Evaluation

My original statement of intent was- Packaging, with a focus on processes and format.

High interest in bespoke typography and letterforms.

Creating decorative type to be applied to packaging of different formats using a range of processes.

Creating high end, ‘one offs’ using clever folds and techniques. Packaging that feels special and will be potentially competing with other packaging in the shops.

Creating the packaging from existing brands. Taking those brands and creating sub-brands from them.

Clever, unusual ways of packaging an object. Packaging an unusual object itself.

Use of stock for different themes. Clear thought and research of appropriate stocks used.

In previous briefs i created a lot of typefaces which i really enjoyed doing but in this module i found i didn't create any typefaces. I found i explored packaging a lot and looked into folds and processes a lot more in depth. The majority of my briefs i used lasercutting, foiling and embossing for. I now feel i have a lot stronger understanding of the processes. Considering the use of stock is something i have done more in this module also. For my vegitreats brief i wanted to show that the sweets were natural and better for you and i tried to show this with the use of natural handmade stock and light, pastel colours.


My time management for this brief was no where near as good as it could of been, i think this was defiantly my downfall and i spent a lot more time on some briefs and totally neglected others. For one brief i spent hours and hours laser cutting the invitations for the 1950's style party. As the invitations where going to actually be used i had to laser cut 60 which took such a long time. I then had to send them off. 
I found that at the start of the module my full concentration and time was spent on my dissertation. Once that was handed it in i felt a bit lost and found it hard to prioritise my FMP. It wasn't until easter time i realised just how much work i needed to do in such a small amount of time. 


The Year book brief was more difficult than I first thought. Their were four of us in the group sharing the work load, which i thought would make things easier and less stressful but it did cause some issues with decision making and communication. 


I had hoped to do some live briefs but when it came down to it i just didn't have enough time. 


I think i found that the briefs i enjoyed the most were briefs i set myself. This meant i basically had the freedom to do whatever i wanted. The only problem i found with this was that i took far too long decision making at the beginning of the brief and wasted precious time which could have been spent producing ideas and work. 


I am glad that by the time I reached this module I had found where my interests lie and was able to explore packaging and processes further. I don’t think my interest has changed throughout the module and I am still keen to design for this now.


I don't actually think i have produced much work that i actually like in my FMP which is disappointing as i now do not think i am going to like much of my own work in my portfolio. I am hoping to now try and produce something better for the end of year show.   

Design boards

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Website

Design context

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I firstly printed my design context onto thin matt card in digital print but found it too hard to fold when i came to put it together. I therefore re printed it onto different stock to make it easier to fold. I ended up using fireproof paper which gave a really nice finish and folded much better. 

Design Boards

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Website

Website

Avenue

Trying to show a mock up of how the walls would look in the Avenue store. With the images of buildings in New York.

Design context

Layout of design context

Design context

Thermography

Thermography, or relief printing, is normally the preserve of high-quality stationery products. Its raised effect adds another dimension to the item, in a similar way to foil blocking or die stamping.

Sweets packaging photos and Design boards

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Invitation photos

New York brief photos

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Design context

Embossing and desbossing

An emboss or deboss is a design that is stamped into a substrate with ink or foil, which results in a three-dimensional, raised, decorative or textured surface to provide emphasis to certain elements of a design. Generally, a paper stock with a thicker caliper holds an emboss (or deboss) much better than thinner stocks.

Design context

Folding

Different folding methods will produce different creative effects and offer different functionality and means of organisation.

Design context

Varnishes

A varnish is a colourless coating that is often applied to a printed piece to protect the substrate from scuffing, wear or smudging. Varnish can also be used to enhance the visual appearance of a design, or elements within it. Varnish can produce three finishes - gloss, dull and satin - and, while not strictly a varnish, UV coating can also be used to add decorative touches to a design.


UV Varnish
UV varnish is a clear liquid that is applied like ink and cured instantly with ultraviolet light. It can provide either a gloss or matt coating. Increasingly, UV varnish as a spot covering to highlight a particular image because it provides more shine than varnish.

Design context

Foils can be applied in a thin layer to a material through the use of heat and pressure. Foil blocking operates as an addition to other printing methods, allowing metallic finishes to be applied to a surface.
There is a huge range of foils, including metallic, colour and clear, and some more unusual holographic or decorative foils, which are made up with 'shim lines'. These lines are created when the edge of a foil is butted up against the edge of the same pattern, like wallpaper. Some of the foil suppliers have managed to minimise this phenomenon but you should still watch out for it. Obviously, solid colours do not present this problem.

Design context

Die cutting

Die cutting is a process that uses a steel die to cut away specified section of a design. It is mainly used for decorative purposes and to enhance the visual performance of a piece.


Die cutting is a common process used to cut a range of sheet materials, including paper, cardboard, rubber and plastic. Most standard cardboard boxes or packages are made using this relatively straightforward technique. In addition to cutting out shapes, this method of cutting can be used to create creases, perforations and slits.
 The die is produced by a die or cutting-forme maker out of a flat base or substrate that is usually made out of high-density plywood. The die maker uses a band saw or laser cutter to cut precisely positioned slits into the wood. The die maker then cuts and bends a steel rule, essentially an elongated razor blade made out of hardened steel, and positions it into the slits in the substrate to form the cutting edge. Finally, rubber pads, known as ejection rubber, are adhered to the substrate to help eject the material after it has been cut. The wood, steel rule and ejection rubber combine together to create what is commonly referred to as a cutting forme. Once the die maker has completed the cutting forme, it is immediately ready for production. The die is attached to the top surface or platen of a die cutting press, which will provide the force required for the job. The material to be cut is positioned below the die and then the press is put into action. If registration is an issue, the material is positioned against a stop or in a locating nest. The cutting edges of the steel rule penetrate through the material until they come into contact with the bottom platen; then the press reverses and the cut part is exposed. In some applications, a softer material is placed below the material to accept the cutting surfaces of the steel rule.

Design context

Disc and string closures

This type of closure originated with the legal profession. It is used principally on envelopes and folders housing documents that need to be securely fastened and accessed quickly. It consists of discs riveted onto the opening parts. The machinery that is needed to achieve this is quite specialised, as both discs have to be riveted. One disc has a length of string attached to it that ties around the other disc in a figure-of-eight configuration.

The discs themselves tend to be made from a pressed cardboard and the string from cotton. It is possible to have these discs made from the same material as the item you are producing; however, they will not then be as strong as pressed cardboard and can buckle when tied with the string.

Design context

Perfect binding-

Perfect binding, or adhesive binding, is a common binding method when there is a great number of pages to be bound together. All magazines and paperback books are bound in this way. The binding process involves first collating together the inside pages of the item, then notching or shaving off a small portion of the pages on this bound edge. A flexible adhesive is applied and the cover is attached.