Monday 12 November 2012

Chalkboard Calendar

I have come across a project that consists of a sketchbook, calendar and set of magnets, all hand lettered  with chalk. I really like the lettering and think that it will be suitable for my Change Makers brief, adding to the hand crafted feel of it.





Calendars

I have found some existing designs of calendars to influence my layout. I have come across some letter pressed calendars, which I love. Aesthetically they are great, unfortunately I do not have the time or facilities to create the same or similar effect. They best way I can think of is to make copper plates to ink up and emboss. To create 13 of these would take up too much time, so I think I'm going to stick to screen printing them, which will also make it easier when selected the appropriate recycled stock.










Sunday 11 November 2012

Sticker Paper

I have been on a search for eco-friendly sticker paper for my calendar design idea. The main problem is the adhesive used on the back of the paper, preventing them from being biodegradable. I have found a website that stocks sticky labels that can be recycled or used as compost, they use 'a permanent acrylic adhesive, emulsion based, designed for biodegradable roll label constructions, offering a perfect combination of quick tack and shear resistance, and an outstanding adhesion to most substrates.' The only problem is that they are already cut down to size, not leaving me much room for design. 



I have looked around for different types of sticker paper, and self adhesive paper that is environmentally friendly. There just seems to be a major lack of it. As this is something I want to actually make and send to studios, and not just mock up, I want to be able to practice what I preach and actually use sustainable materials. As for this design idea sticker paper would make up pretty much the whole product, I just don't think it's a great idea after all. 

Friday 9 November 2012

Sustainable printing

I have been researching ways to print my designs sustainably. In a way I will be working backwards on this project, letting the processes and print drive the design, so I need to make these decisions now.

In terms of getting my designs printed by someone else, I will have to think largely about cost. They will definitely need to be cheap to print, both because I don't have a lot of money and to enforce my point to designers and printers that sustainable print can be cheap.

I have found a printing company that prints on FSC certified stock and is really cheap. Although for short runs, there isn't much choice on stock type or size and nowhere on the site does it mention the printing inks being eco-friendly.



Pureprint are a carbon-neutral printers based in Sussex. G F Smith is a past client of theirs. I would be printing digitally, which I would have to ring up for a quote.




I Dress Myself, an eco-friendly screen printers has a lot of very useful information on the different types of ink to use. Water based inks are best as they don't include chemicals that are harmful for the environment, neither do they require solvents to clean the screens after, just water, which is friendlier. 





Wicked printing stuff sell Permaprint premium water based paper inks. They aren't massively expensive, but they do only offer a limited amount of matt or glow colours.  

Tuesday 6 November 2012