Different stocks & benefits.
A business card needs to look of high quality and last quite a while so a client can refer to it when wanting to get in contact with someone. A lot of business cards tend to be printed on some kind of semi-thick card because it looks high quality but doesn't necessarily cost a lot (as seen above). Due to the fact the stock above is not too thick the designer has been able to request a duplexed business card so one side is white and the other red, this also gives the design quality. A thicker stock tends to make it easier to foil block too because theres more material for the foil to take to and this is a further thing that adds to the quality. Card tends to be quite a popular stock choice because it comes in so many different colours and can be quite cheap when bulk bought.
Trace is still a very experimental stock but tends to be cropping up more and more throughout design work. With the particular piece I have chosen the designer states that they chose trace to enhance the meaning of the piece so this means stock can also be used to help designers communicate a message they are trying to get over to their audience maybe more successfully. Trace is another stock that is quite cheap so would cut the cost of mass production of a design. It suits a particular style of design and can help a designer become more experimental with their work in terms of how the inks may take to the trace as they may be not as bright or brighter. There is sometimes value added when this stock is used because an audience may be more drawn to it as its different.
Thick card is also very useful when wanting to create a design with de-bossing or embossing because the card has higher tolerance than stocks such as paper which would probably just tear. Due to the thickness of this particular stock, after the area has been embossed the shadow left gives definition and adds value to the piece because it stylises it. The fold has also been embossed to make this easier to fold in half and the stock is clearly not too thick for this because usually if this is the case the stock would split.
This stock looks similar to cartridge paper which is thicker than normal paper but not as thick as card, it is of higher quality to normal printer paper. This is another stock that would save money if a design was to be mass produced as its quite cheap to get hold of. The paper is of a matt effect but the inks apply quite well to the stock so the images printed are still of high quality. There is no problem with colour change as such either because the cartridge paper is a white colour. This type of stock would benefit a designer who is producing something that is to be given away as a promotional flyer etc because generally expensive stocks are not used for this. This stock is also thick enough to be used as a leaflet, packaging and posters etc so is multi functional in a sense.
Embossing a design into plastic is an exciting alternative for designers because its quite a unique idea at the moment with few things that have been printed in this way, thats probably due to the fact its a more expensive process so not really considered with mass production. It means the designer doesn't necessarily have to come up with some sort of visually exciting design because the plastic cover itself is exciting enough and captures attention easily. The plastic cover for the book also means that the stock the actual book is printed on will be well looked after because one protects the other.
This particular stock is textured so its probably another quite expensive option. Its the sort of stock that is typically used for occasion cards so is meant to be long lasting and look high quality. Its clear from the example above that the designer can apply various finishes to the stock so this options for this are quite open. The stock clearly comes in different colours so this is another range of options available. It does however, seem that this stock could be quite limiting because if you were to print with inks on to this they are highly likely not to take to the stock due to the coating that gives it a slight shine. It seems to suit particular products such as occasion cards and business cards.
This is basic glossy stock and can be glossy on both sides or just one which is perfect for greetings cards as seen in the example above. This type of stock gives many options for printing depending on the look the client wants the cards to have, it could be screen printed, lithography or digitally printed. Generally digital print and lithography will be the most popular options depending on if the card is limited edition or to be mass produced. The glossy quality of the stock gives the design a high quality finish which is why its usually a popular choice. It also a reasonably priced stock to get hold of too.
This stock is antique style paper, it has visible texture but actually feels smooth and this particular factor makes it look of high quality even though its similar to that of everyday printer paper. This is another stock that can be printed on in a range of different ways such as lithography, screen print and digital print giving the designer a few options if they choose to use it. The style adds sophistication to this particular piece and fits with the old fashioned idea with the wax stamp being used too. The paper gives more of a characteristic rather than a high quality finish so will most likely be chosen for style.
This stock is useful in the sense that the same one has been used for the folding leaflet and the boxes too. It will probably make the whole print process cheaper because there only has to be one stock sourced and it can be bought in bulk. The glossy style of the stock makes the items look of a high quality therefor more desirable. The stock is clearly thick enough to be folded and be free standing so this gives the designer more options if they were to extend the range of products they designed, because they could possibly use the same stock again.
When printing crisp packets the print process is usually limited to flexography because this is the process used to print onto foils and plastics (such as straw wrappers). The foil used for these particular packages comes in different thicknesses so there is a choice depending on what you are packaging depending on how fresh the product needs to be kept. The great thing about foil is due to its glossy quality, it gives quite a high quality looking finish and makes the colour look quite vibrant.
Plastic business cards are becoming more and more popular and there are a few design options when it comes to what can be done with them. The first example I have shows that the text has been embossed into the card and then also spot varnished on nearer the bottom. This generally means the design doesn't have to be too complex and 'pretty' because these features make the design unique and interesting. The second business card has the design printed on to it but again this design can be kept quite simple because the fact it comes on plastic is exciting enough. The great thing about business cards being made like this is that a business card is usually meant to last so that one person can get in touch with another as all their details are written on the card and because its plastic its not going to tear and can be kept for so much longer. It will also make the designer more memorable in a sense because of this unique design. Although the process is probably more expensive it has a positive outcome in the long run.
No comments:
Post a Comment