OUGD503 - Studio Brief 01 - Shy Bairns Submission Colour Specifications and Separations

Risograph printing can be done in a variety of colours, and the colours available for the project at Footprint were black, red, green, yellow, blue, orange and fluorescent pink.

Limited options for colours required the colour combinations to be carefully considered. Working with these colours the group decided on using red and blue, as these colours are both strong enough to be used individually when printing work and can also be overlaid to create purple, adding an third potential colour. When combined, the purple is also dark enough to act as a Key colour, similar to the effect that the colour black has within CMYK separations. This will allow photographic images to retain the depth needed to create a clear print.


Submissions for issue 1 were taken over the course of two weeks and resulted in over 65 artists submitting to the project. 26 of these were selected for print, however a large majority of these submissions were not designed for the printing specifications of a risograph printer and so had to be edited by the group. Each submission was required to be formatted to greyscale and then separated into one or two colour separations. This was either done by manually selecting areas of the work to separate or through editing the colour channels on Photoshop. Example is below:

Example 1:

Work submitted by illustrator Ben Thompson

Colour separations showing red separation (top)

and blue separation (bottom)

Example 2

Original typographic work submitted by Fine Artist Scarlett Hirst

Colour separations showing blue separation (top) and red separation (bottom)

Mock up of both blue and red layers overlaid when printed

OUGD503 - Studio Brief 01 - Shy Bairns Publication Research

Before commencing the deign work a range of research was undertaken to gather ideas and inform the project:

A small, perfectly bound publication that also includes

additional content in the form of posters

A larger format publication that still retains a DIY zine aesthetic

Multiple publications, each on a different topic collected together to create a full series

A publication that incorporates multiple elements bound into one spine

OUGD503 - Studio Brief 01 - Shy Bairns Printing Considerations

As the project is self-funded, the printing would need to be high quality but low cost. Considering different methods printing there were multiple possibilities: a commercial top-end printers such as Pressision in Leeds would produce a high quality publication but would require a large budget. A low-end printers that specialise in one off posters and portfolio images would produce a decent quality, full colour print that would be of standard zine quality. Risograph printing, although not as readily available, would produce a unique quality publication at a low price. The print finish would not be full colour, however this would also provide a distinct identity for the issue. Economically the cost would only be paid per spread, meaning that a potentially infinite amount of publications could be produced for the same price.

It was agreed as a group that Risograph printing would be the most economically efficient production for this publication, while also allowing for more flexibility over the number of copies produced.

After undertaking research into a variety of Risograph printing studios around the country, including Hato, Exit Press and Ditto Press. It was decided by the group that a company called Footprint Cooperative in Leeds would print the publication as they provided an efficient service at a lower and more affordable price.

OUGD504 - Studio Brief 01 - Concorde Book Designs Part 2

The secondary designs for the newspaper:

Following on from the feedback given in the initial critique, almost all of the design work for the newspaper was changed. The design was remade to allow for a more simplistic layout featuring overlapping text and images, which reflects the modern and progressive nature of Paris as it stands today.

The focus of the newspaper became about the letterforms as a series of shapes. Each letter was designed as an outline to highlight the individual shapes and also to reflect the nature of the underground metro maps. Also included in the re-design are photographs of the station, as it was suggested that although the newspaper will be distributed on the station, if the newspaper were to travel to other areas of the city via people or the metro, a visual signifier of the originating station would draw in potential new readers. Also, photographs are more recognisably synonymous with newspapers than a cartoon illustration, further contextualising the publication.

OUGD503 - Studio Brief 01 - Shy Bairns Publication Ideas

The initial brief specifies that a publication is to be produced, but within this there are a range of possible options:



Zine

Discussions after the initial briefing revealed that the publication had initially been envisioned as a zine. Traditionally in zine culture, a zine is defined as 'a small, self-published, accessible work of original or appropriated texts and images, usually reproduced via low cost means and often folded and stapled'. The production cost of this project will be as low as possible as it is entirely self-funded, and only 100 copies would be printed and distributed, placing the publication within the realm of zine culture.

Zines by nature are the most accessible form of publication to an audience as they are distributed at low prices. One of the main aims of the project is to increase accessibility to the arts and a zine would allow a greater audience reach.



Magazine

The size of the publication would depend solely on the number of submission that are received and selected for print. If a large number of submissions are selected for print then the format of the publication can be changed. Also, if the publication is more than 30 spreads the option of saddle stitching will no longer be viable, and so different binding methods would have to be explored. This would place the publication out of traditional zine culture and therefore could not be advertised as such.

A magazine could bring many advantages to the project. It would allow the publication to be stocked in commercial book shops as apposed to simply at zine fairs, and also a greater number of submissions could be printed, representing a larger number of artists, which is the ultimate goal for the project.

However, creating a more commercial magazine with professional binding, and therefore a higher production cost, would also require the publication to be distributed at a higher price in order to break even economically. The more expensive the product is, the less accessible it will be to an audience, and therefore it would not adhere to the ethos of the collective.


Publication Pack

In order to publish as many artists as possible, another production option would be to create a publication pack. This could include a zine and a series of other printed ephemera such as posters, fold-out's, postcards and additional smaller zines, collected together and distributed as a bundle. This would create more opportunities for independent artists to showcase their work through the project, but would also potentially mean that the publication would be less saleable in a commercial book shop.

From an initial group discussion it was decided that to stay true to the platform that the collective was initially inspired to make, the publication should remain as close as possible to the definition of a traditional zine. However, a well produced and professionally bound publication can still fall under the label of a zine if it is readily accessible to an audience and distributed at a low cost. Therefore, should a large number of submissions be selected, perfect binding would be the most viable binding method.

Although the production cost for this may be higher than a traditional zine, production values would be relative to the project, and as both the collective and this project are not-for-profit, the extra cost of production could be regained through the sale of additional merchandise and related products.

OUGD504 - Studio Brief 01 - Page Re-Designs

Taking into consideration the feedback of the initial book, one of the most significant comments regarded the layout of the spreads. It was suggested that the book should reflect the modern and progressive nature of the city of Paris, and therefore the spreads should revolve around a modernist style of design. A range of mock ups were created to demonstrate how the letterforms, copy and images might interact on the page.

OUGD504 - Studio Brief 01 - Why the Beginning of Paragraphs Must Be Indented

Jan Tschichold's The Form of The Book details many of the rules for graphic design and type setting. In the chapter entitled Why the Beginning of Paragraphs Must Be Indented, Tschichold details the importance of inserting indents at the beginning of paragraphs. Traditionally an indent on the first line of a paragraph is the correct way to set a paragraph of copy text. As design and technology progress the rules of typesetting evolve also, and there has been a recent change that has seen features such as idents disappear from published books. Tschichold writes of how this has become particularly prevalent within newspapers, due in part to the sheer volume of copy text and the quick turn-arounds of the printed material, as such a straight set paragraph has become common amongst type-setters and book designers.

Within this project the setting of type is crucial to how a reader will take in the information, so all type will be set in accordance to Tschichold's specifications, featuring an indent at the beginning of every paragraph.

OUGD503 - Studio Brief 01 - Shy Bairns Project Timeline

The production of a publication on this scale will rely on collaboration with many individuals and companies, including submissions, printers, binders and distributors. Therefore to ensure that communication and production is effective, an efficient time plan will be needed. A projected timeline for the production of the publication is shows below:

24/10/16: Briefing

28/10/16: Production meeting

31/10/16: Begin publication production

24/11/16: Publication production deadline

28/11/16: Send to print

12/12/16: Estimated arrival of printed publication

The production of social media content and will be produced on commission when required. The production of posters/flyers and/or website will commence after the production of the publication.

OUGD503 - Studio Brief 01 - Shy Bairns Briefing

Shy Bairns is a multi-disciplinary art collection specialising in DIY arts publications. It was formed as a response to the lack of resources and funding for the arts in the North of England. Accessible northern gallery spaces are limited and therefore Shy Bairns has created a platform that does not rely on institutional support for the promotion of artists and their work.

As a member of the collective and the only Graphic Designer I was given a brief to create the group's first publication:

Shy Bairns is a platform designed to provide a inclusive space for Northern artists from all disciplines. With a specialism in DIY publications, we want to produce a printed platform to showcase and promote a range of work and represent new and emerging creatives. The project has no current funding and all production costs must be kept to a minimum. The number of spreads will be based on the number of submissions, but spreads will average at 30. Production scale: 100 copies.

For the promotion of the publication, a selection of printed and digital ephemera will also need to be produced. This can include but is not limited to posters, flyers, banners, graphics for social media (Instagram, Facebook and Twitter) and website design.

Above all else, as a collective Shy Bairns believes in accessible opportunities for everyone. The production methods, production costs and distribution of the publication should always reflect this ethos.

Communication

Communication within the group will be an important issue as the collective's members range from Manchester, Leeds and London. This project will also be undertaken alongside university degrees, regular meetings will not be possible. Efficient communication is therefore of great importance, and so ideas will be discussed and feedback will be given through regular communication on social media and through semi-regular Skype calls. 

OUGD504 - Studio Brief 01 - Irma Boom

Irma Boom is one of the world's most influential book designers. Originating from the Netherlands, her career has spanned 30 years and over 300 books. In an age where digital media appears to be the overarching power in our everyday lives, Boom continues to produce unique and exciting printed publications. She can be viewed as an endless source of inspiration for any aspiring or professional book designer, and particularly within this project portrays the limits of what a book can look like and the limits of how it can be used, whether that's through the contemplation of size or even the strategic use of ink (or no ink).

A catalogue featuring the extensive work of her career — 

800 pages and measuring 4.3cm x 5.5cm

Sky Diary — a colour swatch book demonstrating the full range

of colours that appear through the sky without the use of any ink

Chanel No. 5 — another of Boom's book's that is created without any ink, this publications

serves to detail the history of the brand's most famous and renowned perfumes

through 300 pages of embossed or debossed imagery

OUGD504 - Studio Brief 01 - Concorde Book Designs Part 1

The initial designs for the newspaper:

During a critique for these initial designs it was discussed with peers the many elements that had been included in the work. The publication starts with an introduction about the station and the Garamond typeface followed by the main body of text, which features articles from the Declaration itself. The text is laid out throughout the book to reflect the pattern of stops along the Concorde Metro line. The text is also featured in both English and French, with the original French version reading first in each paragraph as this is the native language of the station in which the newspaper will be based.

Dispersed within these paragraphs of text are full page illustrations - drawing on the traditional element of newspaper cartoons and the design influence of the protest posters from the uprisings in Paris in the 1960's - and conceptualised text that reflects the atmosphere of the Paris Metro System. The final page features the full Garamond alphabet. This page would be perforated so that each letter may be removed, encouraging the same interactive element that is present when an individual stands within the Concorde station.

There was positive feedback for the use of the Declaration text rather than a longer description of the typeface and its individual letterforms, as most felt that this gave a deeper context to the newspaper. However most also felt that the publication combined too many elements, resulting in random and non-cohesive spreads. It was advised that in order for the publication to be successful the content of the newspaper should be streamlined. Suggestions included utilising clearer layouts for the text, and a deeper examination letterforms as shapes, so the newspaper might appear more of a type specimen rather than a fake journalistic newspaper.