- What attracted you to print and printmaking?
Personally, I was properly introduced to printmaking during my A-Levels – I enjoyed the different stages within processes that allowed for reflection and response.
- Do you believe there is too much reliance on digital methods to produce design nowadays?
Not necessarily, but it is just a different vocabulary as any form of making is. I suppose this is down to the individual. Some people do just use processes that they are comfortable with and experiment very little in this regard. It’s good to have an understanding of as many different areas of making as possible. If you have the vocabulary, then you can use it.
- What do you think are benefits of using more analog processes (prints and letterpress) rather than digital?
It depends on the character of mark that you want. Both are relevant, some are more appropriate for different applications. I personally enjoy finding out the variables based on process, choice and formal elements and try to apply them in response to each stage as a reactionary aspect to an element of pre-planned making. That’s not always the case though, sometimes I prefer to consider the concept of making prior to image production and just ‘follow the rules’ that I have set out to use whatever the consequences may be. To become part of an imperfect machine.
Another thought is that one may operate in a way that has been impacted on by ones experience in other processes. i.e. Applying knowledge to different areas. So if my brain is wired to printmaking and the elements of making within that field this will affect the way that I work digitally.
After that long answer – I guess that both have their benefits. But an analogue image will allow for printing onto different surfaces (e.g. wood), It will have a unique character (based on its physical properties), the making decisions are slower so can be arguably reflected on more at each stage in making which could give way for more experimentation. On the flip side, the speed that digital image manipulation can be used could potentially give quicker and more varied experimentation. Its just breaking down the language within each process and trying different things out.
- What do you think are the benefits are of using digital processes rather than analog?
Different character of image and speed. Different applications such as for the web. But I guess that you can scan in an image that you have produced and manipulate it digitally. This may not be as relevant? However, I think the character of image that we produce quite often is predetermined by what we think we are expected to produce for different contexts. That sounds obvious on reflection especially when we are considering clients, but I think it runs deeper than this. We all have contexts that we work within.
- Do you believe that craft and analog processes create outcomes that are more personal/intimate than outcomes that are only created using digital softwares? Why?
Potentially, yes. Probably because we spend more physical time with the actual piece and the tools and materials are tangible things that we used in order to make that piece.
- Do you think there will be a future where print and printmaking processes are no longer needed?
Again, this would be one for context. I would say that there are always things to explore with variables of making within any process. Whether this will always be relevant for certain applications is another thing altogether and one which would come down to money and context. For example, a web based company may want quick graphic design where someone to produce some artwork in a ‘slow’ way may not be what they would be looking for in terms of money spent on speed of production or the slick finish that they may be after. Crossover work would still be relevant here – for example, a designer may purchase artwork to then digitally manipulate to fit their client’s wishes…
Artists will always look for things to explore. Designers will also. Corporate design agencies may buy the findings to use as an end product to tweak for their clients.
(Just a thought!)
- Why is holding on to these analog practices important? Is it a sense of history?
History is cool but it’s not the reason that I use these processes. There is still a lot of mileage in these forms of making and digital crossover is relevant too!
- Do you think most graphic designers don't realise the importance of these processes?
I’ve got no real idea on this one and it might be presumptive of me to comment. However, I think Graphic Design students probably do see these processes as something to explore. Whether this is a fashionable thing at the moment – that is not for me to say. Maybe when people have less access to these facilities outside of the education environment, Graphic designers may have to look elsewhere to get a certain ‘feel’ to their work. A lot of online digital image resources will have originated from analogue techniques and processes.
- Would you personally like to see projects in which analog processes are solely used to produce a graphic design outcome? Do you think this is needed?
Again, I’m probably on the fence with this one! Ha ha... It could be good as it would make people have to think around a creative problem, rather than have an ‘easy fix’. Not that I’m suggesting digital work easy. It’s just not always good in a creative (finding things out) context to rely on what one already knows. So pushing people in different areas where they may not be fully comfortable may not be a bad thing. I would say allow the process to be that process. Don’t try and make it be something else. What can this process do? What can you explore? What are the variables? What ordering and combination, layering etc. of these variables can you use to FIND SOMETHING OUT! Work towards an outcome rather than backwards from a solution! Cheers!
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