a different tool for approaching the spiral/wiro bind which are loose leaf rings that can be clips and unclipped. I liked the idea of these as they're cheap but also interesting and unusual to the book, and allows me to explore an initial idea that has also been recommended to me during different crits - the elastic band book bind. The idea that the book can be taken apart and shared out to others by the reader and then put back together. They can also put the book back together however they'd like or I could include page numbers to help them.
An issue with this prototype is as I created it at home, I didn't have the special hole puncher tool that comes with the book binding tool boxes at uni to create a more spaced out and professional bind as the desk hole puncher I used is very limited providing only fixed holes that are too large and too close together.
In this prototype, I also tested the difference between how the ink sits on both the cartridge paper and my final paper stock and they appear the same however the texture and slight off-white to my paper stock provides more of the impact to the reader that I wanted, and also seems more professional as it's not as transparent. However the transparency is interesting as it suggests the whole book shares information throughout all the pages.
Loose Leaf Ring Bind
- Impactful and interesting - this isn't a common bind found in books which may make it more interesting for my target audience, especially when placed in Leeds Arts University as I would want it to be as it may be attractive to creative students.
- Less hole punches - Only a few of the rings would need to be used to create the full effect and only a few is needed as many would make the book bulky and difficult to rotate 360.
- Allows the reader to take the book apart and put it back together more securely than an elastic band.
- It is quite large and I couldn't find a smaller one which is a slight con however could be worked around.
Colour Fold Out Poster
With the prototype, I placed it in a print out of the image for my fold out poster as for the final book, it would be placed in a colour print however as the screenprint's were still drying I couldn't explore it with those directly, but still wanted to view the overall effect of how impactful and attractive the poster would be and also how the images work to communicate the theme (the layering of different natural images to represent the content and layering/lack of control as nature grows how it likes.)
What I have realised with placing the loose leaf ring bind prototype within the foldout poster is that I would have to accommodate more space when folding so that the pages can fit more comfortably inside without being too wrinkled.
Moving Forward
- If using loose leaf rings for my final book, I need to use a better hole puncher so that the spacing is equal between the rings and the holes are smaller.
- Belly band should be on interesting paper stock that is complimentary to the paper stock used in the book and also to the fold out poster.
- Text on belly band should be letter pressed to relate to the processes used within the book and to the theme.
- Need to accommodate more space when folding the poster dependant on the wiro or spiral bind used.
No comments:
Post a Comment