Responses and Plan...

I have had a few responses to my questions, which is a huge relief! People have been really helpful and turned them around in a few days for me. On Monday I also rang a selection of new companies that I hadn't contacted before, and a couple of them were really eager to answer my questions and got them back to me the same day.

I am starting to feel a little better about my context publication now. I have considered exactly what I want to include, and how I can use secondary research to make my publication more relevant to my design practice.

My publication is based on Print (all forms of print) design, so I feel it is appropriate to give and overview of how print started and the progression it has made from the early days of letterpress and woodblock printing. I have come up with a plan for the book:

1. What is Print?

A prologue/overview of what print is and what the rest of the book will focus on.

2. Origins of Print

Inventions of print in the far east and in europe. Explanation and investigation of hand print production.

3. Innovation and Development

The introduction of the printing press. Wood engraving and mass market opportunities. Colour printing

4. Digitisation and Modern Print

An explanation of how hand print moved onto being mechanized and how this is used in modern printing.

A break down of different printing processes, with explanation and examples of pieces:

Lithography (compare to relief printing)

Gravure (compare to intaglio printing)

Flexography

Lino

Silk screen

Letterpress

Thermography

5. Finishing

A breakdown of how printing is finished using different techniques:

Stocks and substrates

Varnishes

Die cutting

Embossing

Foiling

Fore edge printing

6. Interviews

The answers to my questions from a range of designers and companies. I will include some full interviews, some snippets and some strong quotes from all of the responses I have had. I want this section to round the book off and reinforce the information that I have included.

I think that 6 sections will be enough for the book. There is quite a lot of information that could go into the first three sections. I need to make sure that I do not focus too heavily on this as it is not the main theme of the book.