Marking is done

Hi Guys,

All your marks are done and in the dropbox. Have a great summer :))

Discussion 5 New Trend AND Reflection

I definitely believe that with the growing demand of the need for immediacy and global access within our society, online publications are definitely becoming more popular then its hard copy version. However, in saying that there are those that make a point by only using and enjoying hard copy types, such as typography designers, people who value the printed copy and even certain demographics-older members of society who have grown up with print, who are used to that version, who feel they are not tech-savvy and those who feel it just does not have the same impact that print has. Just take the Distillery for example, this letterpress company relies on printed branding and design, letterpress and stationery. It is highly specialised and delivers amazing and beautifully presented printed works, they have taken such a vintage inspired, antiquated typography style and reinvented to attract contemporary demographics and appeal to people, nostalgically.
The Distellery focuses on every detail, and makes a point about careful selection of card stock/media, as this is what sets them apart from the online versions, as it can be very easy to imitate letterpress or other styles of typography virtually, even textures, however the tactility of card stock can not be as realistic as in print.

REFLECTION:
This course has been an educational experience in developing my typography skills and knowledge. It has really harnessed my techniques of layout, design processes and creative thought, grids and guides, colour palettes and media types.
I have never done letterpress before this class and so I found it really wonderful and eye-opening to experience creating something 'handmade' from scratch, without digital manipulation. Letterpress helped me understand digital media on a deeper level, as I was able to consciously see the process from selection to execution.
I really enjoyed our excursion to 'The Distillery' as it has inspired me to create unique and aesthetically pleasing works.
I feel that we had free reign with our ideas, although we had enough limitations in terms of design conventions and constraints to avoid getting out of control.
Overall, I really loved this subject and would recommend it to other.

Discussion Point 5 + Course Reflection – Sandra Stepien

Although technologies and global networks are rapidly transforming publishing I don’t believe it is the end of print. It is a complex and debated issue but while the print industry isn’t likely to disappear altogether, it looks to be at threat due to the sheer volume and variety of writing online. 

A prime example of this shift towards the demand for online publications is the recent announcement from Fairfax that they are taking radical steps to restructure their company promoted by shrinking advertising revenue¹. It would cut 1,900 jobs, close two printing facilities in Chullora and Tullamarine and downsize the papers format to a tabloid-sized edition from March 2013 as they prepare to move content online. 

On the other hand, I think there has been a demand for traditional print media. Jessica Helfand, a design writer, describes the current state of print in an interesting way and refutes that “Print isn’t dead, sweetheart. It’s just sleeping.”² The statement asserts that print can once again come alive which I find is a nice way to describe the situation. I think the internet in its own ways has promoted an increase of the use of traditional print. Visuelle’s David Bennett suggests “designers have become completely comfortable with viewing work online they have become more discerning about content and quality”³. As a result, they want to see close-up photography of embossing and foiling details, unusual formats and alternative printing processes.  Due to the emphasis put on the tangible quality of print, websites such as thedieline.com and lovelystationery.com have been created to convey traditional techniques and innovative print based works.

Ultimately, I don’t think the whole print industry is at its end, online media is flourishing but the tangible quality of print has an undeniable appeal.

References 

¹ Zappone, C 2012. Fairfax to shed 1900 staff, erect paywalls, The Sydney Morning Herald, [online]. Available at: <http://www.smh.com.au/business/fairfax-to-shed-1900-staff-erect-paywalls-20120618-20ix1.html> [Accessed 14 October 2012]. 

² Helfand, J, 2010. Sticks and Stones Can Break My Bones but Print Can Never Hurt Me: A Letter to Fiona on First Reading "The End of Print". [online] Available at: <http://observatory.designobserver.com/feature/sticks-and-stones-can-break-my-bones-but-print-can-never-hurt-me-a-letter-to-fiona-on-first-reading-the-end-of-print/23498/> [Accessed 14 October 2012]. 

³ Eye Magazine, 2011. (No) end of print. [online] Available at: <http://www.eyemagazine.com/blog/post/no-end-of-print> [Accessed 14 October 2012]. 


Course Reflection 

Overall I enjoyed this course and learnt a great deal about both letterpress print and online publications.

The first assessment was a nice change from a primarily online focus in my degree and I formed a new appreciation for the techniques and skill involved in traditional letterpress. More resources such as wooden type blocks would be beneficial and have allowed more expression in the typography booklet and allowed more of the class to continue working on their compositions and letterpress at the same time. The excursion to The Distillery was a great way to see letterpress uses in contemporary design.

The second project was a good learning experience by working collaboratively as an entire class to understand how publications are produced and developed from details such as typographic choices to layout concerns.

Course Overview - Jaye Valery

I found this subject to be really interesting in terms of learning more about the current typographic trends and the current climate of publication design. The online lectures and discussions aided this, even though online activities are not my favourite thing in the world!!!

I had only done a little bit of letterpress in second year graphics, and I was a bit worried at first about producing an entire book of letterpress but I loved the idea of playing with an article heading to convey a sense of emotion only through the formation of text. I have defiantly improved my letterpress skills from undertaking this course. The excursion to the Distillery was a highlight for me and inspired my letterpress book.

I am always hesitant about group work but I really enjoyed it! I can't wait to see the final Zine.

My only concern was the writing of the briefs. I found them to be quite vague in their descriptions and desired outcomes. This could be improved on for next semester.

Thanks to lauren also!!!

Discussion Point 5 & Reflection: Chrsitian Andree

It is increasingly evident that in today’s society there is an ever-moving shift to the rise of digital platforms within the publishing arena. With smart phones now dominating more than a 50% shift of the American market and an increase in the take up of personal tablets it is evident that there will be a time where print media is deemed as out-dated model of publishing. This however I believe that this is still some time off but will be seen within our life.

The impact is seen today by the sale of Australian ACP magazines to German company Breur earlier this year as there has been a decline in the readership of there print magazine ranges. This is also evident with the decline across all major Australian newspapers with an increase in the circulation of their online and tablet editions.

The advantages of the digital interface is seen to be that of accessibility, in the terms of being able to reach publications across global markets anytime and anywhere. Sustainability is of high regard when it comes to digital publications as it saves on the use and waste of resources, whilst interactivity plays an important part. Take ‘Elle Décor’ an online interior design magazine where individuals are able to see the cost of items displayed within photos whilst also being able to click a direct link to a point of purchase.

The digital interface however comes at a cost to the publisher. As many consumers these days wish to pay less then half of the cost of an e-publication then that of the print copy of the same edition the difference in cost of production is less then 15% therefore seeing a reduction to the profits all the downstream to the author or designer.

It is therefore seen that unfortunately digital publications and new technologies will one day see to the end of print.

Course Reflection:

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the subject. I firstly went into the course with not the greatest feelings towards letterpress, however I have gained a new appreciation and fondness for the process. This has allowed me to adopt its use as a key driving force within my integrated project. The excursion to ‘The Distillery’ was exceptionally motivating in the terms of learning traditional techniques.

Where I found there could be improvements is with being able to use the lead types, allowing for more diverse fonts. I also found the online lectures to be quiet informative however would have liked to have learnt more rules about line length, kerning and typographic conventions etc in class.

In Thanks Lauren!

SR1 - GOTHAM

Gotham is a family of geometric sans-serif digital typefaces designed by American type designer Tobias Frere-Jones in 2000.

Tobias Frere-Jones (Born 1970) is one of America’s most prolific type designers who currently works in New York City with Jonathan Hoefler (another prolific American type designer) at their type foundry ‘Hoefler & Frere-Jones’. After graduation from the Rhode Island School of Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts he joined the Font Bureau Inc. in Boston – and would continue to work there for seven years and create a number of the typefaces that Font Bureau is best known for such as Poynter Oldstyle & Gothic.

After leaving the Bureau he became an Art Critic and created his own typefoundry with Hoefler in 1999. Since then he has collaborated on projects with Nike, Pentagram, GQ, Esquire Magazine, The New Times and The New York Times Magazine. He currently has 42 typefaces to his name.

The Gotham typeface was created for GQ Magazine, who editors wanted a sans-serif with a ‘geometric structure’ that would look ‘masculine, new and fresh’ for their magazine. Frere-Jones gained inspiration from time spent walking block-by-block through Manhattan with a camera to find source material, and he based the font on lettering seen on old buildings. "I suppose there's a hidden personal agenda in the design," Frere-Jones said, "to preserve those old pieces of New York that could be wiped out before they're appreciated. Having grown up here, I was always fond of the 'old' New York and its lettering."

Frere-Jones used the mathematical reasoning of an engineer, over his instincts as a type designer, to create Gotham. The typeface is wider than average text, lending it a unique sense of gravity and solidity – and escapes from the graphical grid wherever necessary, ‘giving the design an affability usually missing from common ‘geometric’ faces’. As seen in the picture Goth has a very large x-height compared to other fonts.

Gotham allows a simple and classic message to be conveyed – much like the great modern font ‘Helvetica’ but is more rounded and more architectural.

Over the last decade Gotham has been used everywhere, and most notable in the Obama 2008 presidential campaign and cornerstone of the One World Trade Center.

The International Herald Tribune praised the choice for its "potent, if unspoken, combination of contemporary sophistication (a nod to his suits) with nostalgia for America's past and a sense of duty." John Berry, an author of books on typography, agreed: "It's funny to see it used in a political campaign because on the one hand it's almost too ordinary yet that's the point. It has the sense of trustworthiness because you've seen it everywhere." Graphic designer Brian Collins noted that Gotham was the "linchpin" to Obama's entire campaign imagery.

Other uses;

In Conclusion, it is a very very American font.

References:

A History of ‘Gotham’ – H&FJ
http://www.typography.com/fonts/font_history.php?historyItemID=1&productLineID=100008

A Font We Can Believe In - http://www.helveticafilm.com/newblog/2008/02/19/a-font-we-can-believe-in/

Is Gotham the New Interstate? – Dmitri Siegel
http://www.helveticafilm.com/newblog/2008/02/19/a-font-we-can-believe-in/

Brand Obama, a leader in the image war
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/arts/04iht-design7.html?_r=1

The Character Issue – Adam Tschorn
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/mar/30/image/ig-font30

Week 11 -

It is evident that the discovery and advancement of new technologies and global networks will mean the end of print. I believe that there will indeed one day be no longer the need for print and the majority of publications will be abolished and taken into the digital era - of course I hope that this takes a few more decades to happen.. Whether or not print dies, its business model will as newspapers, books and magazines will not longer be a economically beneficially / profitable means of delivering and interacting with media (news, facts, entertainment and education).

Print is definitely not bad or evil, it's just that digital is better in many ways. Digital advantages include; speed, ubiquity, permanence, search ability, the ability to update fast, targeting audiences, interaction, marketing, quick feedback. Not only does Digital include these advantages but it is obvious that it transcends the limitations of print media. With Digital almost being a free source, print will evidently dissolve into history (such as stone carvings has).

Although Print will probably never leave as paper is an essential part of life as seen in this video 'The Paperless Office' - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dV6b04AGjVA (with many more videos via the same channel that explain that having a paperless office really isn't a great thing.) Another thing about Print is that its physical and real, with the images outside a screen and glossy magazines with pretty pictures that certainly do not convey the same aesthetic over the internet.

Course Reflection -

I have gained a lot from taken this course and have certainly learnt about the history of print and the fundamentals that go into typography and publication design. The first half of the semester was a real eye opener to what people had to do in the traditional times with the letterpress and its almost mind blowing to think that all publications / print media were printed that way - which must of taken forever. The first project was a good experience to see this in practice.

The second project was fun as it was a sort of look into how a magazine publication would be formed with the different teams and tasks that people had to do.

Discussion point 5 + Course Reflection

As vulgar as McLuhan was when he described us as the sex organs of technology, he was also correct in saying so. If you can describe human beings in one two words it would be "Constant Evolution", so how do we keep up?

While, as mentioned in the lecture in regards to Blurb publishing, designers love nothing more to pick up a brand new personalised book with their name on the cover, it could be an aspect that may die with our generation. In the long run, the bigger picture, our love of print of which we were born and raised may be a nostalgic trait of our age. Rather than Golden Books, we now see children in prams with iPads and tablets and as such consumed in a digital realm; this is what they will be neurologically attached to. It's the next step up from "Generation C". ¹

As Jean Baudrillard predicted, semeiotics will replace the real equivalent, in this sense digitally - masking the basic reality of humanity ². Marketing will create needs that digitally represent the real via the hyper-real through online social media, shopping and more. This will only keep evolving until we are in an entire simulation of reality that has no more trace of reality. 

As a result, I do believe this will be the end of print. We've seen the decline of Kodak and the rise of digital photo frames. We've seen the world finally embrace e-readers as they've been integrated smoothly into iPads, an interface which we accept. As a human race, we must get ready to accept the inevitable - the simulation which will soon overpower reality and the physical as we move further from hardware devices and into the digitally created future.

[1] McArthur, Ian. "Contemporary trends in Publishing." Online Lecture. College of Fine Arts. 07 10 2012. Lecture. URL <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h2hJZV9lkzn87Te1mGr-WshEm9fk3582JGpl0cb0TC8/edit?authkey=CKvqjJUB>

[2] Baudrillard, Jean. Simulacra and Simulation. . Ann Arbour: University of Michigan Pr, 1994. Web.

Course Reflection

I initially thought this course would be more focussed on kerning, the anatomy of a typeface and more 'hands on' like it was at the beginning. In retrospect, I can understand why the course skipped these generalities - as the course was Advanced Publication. However, sliding in a few more principles of design as a refresher would have been useful. What I truly found valuable in this course was working as a group with the whole class. We got to see each other's work which was quite motivating and inspirational. I liked the class discussions where we all worked together to try and find solutions regarding the magazine. I felt the class was quite agreeable. I also found the letterpress segment of the course, although tediously frustrating at times, very insightful. The excursion to the distillery was exciting and again very useful to see how the printing world works on the 'other side' of things. I think if the inDesign workshop went through I would've gotten more from the course, but my own experimentation in the last assignment did allow me to feel my way around the piece of software.

Discussion Point 4 - Andrea Agathocleous

Importance of Colour Space Management

Remembering the first time I designed something on a Mac and viewed it on a PC with different gamma, colour space management has always been something that frustrates me. Why can't something look the way I want it to look from the start? Similarly, switching from RGB to CMYK is always a shock. Where are all my bright, vibrant colours? 

The way to overcome this is through making everything as close to standard as possible. An abundance of precautions can be made to ensure an image that is printed close to what is viewed on the monitor. 

Calibration ¹

Monitor Calibrators work especially well with desktop computers that don't move and are not affected by light, allowing them to achieve a near-perfect shade that is close to standard.

Color Profiles ²

Working with the correct ICC standard colour profiles for your medium can help prevent colour issues later on down the track. Every country has their own standards, these are usually embedded in Adobe software. 

The significance of this standardisation can be seen in the following example:

(88, 249, 17) in Adobe RGB  The same RGB value in sRGB 3 Printers, Computers and Cameras all speak different language and as an image is passed through, the colour map differs. This is the importance of using ICC profiles to ensure good communication between software and printer.  To put it simply, this is just another area of design where good communication is key!!!!

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[1] "Color Management." Calibration. Wikipedia, Web. 6 Oct 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_management#Calibration>

[2] "Color Management." Color Profiles. Wikipedia, Web. 6 Oct 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_management#Color_Profiles>

[3] "Color Management Introduction." Dry Creek Photo. N.p., 2012. Web. 6 Oct 2012. <http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Learn/color_management.htm>.

Font - Alana Dimou

Papyrus is a very popular script/decorative typeface created in 1982 by designer Chris Costello, whom to this day speaks of its severe overuse.

The typeface is a decorative font, the creation of which spanned over 6 months; letters were hand drawn on textured paper by Costello to recreate what English text may have looked like if using ancient Egyptian writing apparatus, or a quill on papyrus. It was released in 1983 by Linotype who describes it as “a roman calligraphic

typeface with distinctive human touches... it imparts a warm and friendly ambience to everything from restaurant menus to book covers”. And every primary school assignment about ancient Egypt, might I add.

The typeface indeed possesses human touches with its distinctive irregular curves and high, horizontal strokes in its capital letters. The notches and frayed edges are indicative of sketching on a rough surface, however, it remains consistent with its irregularities thus restraining its supposed free, rustic and “warming” charm.As aforementioned Papyrus fits a script or decorative classification. There is the occasional small serif with a light stroke weight to accentuate the notches. There are mostly large and rounded counters, however with its high horizontal strokes, especially in capital letters, this is not always the case (for example capital ‘B’ has one large and one small counter).

Papyrus has, unfortunately, become the stock- standard font for anything and everything Egyptian and/or Mediterranean and Simon Garfield even states “Papyrus is the font you use to spell out the word ‘Egypt’”. The typeface is often inappropriately used from everything ranging from restaurant menus to natural, organic products. It is ridiculed to the point whereby dedicated websites such as www.papyruswatch.com have been founded to outlaw and humiliate inappropriate uses of the font.

Considerable controversy was sparked around the release of James Cameron’s Avatar when people came to realise Papyrus was the film’s default font. Its archaic nature may have

seemed like an appropriate fit for its title screen however many argue with such an enormous budget a new and more appropriate font could have been developed in lieu. The typeface was also used for subtitles throughout the film; a peculiar choice considering most script fonts aren’t terribly easy to read, especially from the distance of a cinema viewing.

Although many fonts seemingly appear to be everywhere (ie, Helvetica, Gill Sans) Papyrus possesses an uncanny ability to rub me the wrong way. Unlike other typefaces Papyrus lacks a sense of subtlety. There’s nothing neutral about it, it is unable to inoffensively blend in with the landscape when plastered on ill-fated signage and is nothing more than a novelty; a typographic faux pas. I believe the ultimate stereotypical relevance of anything vaguely controversial is The Simpsons test; Papyrus can be seen here in the signage for the health food store The Picky Vegan.

Refrences

Linotype, “Papyrus Regular”, http://www.linotype.com/173439/PapyrusStdRegular-product.html , last accessed 21 July 2012

Brown, S., ‘5 Terrible Fonts You Shouldn’t Use In Print Design’, 2007,

http://modernl.com/article/5-terrible-fonts-that-you-should-not-use-in- print-design, last accessed 21 July 2012

Garfield, S., ‘The 8 Worst Fonts In The World’, 2011, http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665318/the-8-worst-fonts-in-the-world, last accessed 21 July 2012

Anonymous., “Avatar is Papyrus?”, http://www.papyruswatch.com/2009/08/avatar-really.html, 2009, last accessed 21 July 2012

Discussion Point 5 + Course Reflection - Alana Dimou

It's no surprise that new technologies and global networks are quickly transforming publishing models and typographic practices however this does not spell the end of the printed format. At least in entirety.

eBooks and eZines are everywhere. Online archives are commonplace and this speaks volumes in terms of our need for immediate information. Who wants to flick through pages of encyclopaedias when CTRL+F exists? There is a definite lust for ease and accessibility for information today in a business and education sense however I believe it's the aesthetic quality of print that will keep it in practice. For example, The Distillery's opening in Surry Hills has warmed a plethora of designer hearts with it's rejuvenation of the old letterpress process. Vintage and secondhand book stores are still very alive and kicking (Gould's in Newtown, anyone?) and, despite the presence of smh.com.au many, many people still choose to purchase newspapers simply for their tactile quality.

It's sad to see entire libraries of books being destroyed however the same was said about vinyl records, even cassette tapes years ago. And as we all know vinyl is the new vogue. The printed format, although experiencing a lull in popularity at the moment, will never go out of fashion. Despite technology ploughing through our libraries with gusto I believe there is still plenty of life left in printed format.

Course Reflection

This course was nothing like I expected it to be, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Before enrolling in this class I had never heard of the term "letterpress" and working with everything tactile in the first half of the semester was a great (albeit frustrating) learning experience. I do wish there were more resources available to ease the letterpressing stress, however. The online magazine project was a lot of fun as I was able to work with fellow digital media students to produce our spread and having the option to choose our topic was great to showcase our strengths and interests.

This was a good elective as it was a nice eye-opener to the world outside of Illustrator, InDesign and general screen life.