LCC-MGD Unit 1.3
The Major Project Proposal * * * Beatriz Sanches 2012
Introduction * * *
“Printer’s apprentices would inevitably have parts of their skin stained black by the ink used in printing. As black was associated with the ‘black arts’, the apprentices came to be called devils and so printer’s devils.”
(St. Bride Foundation.)
Poster by Henrik Kubel, for a Paul Rand conference at the Royal College of Communication, 2009
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The Black Arts
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Research Question * * *
How can the handmade aspect of design be used to reinforce the printed message?
The Major Project Proposal
Posters Kummer & Herman, 2004
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Aims and objectives * * *
To investigate into print methods, by questioning the handmade aspects of those techniques.
* To explore different techniques such as screen print, letterpress, lithography, etching and study their different production process and aesthetics aspects.
* To clearly demonstrate that different print techniques, have different tactile aspects, and so far different messages.
* To explore the different visual qualities of non-digital process and its application within contemporary graphic design practice.
The Major Project Proposal
Monotype Keyboard room at ‘The Times’, 1920. (at Letterpress)
Eletronic Disply System, 1983, (at Letterpress)
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The Black Arts
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Research Question * * *
I have worked as an art director in advertising industry and therefore as a graphic designer, for 5 years. From this personal experience I have noticed that after spending many of those years working in a virtual computer bases, (from software as Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, etc. to email, Facebook or even mobile apps), I started to develop experiments that were more handmade.
“For the worker, machine production has meant a heavy, almost deadly loss in the value of experience” Davis Jury / Letterpress.
I realized that those aspects such as: tactile, tangible, Do It Yourself (D.I.Y.), crafts, handmade illustration, different materials, interaction, etc. were being used more frequently by the design community. In fact, according to Jan Tschichold, typographer, this is not something that should be analyzed isolated, but as a reaction of the modern process of working: “For the worker, machine production has meant a heavy, almost deadly loss in the value of experience,
The Major Project Proposal
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and it is entirely wrong to put it on a pedestal. That it is ‘modern’ is by no means the same as saying that it has value or that it is good; much more is it evil.” (Jury, Pg. 10. 2006) As a reaction, many deactivated printers that were once just museums artifacts, are becoming alive again and have plenty jobs charges. Also many young craftspeople started to study the process, and a risen of a new young generation of technicians begins to be faced at a short glimpse of the future. Although this could be seen as a type of nostalgia, I tend to agree with Jessica Helfand: “Nostalgia has always been a bad word for designers. Like “retro” and “vintage” it smacks of a sort of beenthere-done-that ennui — looking backward instead of forward, nostalgia presents as the very antithesis of the new. Even hard-core historians resist its emotional lure, which can, in an instant, dramatize the truth and distance it from fact. Nostalgia skews by privileging episodic time over chronological time: in this context, “memory” is cast as a curious, dangerous and rather unreliable lens.” (Helfand, Pg.108. 2005). Looking back could be not seen pre-jugged as an antithesis of the evolution or modernization, but in fact a symptom of it. It is rather noticeable this rare scenario is faced on the XXI century, especially if it is taking in consideration to this equation all the media fuss about the end of the paper, and the press. Judging by the crescent digital medias of reproduction and publishing. It seems also that the more technology evolves in methods and medias of execution, the more it creates codes that distances from the reader’s aesthetics and language reality. As a result it could possibly be considered a more distant and impersonal form of communication. Indeed the imperfections of the handmade techniques could be something that could improve more than interfere negatively on
The Black Arts
Poster: James Joyce, Thomas Harold & ObeySee
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The Major Project Proposal
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the design. As said by the Print Club London: “In a perfectly digital world screen printing is an imperfect analogue process that introduces many factors in the creation of images; in particular that of the human hand. (printclublondon.com) Actually it will be also relevant to this studies the Marshall MacLuhan’s theory: “ The Medium is the Massage”. When thinking about the ‘media’ as not a neutral carrier of information, but as important as the messages it carries. And in “Understanding Media”, his ideas about how one media will always contain elements of the media that came before, since on the project I will be experimenting and contrasting the different messages that could be expressed by different printing tools and techniques.
A small booklet published in the 1930s using “craftmanship” as a means of enticing school-leavers into the print industry. (at Letterpress).
Having assumed that, my intention is to deeply study this subject, not only to compose my work with the print methods knowledge, but also to be able to define better the different visual qualities of non-digital process and its application within contemporary graphic design practice.
The Black Arts
Composition and photo by Susanna Edwards
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The Major Project Proposal
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Action Plan * * *
Methodology: The research would be centered into design, by exploring methods, practices, materials, craft and experimentation. Having the LCC workshops facilities as the experimentation platform for the project development on visual testing and experimentation.
Photo: Lucy Pawlak, from Publish and Be Damned at ICA
Resources: As a newcomer to London I aim to make use of the extensive museum and gallery collections as well as print events, to be able to visualize different contemporary artistic movements and graphic designer’s works and experimentations within those techniques. Along side this will be an excellent chance to expand my awareness by investigating the cultural environment of London as well, since in my home town São Paulo there is not such a cultural fully environment as there is in London. For instance during this primary project proposal I have attended those events that did already help me to have a clearer focus of my objectives. And also some other organizations might be interesting for the research as well. Further support will be the environment at college where these study could be more explored with my peers and tutorial support.
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• Events Attended Printout! By Stack & MagCulture 1th March of 2012. At The book club.Talks: Paul Willoughby from Little White Lies, Rob Lowe from Anorak, Cagoule and Fire & Knives, and Chris Harrison from Wrap (Photo below) Proceed and be Bold! Movie screening and Q&A with Amos Paul Kennedy Jr., an american letterpress printer. At. St. Bride Foundation. 20 March 2012. (Poster at left) Pick Me Up Annual contemporary graphic art fair. At Somerset House22 March – 1 April 2012 Publish and Be Damned Self-publishing fair at the ICA. 17 March 2012. • Organizations: St Bride Foundation: stbridefoundation.org Print Club London: printclublondon.com
The Major Project Proposal
Prints and photos from the hungr yworkshop.
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• Process: 1) Primary Research Firstly, as a beginner on the craft field I will need to take part on workshops inductions among the different production process. To be able to develop a series of experiment within the different machines by printing similar subjects images and comparing the different aspects resultant. Taking into consideration each materials specific nature, as said:
“You should not deny the identity and character of your materials!” Davis Jury / Letterpress
“The ideals of truth-to-materials and rightness of shaping have in common the concept that all materials have a specific nature that is made of inherent proprieties. Both suggest that the utilization of materials of any craft should celebrate those inherent properties, In other words, you should not deny the identity and character of your materials!” (Jury, Pg. 112., 2006).
The Major Project Proposal
Photo from Letterpress.
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2) Secondary Research Firstly will develop a secondary research into the history of the different printing processes. To gain theory bases about the different techniques and also material about what have been made on the field. At that point this further bibliography might be relevant. Future studies reading list:
Simmons, R., Dictionary of Printmaking Terms. 2002 A & C Black . London Wesley, A., Relief Printmaking. 2001 A & C Black . London Stobart, J., Printmaking for Beginners. 2001 A & C Black . London. Hartill, B., & Clarke, R., Collagraphs and Mixed Media Printmaking. 2004 A & C Black . London. Desmet , A., & Anderson, J., Handmade Prints. 2000 A & C Black . London. Oravez, D., Woodcut. 1992 Watson-Guptill Publications. New York. Ross, Romano, Ross. The Complete Printmaker. 1972 The Free Press. New York Adam, A., & Robertson, C. Screen-printing – the complete waterbased system. Thames and Hudson 2003. Saff , By: D., & Sacilotto, D. Screen-printing – History and Process. Holt, Rihehart and Winston 1979. Mara, T. The Thames and Hudson Manual of Screen-printing. Thames and Hudson 1979. Drucker, D. The Century of Artist’s Book. Granary Books, New York Second edition 2004 Wye, D. Thinking Print – Books to Billboards 1980 - 95. The Museum of Modern Art, New York 1996.
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The Major Project Proposal
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Bibliography * * *
Books
Magazines
Armstrong, H., 2009. Graphic Design Theory: Readings from the Field. 1st ed. NewYork: Princeton Architectural Press
Apartamento Magazine. Issue Four. 8. CA Grafica Spain
Bierut, M. et al., 1995. Looking Closer: Critical Writings on Graphic Design. New York: Allworth Press,U.S.
Internet:
Bierut, M., Drenttel, W. & Heller, S., 2007. Looking Closer: Bk. 5: Critical Writings on Graphic Design. NewYork: Allworth Press,U.S. Cross, N., 2007. Designerly Ways of Knowing. Boston: Birkhauser. Jury, David. 2006. Letterpress. New applications for traditional skills. RotoVision SA. Klaten, R., Ehmann, S., & Hebner, M., 2009. Tactile: high touch visuals. Gestalten. Levine, F. & Heimerl, C., 2008 Handmade Nation, The rise of D.I.Y, art, Craft and Design. Princeton Architectural Press. Lugli A., 2006. Handmade. Gingko Press Inc. Perry, Mike, 2011. Pulled: a catalog of screen printing. New York Princeton Architectural Press
Wrap Magazine. Issue Four. 2012. The Wrap paper Ltd
apartamentomagazine.com etsy.com ica.org.uk kennedyprints.com obeygiant.com printclublondon.com sagmeister.com shutterstock.com spellingtuesday.com stackmagazines.com subversivecrossstitch.com thehungryworkshop.com.au
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* * * Types: Bodoni & Garamond Editorial Project inspired by Apartamento Magazine. Bookbinding suplies: Shepherds Falkiners Digital Print: F.E.Burman
* * * Unit 1.3 The Major Project Proposal Brief: Description of your intended research topic, its context and the methods you will use to interrogate it during the second term. Tutor: Vanessa Prince Master Graphic Design - April/2012 Designer: Beatriz Sanches London College of Communication
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