Sweet Projects and Effects—Our most recent accomplishments!

I have been absolutely SWAMPED! It would be ridiculous to complain in these economic times but I must apologize because my blog has definitely taken a hit! Thanks for hanging in there with me!!

I truly feel honored to collaborate with our clients and design team on such amazing projects. Most recently, we turned out:

1. An AMAZING flip book for the updated line of Sony Cyber-shot cameras
2. Various trade show items and a folder with a strand of spot gloss varnish DNA for Pathway Genomics
3. Updates to two 2010 versions of Medill @ Northwestern Graduate and Integrated Marketing Communication View Books (and spent a day and a half at the printer press checking them).
4. Finessed new specs and a new relationship with a vendor in Chicago to produce Medill’s alumni magazine.
5. And, we worked on a super-secret project for a high-profile client, which I cannot divulge just yet!

It is always so rewarding when these projects come to fruition and our samples arrive. I am so amazed by printing technology and everything our vendors can accomplish in such a short period of time. Here’s a shout out to our vendors—Rush Press, EarthColor, Skyline San Diego, and Schneider Graphics, for doing such a tremendous job on all of these projects!

Take a gander:

One of the printing methods we often use is called strikethrough. You can see on both the Sony flip book and the Pathway folder, how the method is used to create a result. You can use either gloss UV’s or gloss varnishes to create these effects. The gloss varnish is more economical and is typically the quicker route but the gloss UV really makes the images or typography pop off the page, especially when you are using dull UV varnishes in conjunction.

Essentially, your printer will lay down the ink and then, a full layer of gloss. The key to making the gloss “pop” is the juxtaposition of the shiny gloss and the dull varnish working side by side. Your vendor will create a separate plate for the dull varnish, which, based on the way the file is designed, omits certain areas. Our designers create clipping paths (or masks) of the items they want to highlight and save them on a separate layer (or separate file) indicating the gloss UV/varnish area. The areas highlighted in white (or, often times, in magenta) are the areas that will pop when printed. For the Sony flip book, in addition to hitting the product shots, we highlighted this technique by setting up a “blind” varnish (i.e. a varnish effect with no actual printed imagery or typography below it). This method is most effective on dark backgrounds, however, as seen in the Pathway folder example, it can also be used subtly, to create interest.

Here’s an example of how the file is set up:

The first image is the final, print-ready file. The second image is the varnish file.

And... here's the final outcome:

Pretty groovy, eh?

Check with your print vendor regarding their methodology. Each facility has a unique procedure for attaining this result. For example, the same outcome can be achieved by printing a full layer of dull varnish first, then imprinting a spot gloss varnish on top (as in the Pathway folder example). In this case, if you are working with photographic images or large areas of solid color, please keep in mind that the dull varnish tends to tone down their overall impact, so make sure you understand your printer’s process, when choosing to incorporate this effect.

Utilizing specialized printing techniques can really give your projects and your Client’s products/brand the POP! they need to make them stand out. This technique is one of many. MORRIS—making cameras and DNA sexy. ;~)

Is Social Media Just a Fad?

Great video! Well designed and effectively communicates the pros of social media.

Is it a HORROR FLICK with a TWIST of ROMANCE??? Nope, it's just design & printing terminology.

• BLEED • DIE • SCORE • KISS CUT • SPREAD • TRIM • TIP IN • LIVE AREA •

Visions of a slasher movie with a romantic twist come to mind... but alas, it's just design and printing terminology.

In every industry, there exists terminology specific to that business. In design and production, there’s no exception. I thought it would be helpful to share some of the basic definitions here, for designers who are just getting started. Not a terribly exciting topic but relevant nonetheless. Bookmark this page for reference, and refer to it as these familiar terms cross your plate in the future.

SPECS—LIVE AREA—BLEED—TRIM
Typically, creative directors, publishers, and sometimes printers (depending on the project), provide designers with specifications for their projects. These SPECS (for short) typically include what are referred to as the LIVE AREA and the BLEED. The LIVE AREA refers to the space the design must be contained in. The BLEED is the intentional continuance of the design beyond the live area (usually about .125” on all sides). Bleed is an important element of designs that go all the way to the edge of the paper. It is incorporated because the printer TRIMS (aka cuts) the design to the desired size (live area) once the item is reproduced, removing the extra .125" of bleed for a clean and gorgeous end product.

SPREAD
A SPREAD consists of two pages that face each other and are designed as one visual or production unit.

The following items refer primarily to finishing techniques or items you might specify when estimating a print job.

4 COLOR PROCESS or PROCESS COLORS vs. PANTONE or SPOT COLORS
See my blog entry from May 18, 2009 for the differences between specifying 4CP/CMYK vs. Spot Color/PMS. http://concoctionconspirator.blogspot.com/2009/05/cmyk-vs-pms.html

AQUEOUS vs. VARNISH COATINGS
I couldn’t have said it better myself. For more information on these items, please refer to this link, with an article on the pros and cons/differences. http://www.printindustry.com/newsletter_18.htm

SCORE/SCORING
Scoring simply refers to paper or card stock that has been compressed along a straight line (either by a machine or by hand) so it folds easily and accurately.

DIE/DIE CUTTING
Think of custom packaging, jigsaw puzzles, and stickers—anything with a customized shape. A DIE cuts, scores, stamps, embosses and debosses printed items. DIE CUTTING occurs when the die is utilized to cut or impress irregular shapes in paper, stickers, labels, or paperboard.

KISS CUTTING
KISS CUTTING is when you die cut through a peel n' stick sheet, applying just enough pressure so the die slices through the adhesive, but not through the back of the sheet. This enables the user to pull stickers off one at a time from the larger intact sheet.

TIP IN
A TIP IN is an extra page or design feature that is added to a printed piece beyond the normal process. It can be applied as a novel design adaptation and may be created using the same or different paper than the original printed design. In one of the pieces we’re currently working on, we are tipping in actual photographs to show the range of a particular product.

SADDLE STITCH
SADDLE STITCHING is a binding technique for multi-page printed pieces. Essentially, it means that the item is bound using staples (typically 3). For smaller creations, this is a cost-effective means of binding. Designs must be created in 4-page increments (8, 12, 16, 20, 24, etc…) up to a certain maximum size—dependent upon your paper choice.

PERFECT BOUND
PERFECT BINDING is also a binding technique for multi-page printed pieces. When requesting perfect binding, please note that your design must be a minimum number of pages (approximately 24+, depending on the weight of the paper). One of the benefits of perfect binding is that you do not have to create your document in 4-page increments. The pages are glued on the edge and can accommodate odd numbered pieces. Books are typically perfect bound.

For today, I’ll stop here. The world of print production is filled with nomenclature that, I admit, can become overwhelming at times. This basic list will have you sounding like a pro in no time flat. ;~)

Color Inspired Typography

One of my co-workers sent me the link to this amazing website where you can search typography by color. It's pretty cool—anyone can upload a photo if you have an online link to it. The site reminded him of our Urban Inspiration project. I was inspired to submit my "PLEASE LET DOWN EASY" shot. Here are some screen grabs to inspire you too!


http://welovetypography.com

URBAN INSPIRATION GRIDS

Here are a few of the images that were created by our multi-talented employees!

MORRIS Rebrand Launch—Yay! Check it out.

It's official! Today we launch our new brand!

I can finally post those pictures of the stationery I promised to post back in April. See Murphy's Law—Part 1 and 2 for the process it took to get here.

Check out our sleek new website: http://www.thinkmorris.com/
and the stationery system and CD/DVD's to match :).

Urban Inspiration 1—COLOR

Today, I coordinated a little field trip out of the office.

A couple months ago, my boss presented us with this year’s BHAG—aka Big Hairy Audacious Goal (a BHAG encourages companies to define visionary goals that are more strategic. The concept was originally proposed by James Collins and Jerry Porras in their 1996 article titled, Building Your Company's Vision).

Our BHAG contained one goal in particular that really sparked my curiosity, “Cultivate a mindset of innovation…”

While I don’t officially consider myself an inventor, I do consider myself an idea person—particularly lately—since I have entered (and done well with) a few of my submissions on the www.edisonnation.com website. It’s impossible to sum up the EN website and the company behind it (Eventys) without going into a long explanation. Suffice to say, it’s revolutionary and it is providing opportunity to a lot of everyday folks.

At the same time the BHAG was introduced, we unfolded a new “goals” process. We were asked to relate our professional goals to the BHAG in general—to work towards our ultimate goal of truly living the document.

I thought back to that goal, “Cultivate a mindset of innovation…”

To work on my own creative mindset, I had already bought “Thinkertoys—A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques” by Michael Michalko. It teaches you how to train yourself to be a creative thinker.

One of the suggested exercises from Michalko’s book asks the reader to direct their attention to one color and spend all day seeking that color. The idea behind this focusing exercise is to help people see the world around them in a new light. By focusing on the details, they have a greater experience with that color, and it forces them to pay attention.

Since design is seriously influenced by color, I thought this would be a fun way to begin the implementation of one of my professional goals—coordinating learning opportunities for our employees to help them develop a more innovative mindset. I called the workshop Urban Inspiration (1).

I gave the exercise a little twist, and asked everyone to bring in their digital cameras and walking shoes. We split up into groups of two—I think everyone had a camera—and then we chose colors (red, green, yellow, blue, brown, and silver/chrome). I gave everyone a list of things to shoot—a person, typography, a logo, 5 close-ups, a photo of something in the distance, something natural, something stereotypically urban—and hoped they would just shoot pictures of anything that color.

It will be exciting to see everyone's completed photo grids. I couldn't wait so I posted mine below.

Here’s a little inspiration from Michalko:
“Creators are joyful and positive. Creators look at ‘what is’ and ‘what can be’ instead of ‘what is not.’ Instead of excluding possibilities, creators include all possibilities, both real and imagined. They choose to interpret their own world and do not rely upon the interpretations of others. And most importantly, creators are creative because they BELIEVE they are creative… No matter how indifferent the universe may be to our choices and decisions, these choices and decisions are ours to make. We decide. We choose. In the end, our own creativity is decided by what we choose to do or what we refuse to do. And as we decide and choose, so are our destinies formed.”