'Frescography'

I have been researching into the print process of 'frescography'. What interested me initially was that I had not heard of the process so felt intrigued to find out about it. I find it interesting that frescoes which are traditionally hand painted can essentially be produced relatively simply through this more modern process. This relates to my own project because I am considering ways in which I could promote the benefits of dumpster diving though some possible kind of event, in which case the design of the location/interior would become important to consider.

Example of frescography from the worlds largest cruising ship, Royal Clipper.

Frescography is a method for producing murals digitally on paper, canvas, glass or tiles, invented 1998 by German muralist Rainer Maria Lazke. Frescography uses CAM and digital printing methods to create murals.


Process :

Unlike woodblock printing, the frescography is based on digitally cut-out motifs which are stored in a database. To avoid having to work with high resolution files on software such as Photoshop (resulting in long rendering and processing time), new CAM software programs like the Dreamworlds Design Studio allow the composition of mural designs by working with preview files which are later converted to the original resolution. By adding the exact measurements of a wall when starting a new project and even taking architectural elements such as doors windows or beams into consideration, the design will result in an accurately and tailor-fit wall mural.

Once a design is finished, the low resolution motifs are converted into the original high resolution images and are printed on Wide-format printers. Unlike the woodblock print consisting of stripes, the frescography is printed on a single piece of canvas allowing a seamless mural tailor-fit to the walls dimensions. Once produced, the canvas is applied to the wall in a wallpaper-like procedure.

Since the motifs can be placed freely and scaled to the individual wall measurements, the finished piece will look like it was created on-site.

Materials :
Since Frescography is based on digital printing methods, various materials ranging from canvas, ceramics, or glass to PVC, depending on the material the printer supports. Commonly frescographies are printed on Wide-format printers such as Efi's Vutek printer.

Abandoned spaces

One of my designs for this packaging project involves hosting an event of some kind to promote the positive results of dumpster diving. I think it would be appropriate to host such an even in a space that too, has been discarded. As well as this, a space such as this would be free to use making it attractive to me financially. These are some images I found of abandoned spaces that I think are particularly beautiful and interesting, 

Helmut Smits

I have found a new favourite..... I stumbled upon this Dutch born artist during my What is good? research for packaging and promotion... I felt more and more inspired the more I looked at until I found I'd navigated myself around his site more than once. These are some of the pieces I liked the most....

'Rainbow'

'City Tree'

'Urban'

In holland these triangular shaped give way markings are called 'sharks teeth', hence the gold tooth!

'Dead pixel in google earth'

'Nature in the Netherlands'
Materials: adhesive print, plywood
Commissioned by Euro Land Art
Blown-up plant labels in nature reserve Het Bossche Broek. To emphasize the richness of flora and also to question what ‘nature’ in the Netherlands actually implies.

'Het Bossche Broekje' (a small cake for two)

Commissioned by CBK ‘s-Hertogenbosch for the Landsporen project.

Het Bossche Broek is a nature reserve near the city centre of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. The layers of icing, cake and filling represent the layers of soil underneath Het Bossche Broek. Dig your way through centuries of sediments and soil formation while you eat.

Developed in collaboration with Proef design studio.

'Tree in front of a billboard'

'Parking for white cars only'

'Cars sorted by colour'

'High tension flags'

'Without cabinet'

I know his work only has slight print and packaging elements to it, what I feel inspired by is his perspective on design, his 'out of the box' off kilter thinking, and the way he takes boring things and makes them interesting, funny, or simply beautiful.

Holography

I have decided to research holograms and how they are made simply because I dont know how they are made and I wanted to find out....
Holography is a technique that allows the light scattered from an object to be recorded and later reconstructed so that it appears as if the object is in the same position relative to the recording medium as it was when recorded. The image changes as the position and orientation of the viewing system changes in exactly the same way as if the object were still present, thus making the recorded image (hologram) appear three dimensional.

This is the best video I could find to illustrate how you make a hologram:

Holovision uses an embossing process to create the holograms. First the hologram is made on a light sensitive resist plate. This is metalised and nickel copy made by electroforming (like chrome or silver plating). This copy is stamped into acrylic as a tiled pattern to form a recombined master shim. This is metalised and a final nickel embossing plate produced. The recombined master is analogous to a printing plate which is attached to a steel embossing roller and under heat and pressure embosses a relief structure into the polyester plastic. Adhesive is applied to the back and a release paper attached. Finally the holograms are die cut to size and wound onto rolls for either machine or hand application.

Mass production of holograms:

An existing hologram can be replicated, either in an optical way similar to holographic recording, or in the case of surface relief holograms, by embossing. Surface relief holograms are recorded in photoresists or photothermoplastics, and allow cheap mass reproduction. Such embossed holograms are now widely used, for instance as security features on credit cards or quality merchandise. 

The first step in the embossing process is to make a stamper by electrodeposition of nickel on the relief image recorded on the photoresist or photothermoplastic. When the nickel layer is thick enough, it is separated from the master hologram and mounted on a metal backing plate. The material used to make embossed copies consists of a polyester base film, a resin separation layer and a thermoplastic film constituting the holographic layer.

The embossing process can be carried out with a simple heated press. The bottom layer of the duplicating film (the thermoplastic layer) is heated above its softening point and pressed against the stamper so that it takes up its shape. This shape is retained when the film is cooled and removed from the press. In order to permit the viewing of embossed holograms in reflection, an additional reflecting layer of aluminum is usually added on the hologram recording layer.

It is possible to print holograms directly into steel using a sheet explosive charge to create the required surface relief.

^{Holograms in art:}

Early on artists saw the potential of holography as a medium and gained access to science laboratories to create their work. Holographic art is often the result of collaborations between scientists and artists, although some holographers would regard themselves as both an artist and scientist.

Salvador Dalí claimed to have been the first to employ holography artistically. He was certainly the first and best-known surrealist to do so.

History of printing...

Woodblock printing 200

Movable type 1040

Printing press 1454

Lithography 1796

Laser printing 1969

Thermal printing circa 1990

Pad printing examples

Compute Keyboard

Golf ball logos

Hard hat logos

Matchbox cars

Screen printing examples

Rotogravure printing examples

Wallpaper

Wrapping paper

Digital printing examples

Billboards

Posters

Tickets

Flyers

Flexography examples

Comic books

Cans

Newspapers

Cartons

Die cutting

Die cutting is a process in manufacturing that cuts uniform shapes from paper, wood, metal and cloth. Die cut machines may be large for industrial purposes, or smaller and less expensive for use by individuals. The die itself is often a blade that has been bent into the desired shape. The blade is secured to a backing and inserted into the machine. When in operation, the die functions much like a cookie cutter, pressing shapes from the material rolling through the machine. Die cut machines may be manually operated or computerized.
Some die cut machines can be programmed to cut whatever shape is desired. The most simple die cut machines, available for a relatively low cost at most craft stores, are simple mechanisms controlled by a roller that presses dies of predetermined shapes into individual sheets of paper. These die machines are often used by scrapbook makers and teachers to create paper designs and patterns.
Industrial-sized die cut machines are made to produce at high volumes and fast speeds. For industrial purposes, die machines can be used to do different tasks--such as bending and trimming--in addition to cutting. Each operation requires a different kind of die. Products produced by dies include keys, kitchen utensils, car parts, buttons, paper products and aluminum cans.

this man is weird:

Crafting techinques

Magic markers :  by colouring one colour directly onto the nib of another then colouring the page achieves this graduated tone.

Creating a stencil then blowing the nib of the magic marker achieves this spray painted stencil effect.

Embossing : cut a shape to emboss out of thin card (ideally cereal packet thickness) then laying the paper you want to emboss over it. Use a cuticle pusher to lightly mark out the outline before rubbing and indenting the paper with the tool to create an embossed/de-bossed effect. May have to use a light box to find the outline. Thicker card and serif fonts more difficult to achieve good result.

This compass tool allows you to cut perfect circles. Use it lightly but go round a couple of times.

This circular saw tool has interchangeable blades and can be used to cut extremely straight lines or smooth curved lines more easily. Also can achieve perforated lines.

Lithography examples

In desktop publishing, RIP — raster image processing  is the process and the means of turning vector digital information such as a PostScript file into a high-resolution raster image. That is, the RIP takes the digital information about fonts and graphics that describes the appearance of your file and translates it into an image composed of individual dots that the imaging device (such as your desktop printer or an imagesetter) can output.

Think of the RIP as a translator between you and your printer. You give it instructions in the language of your desktop publishing application and the RIP translates your instructions into the language of the printer. If your language is too complicated for the translator or it misunderstands your instructions the file doesn't rip.

You may not have a RIP, instead relying on the printer driver to communicate between your application and your desktop printer. In some cases, this works fine. But in keeping with our language translator analogy, it's like using gestures and facial expressions to convey complex ideas — not very efficient and some thoughts are misunderstood. The RIP offers additional features and functions not found in your standard printer driver.

Who has the RIP?
The RIP comes in firmware, hardware, or software versions. Firmware RIP is built-in to the device, such as the PostScript RIP built-in to many desktop printers. The hardware RIP is a dedicated piece of hardware configured to process digital files. It often comes with specific types of devices, such as an imagesetter. The software RIP is an independent program that can work with many types of devices.

For basic desktop printing, your main concern is in having a PostScript capable printer if printing EPS graphics and the complex documents common in desktop publishing. Many laser printers come with PostScript Level 3 RIP. With inkjet printers, you purchase a separate software RIP solution to get PostScript unless you're using the more expensive high-end inkjet or dye-sub proofers that come with PostScript RIP software or hardware.

Large design offices and print service providers use a fancy RIP. In some cases these RIP solutions perform additional functions alone or in conjunction with dedicated software including queuing print jobs, batch processing, imposition, trapping, color separations, and halftone screening. The RIP software may include additional preflight functions such as checking for missing fonts or graphics prior to RIPping.

What can go wrong?

Raster image processing can fail for many reasons. Large file sizes can slow down the processing. Insufficient memory can keep large files from printing. Corrupt fonts and graphics, errors in the PostScript code, and other corrupted data can cause the RIP to fail. An incompatibility between your applications and the RIP hardware or software can keep error-free files from printing.

To avoid problems before they happen:

• Keep file sizes manageable. Crop images in a graphics program rather than in your page layout program (because even if cropped, the entire graphics file becomes a part of the document, unncessarily increasing file size and processing time).
• Simplify your document. Avoid complex blends and nested graphic images.
• Don't mix Type 1 and TrueType fonts in the same document.
• If using TrueType fonts, check with your service provider to ensure that they can handle them. Some service providers use older applications that can't rasterize TrueType fonts for printing.
• Use the preflight tools in your page layout application or dedicated preflight software on all your files to catch common problems before they reach the RIP stage.
• When sending PostScript files for printing, always print them to your own PostScript printer first. If you have problems, chances are your service provider will as well.
• When preparing PDF files for high resolution printing, use Acrobat Distiller, not PDFWriter.
• Ascertain what level of PostScript your service provider uses. Creating a PostScript or PDF file that utilizes features that their PostScript level doesn't support, sometimes causes problems. (For example, under certain conditions a PostScript Level 2 RIP will not correctly separate certain types of duotone EPS files or colorized TIFFs.)

How to fix the RIP...

• Fonts are a frequent culprit. Change all the fonts in the document to one that you know works. If no errors occur, replace each font one at a time to find the offending one. Replace the bad font with something else or with a new, uncorrupted copy of that font.
• Contact your printer manufacturer or software publisher to see if there are known issues causing the errors.
• Reboot the computer and try printing again.
• Try printing to another PostScript printer. If the same errors occur, the file itself probably contains the error, not the RIP or the printer. If the errors don't occur, the problem could still reside in the file but the RIP and the original printer are also potential culprits.
• Print only a page or two at a time. The job may be too large for the RIP to handle or elements on a specific page may be causing a problem. When you encounter a page that won't print, troubleshoot it for font or graphics problems by deleting elements one at a time.
• Some graphics programs create complex effects with gradients, transparency, and blends that refuse to print. If you must use these effects, try converting the image to a bitmap format first before placing in your application file.
• Use Acrobat Distiller to generate a PDF from your PostScript file. See if you get the same errors.
• Open the file in another version of the application, save it and try printing again.
• Copy the contents of the file to a new document, save and try again.
• Open your graphics in their original application, save in a different format then place them in a copy of the original document. Try printing it.
• Some programs produce inexplicable errors even with the simplest files. If all else fails, you may have to totally recreate your file in a different application. Hopefully you won't have that experience often, if ever.

Type workshop (4)

Foil stamping

Hot foil stamping is a process that is used to decorate items with various designs. Other names for hot foil stamping include dry stamping, leaf stamping, foil imprinting and hot stamping. An assortment of equipment and supplies are needed for hot foil stamping, including specialized machinery and foils to apply the design. These items use a combination of pressure, heat, films and die plates to create hot foil stamped images on items. Paper, vinyl, leather, nylon, polyester, satin and most kinds of plastics can be stamped with this process. Hot foil stamping doesn't work on rubber, metal, ceramic, glass or uneven surfaces.

Foil film is the key element to hot foil stamping. This film contains color pigment in a thin layer, which is transferred to an item by heated die plates. 

Dies are metallic blocks with individual etched pictures or letters on the surface that press against the foil to imprint an image onto the item. There are several different types of film used in hot foil stamping, including the basic metallic or non-metallic film. Other styles include a signature panel, such as the panels found on the backs of credit cards, and scratch-off panels, found on phone cards.

These films consist of three layers that work together to create a foil image. The first layer is a clear film that holds the pigment, followed by the main layer that adds sediment to the pigment on the first layer during the imprinting process. Finally, the release coating is the final layer, which attaches the sediment and pigment to the object undergoing the foil stamping process. During this process, the item to be stamped is placed between a layer of the film and the chosen die plate. The hot foil stamping machine then applies pressure and heat to the die plate, which activates the film, causing a thin layer of foil to stick to the surface of the object.