What is Packaging?

Just a few examples of what is possible within package design, with regard to print, mixed with a few things that reflect my ideas in other areas of my study...plus a few things are are just cool as.

Rock Vodka.

Don't want to waste money on fancy print processes to get your image directly on the package?

Print a sticker!

An awesome idea to highlight a very important issue.

3 colour, very nice.

Though a pet hate of mine is things that are made to look natural, or eco friendly

and really aren't. I think this is one of those.

I'm not sure if I like this at all, but the label is pretty original.

Advent sausage!

These perfume bottles are lovely, and the packaging is made from wood, a silk lined box for the

owner to keep, and re-use. 

This companies motto is "luxury as a passion for quality rather than pure opulence"

Which I quite like.

Also the wood was collect from disused shipping pallets, which are usually burned or thrown away.

I need some of these!

You don't necessarily need to print on the package either...

Original idea.

What is good? pt. 1

Ranting is good. And I stick by that, even though 90% of google seems to be against me. Yes, there are a lot of bad aspects to moaning and ranting all the time. And yes, maybe sometimes it just doesn't help a situation. But moaning can also be one of the most stress relieving, funny and interesting problem solving activities ever to grace to human species. Here's why.

• moaning identifies problems. 
• Without problems being identified, I don't have a job as a designer.
• Moaning helps us communicate
• It helps us cope with our problems, it gets things off our chests.
• "A problem shared, is a problem halved"
• It helps us relieve the stress and tension of modern living.
• Moaning helps us change things!

And the best thing I can think of to highlight some of these issues, is the 'Grr' advert created by Honda when they released their first diesel engine in 2004.

They also created this game, in which you are a bunny, changing all the things 
that piss you off into happy, smiley flowers and such like.
Play it here. 

Zerofee

Just a design agency I came across that share a similar ethos to mine. Zerofee.


They also had a few things that got me thinking about the print module... Both the 16 page booklet and the 2nd half of the 'What is Good?' brief have been moving pretty slowly for me, so I thought a good trawl on the internet and through some books will kick start my brain again. Lets hope so eh?

I love this, such a beautiful finish from a scabby bit of 

cardboard and some recycled silicone. 

I've included this piece just because it highlights one of the issues I've constantly

thought about, ever since I looked at it briefly during my A levels. 

Have you ever thought about how our clothing can be so cheap?

Yes. Every time I walk into Primark I feel a twinge of guilt.

Also, a nice piece of packaging, and a good example of how high end results can be

achieved with a small a cost to the environment as possible.

Print presentation - Synopsis

The summer's exploits into all things print based happened within the first month of the holidays. I went home, Grimsby, for a few weeks, and during this time went to visit a friend. This friend just so happens to have quit his degree at the same establishment, as he didn't make the graphic design course, which I always find very funny, and take great pleasure in rubbing this fact in his face when he gets too cocky.

That said, he's now running a reasonably successful print workshop back home, where he has access to two vinyl cutters and a top quality A0 (possibly bigger) printer.

He went through the process with me, and I've since learnt that the college has bought one over summer, so I should be able to use that easily, and more importantly, know the limitations of it!

The plastic sheet above is slightly tacky and is placed over the top of the stickers, so when the back is removed the stickers stay stuck to the top sheet.

Then you can stick them to whatever you like, and remove the top sheet afterwards.

Viola! 

My friend sells these things for about £10 each, for not even 5 minutes work, that's quite good!

I progressed from this quickly, and began to think about what I would like to get out of this print module. Ever since last year's sustainability elective I have been finding little things that keep calling me back to it. This is one of them. I don't want to go into too much detail just yet, as I think to specialise in one area of print, like anything else, you must first have a broader knowledge of the whole thing. If I start preaching sustainability in my work, I need to be able to hold an argument with those who disagree, and that involves knowing their point of view as well. Anyway, I would like to reach a point where I can achieve astounding effects, with less cost, and less of an environmental impact. There is a lot to learn.

I presented to the group (or at least tried to, I had some pretty horrific technical difficulties) a few examples of what I thought were amazing pieces of environmentally sound print. 

This one is by far the best, by a collaboration called  Thomas.Matthews  

At first it might not seem like much, a nice piece of type layout, which is what I first dismissed it as.

However when I actually read through the statement on the right, I realised it was a really clever way of recycling paper, without even going through the recycling process! They have literally printed white over the top of an existing magazine print. Amazing. This is one of those "Why didn't I think of that?!" moments, but I do hope I can maybe use this process in the future, the possibilities are seemingly endless.