R IS FOR resources # 2
tips & tricks The last fundamental is to give you some simple tips and tricks to make sure you execute the best and well planned design possible.
TIPS AND TRICKS ABOUT.. //Screen printing It is really important when in the first steps of screen printing not to put to much emulsion on your screen if you apply a thick layer your image will not expose properly on to the screen and you will have to start the process again. If your a beginner ask someone for a hand. If your wanting to speed up the process of drying your screen you can use hair dryer for quicker drying. Design is a process and its always good to do alot of experimentation Print onto newsprint first before you print onto your stock just incase you haven’t lined something up properly or the print doesn’t turn out right you will of wasted your stock. An important tip for screen printing would be to PREPARE! Prepare everything first before you begin. Have all of your newsprint ready along with stock and inks so your not having to rush around. Make sure you consider the things your mixing with your inks - if you use metallic powder for the ink it will change its colour. Make sure you consider the stock you will use to print onto because different processes effect the stock.
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// Foiling Its a good idea to let the foil cool down before pulling it off the stock if you take it up to quickly and some of the foil it still warm some of the stock might peel up and you will ruin your design. Make sure when your printing your artwork to foil use a laser printer not an ink jet printer your foiling will have a cleaner finish. Its better to foil using a screen rather than the heat press it doesn’t always work very well in comparison to the high quality foils you will get from using a screen. // Laser Cut When laser cutting most stocks you will get a brown burn marks where the reflective light has bounced back up. There is an alternative to stop this happening you can use a wooden device that basically makes your work float so the laser cant bounce back up and stops burn marks this device is perfect for a4 documents. If you are going to cut onto lino only use lino with Hessian back because it the other lino gives off a fume.
TRIAL AND ERROR..
Trial and error is a huge part of design your not always going to be one hundred percent sure what its going to look like until you actually try it. so its a really good idea to create lots of experimentation so you can find the most appropriate and successful process. Its also important to make sure you save all of your images and typefaces to the same location as your raw.file incase you need to print from a new location you will always have the files together.
Make sure you learn about different stocks and paper weights eg. Uncoated & coated stock because through the design process you will begin to realize what looks best with what and what works and what doesn’t. When creating any piece of design you need to make sure you check everything before printing making sure the following are adjusted to how you want them to be so they’re ready for print:
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-PUNCTUATION -MARGINS -HEADERS -CROPS & BLEEDS -THE CORRECT -COLOUR MODE -IMAGE RESOLUTION -FILE FORMAT
HOW LONG TO ACHIEVE THESE PROCESSES? //Screen Printing The whole process takes a few hours. You have to leave your screen to dry once cleaned for around 20mins. After you have coated your screen you then repeat the drying process for another 20 minutes. Once exposed and ready to use the time it takes to actually print your work will vary on how many designs your printing or the amount of experimentation you plan on doing. //Foiling Foiling with a heat press takes around 15 minutes to do once you’ve waited for the press to heat up which can sometimes take a while. Be patient before beginning your foiling as the heat press needs to be at the right temperature for it to work. This method of foiling is quick and simple. Foiling with a screen takes a little longer than screen printing you will need to repeat the drying process for 40 minutes the same as screen printing. But a little more time is added to this method because once you have applied the adhesive you will then have to place your work into the heat press.
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//Laser Cut Laser cutting is a processes that doesn’t take to long to achieve depending on the stock you use and size of the job. If you are wanting to engrave soothing to emboss with large depth you can expect to be waiting a short while so the laser cutter can go over the stock and repeat the process. Overall using the laser cut is a simple process and it doesn’t take long to set up your document and send it to the machine.
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TIME MANAGEMENT Time management is essential to any designing you do. You need to consider how long things will take. Setting yourself enough to do certain processes and R IS FORtime resources #2 tasks is important so you achieve the best results. Arrange your time so you can allow time for experimentation and any hiccups! This will be beneficial for you.