Whenever a group of Baby Boomers or Generation
Jones designers gets together, there will usually be
some discussion about how different the profession
was before the computer. Typical laments include:
- “Design has become homogenized.”
- “Kids coming out of school can’t think
beyond whatever program they just learned.”
- “It was supposed to give us more time, but we
actually have less because clients expect it now.”
We know that for every advantage technology
has provided to the design community, there are
an equal number of drawbacks. Rapid production
from the computer allows designers to explore
multiple ideas quickly—and with more detail than
could be achieved by traditional hand-rendering—but having access to limitless choices does not
help isolate the best design solution. Savvy young
designers can draw lightning-fast layouts and
manipulate images with awe-inspiring precision,
but many of them lack the other skills that contribute
to true design mastery. Alas, we can bitch and
bemoan until the next generation of Macs makes
its appearance, but the fact is we’re not ever going
back to the “good old days.”
And what was it that was so good about
those days, anyway? The short answer is probably
the degree to which ingenuity was valued. Without
the multitude of options provided by today’s
personal computers and on-demand technology,
designers were wholly dependent upon their own
creativity and resourcefulness, aided by the trusted
collaboration of their suppliers. Clients—in our
fondest memories, anyway—were appreciative of
creative professionals who could work out problems
using resources that were not accessible by the average
layperson.
While some of the production techniques of
an earlier era are still being used today, the nontraditional
vehicles for creative expression do not seem
to be as prevalent as they formerly were. Perhaps
their day has come and gone … or more likely it’s
simply easier to do everything digitally, direct-to-plate
and without the extra steps a more traditional
path requires.
BOOMER TIPS
Examples abound of the sort of thinking that addressed
the challenge of “how to get noticed” during
the precomputer 1980s and into the 1990s. Some of
the tricks used by designers in past decades include:
Inventive use of paper
The substrate used most often in the graphic design
world is fine paper. During the 1980s the use of
industrial paper—including corrugated cardboard,
chipboard and kraft paper—was advocated by pioneers
like Charles Spencer Anderson, Joe Duffy
and John Sayles. The technique was often effective
simply because of its shock value: In a sea of glossy,
four-color publications, a one-color paperboard brochure
demands attention. Certain paper lends itself
to a particular message, such as a holiday greeting
for an architect done on blueprint paper. Similarly,
handmade paper conveys an honesty and beauty that
seems absent in much of today’s design vernacular.
Nontraditional materials
The 1980s and ’90s saw a lot of other materials
being incorporated into design projects. Glass,
wood, metal, textiles and other substrates were
successfully used outside of their normal contexts.
Awards annuals 20 years ago were filled with postcards
made from veneer, annual reports bound
with twine and business cards stamped
out of sheet metal. Corrugated plastic and other
packaging materials were used in place of cover
stock in brochures and folders. Unique bindings
practically became the norm, as it seemed every
designer had at some time used a twig, rubber
band or sewing-machine stitch to hold a piece
of collateral together.
Partnering with suppliers
Good communication with vendors was—and still
is—an important factor in design execution. An
example of this is split fountain printing, which
realized a degree of fashionableness in the late
1980s. The process involves putting two or more
inks into a single press fountain to achieve special
color effects (most often a rainbow appearance),
providing multicolored printing without the associated
cost. The technique requires clear communication
between press operator and designer to yield
good results.
Similarly, designers teamed up with screen printers
for projects that might have been impractical to
print offset due to cost-of-production considerations.
The benefits of screen printing are multifold, including
a unique appearance and making it possible for
ink to be applied to rugged surfaces. In the days
before digital and on-demand printing, screen printing
was perhaps the most viable option for small-quantity
projects.
STEPPING AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER
I asked some veteran designers for tips on how to
avoid the digitized and homogenized look that is disparaged by some in assessing the work being done
today. Following are their suggestions:
Make form as important as function
Think of the binding method as an opportunity for
creativity. There are many types of nontraditional
bindings with virtually unlimited variations. Get
ideas from hardware stores, junk stores, museum
shops, art galleries, bookstores and from other
related fields such as architecture and interior design.
Think traditionally
Consider shooting photos using film, and experiment
with darkroom techniques or double-exposure
methods. Find an old typewriter and type portions
of text manually. Locate old sheets of Letraset rubdown
type for creating display copy.
Experiment
If you’re unfamiliar with a particular material as a
medium, get samples from the manufacturer and
experiment with them. Take a tour of a metal fabrication
company or visit an artist’s metalworking
studio. Find a woodworker, and ask if you can have
scrap pieces to use in testing.
Educate yourself
There can be a lot to know about materials, and in
the process of learning you’ll undoubtedly come up
with ideas. For example, metal is available in more
than just flat sheets: Try using square or round metal
tubes or rods and prefabricated items such as ball
bearings, nuts and bolts, hinges, coils and decorative
pieces. Become familiar with the standard sheet sizes
for chipboard, and learn about the various thicknesses
available. Find out the differences between
solid lumber, plywood and veneer.
Know the process
Screen printing is the most popular method of
printing images on nontraditional materials,
although some offset printers are able to print successfully
on industrial papers. If you decide to use
screen printing but you’re not well-acquainted with
the process, be sure to convey your expectations
for the finished product to your vendor. This will
help the printer determine in which order the colors
should be printed, which is an important factor.
Also remember to discuss the desired opacity or
transparency of the inks used.
Keep the end use in mind
It would be unwise to use sticks or other sharp
objects to bind a children’s book, or to use pointed
or fragile things on an item that will go through
the mail unprotected. Similarly, if you’re designing a menu out of a material like metal, think about
whether a waitress could carry a stack of them easily.
Keep your eyes open
Ideas for unique materials are all around you. Look
at the carpet on the floor, the upholstery on the
chair and the clothes you’re wearing. Can you use
textiles successfully in your next project? What
about “found objects” that you might see in your
yard or when you’re out shopping? Start an “idea
file” and save anything you might find interesting
for possible future use.
Buy right
If the manufacturer of a material you want to use
is unwilling to sell to you directly because you only
need a small quantity, talk to a mainstream user of
the product. Ask if they would let you purchase the
material from them or if they would be willing to
place the order for you.
Call in an expert
Working with new materials can be time-consuming
and fraught with potential pitfalls. If you don’t have
much experience with the substrate you’ve selected,
consider hiring a professional with experience in that
area to oversee your production.
