Visual References

So I've got less than a month to put together my process book for thesis and the panic is starting to set in... I have to categorize and organize my sources to the best of my abilities over the next 10 days or so, so that I can start actually putting them in a structured book. I feel like I have all of the sources and references that I need but I'm feeling very anxious and overwhelmed by how unorganized everything is - I really have to work on that.... Anyway, today's blog post is going to be visual references only, so that I can get those out of the way in an efficient manner, while the more scholarly and academic material will be summarized in word documents for now. So here are the visual references I have so far;

http://glittergoods.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c5f4d53ef01156f2d7324970c-pi

This is a set of scratch foam prints that the original poster had her daughter's kindergarten class make for a school auction. I haven't been able to get my hands on any of this scratch foam material, but I've checked online and it looks like I'm just going to have to order it (as Curry's, Deserres, Michaels, Woolfitt's, and Aboveground Art Supplies do not carry it). It seems like a great printmaking medium, if only for it's ease of use.

http://designismine.blogspot.com/2008_03_02_archive.html

This is a woodblock print that the original poster found at Pedlar's (http://www.pedlars.co.uk/). I originally bookmarked it because the original poster goes on to write "It is created using traditional wood block printing, which is quite rare in London these days. I really cannot stop falling in love with all the beautiful text prints I am seeing all over these days!" which made me feel justified in my own theory that people appreciate hand crafted design over digital design, but now I've realized that it's not enough to actually prove anything; now I just keep it as inspiration.

These two images were found from the same source: http://pitchdesignunion.com/?p=1226

I found them while looking for different folding techniques for my typography class assignment (I love it when classes over lap like this). Clearly, they are very interesting paper engineering techniques and I am definitely going to try them out on my own; I am even debating using them in my final work (which is still constantly changing in my mind).

These three images are taken from Reg Beatty's blog portfolio: http://rgbportfolio.blogspot.com/

They are only a small sample of his exquisite book binding works; I saw him speak at a lecture on books in October and he went through this portfolio elaborating on how and why some of his projects came to be. Beatty is a bookbinding expert and, luckily for me, he teaches at OCAD.

This is a snapshot of an Etsy.com page; the search results from the keywords: letterpress, book (under the subheading Books and Zines). I often use websites like Etsy.com and ffffound.com for inspiring visuals.

Well that's it for image exclusive sources; obviously there is a plethora of visual sources coming from my research - these were just the ones that did not come with accompanying scholarly research material, which is why they are here. Now to continue hacking back at the rest of my research...

Final sources - for research methodologies anyway..

Alright, so I handed the final thesis proposals in on Tuesday. I wish I had more time to check things over and elaborate on some parts (i.e. the sources) but I didn't and at this point I'm just glad to have everything out of the way; well everything except this last post.

So here are some sources that I've looked at since my last entry;
Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne, and Uta Frith. The Learning Brain: Lessons for Education. Malden, MA,
USA: Blackwell, 2005.
Curran, Eileen P. Just Enough to Know Better a Braille Primer. Boston, Mass.: National Braille,
1988.
Hornsby, Bevé, Frula Shear, and Julie Pool. Alpha to Omega: The A-Z of Teaching Reading,
Writing and Spelling. Oxford: Heinemann, 2006.
Children's Letter and Word Reading Competencies." Reading Research Quarterly 15.2 (1980):
203-27.
Swenson, Anna M. Beginning with Braille Firsthand Experiences with a Balanced Approach to
Literacy. New York: AFB, 1999.
Travers, Paul D,, and Wallace Z. Ramsey. "Initial Teaching Alphabet a Hundred Years Ago?"
The Elementary School Journal 74.5 (1974): 274-79.
Tur-Sinai [Torczyner], H. "The Origin of the Alphabet." The Jewish Quarterly Review 41.1
(1950): 83-109.
Tur-Sinai [Torczyner], H. "The Origin of the Alphabet (Continued)." The Jewish Quarterly
Review 41.2 (1950): 159-79.
Vernon, McCay, and Joan D. Coley. "The Sign Language of the Deaf and Reading-Language
Development." The Reading Teacher 32.3 (1978): 297-301.
Wormsley, Diane P. Braille Literacy: a Functional Approach. New York: AFB, 2004.

Those are mostly for my third proposal: I intend to create a children’s alphabet book incorporating the Roman alphabet, as well as the American Sign Language (ASL) version of the alphabet, and Braille. Each page will also have an image to associate with the letter. This book will teach children with multiple abilities and disabilities the alphabet. For further ease, I also intend to use block-printing methods to stamp the information onto the page adding a texture that will allow the visually impaired child to comprehend the image associated with the letter as well as the look of the Roman letter.

Although this was the last proposal that I came up with - a bit of a combination between my first and second (How might hand-pressed books inform editorial and publication design? and How can a design campaign inform people of the consequences of losing species to extinction? [one of the aspects of the campaign is a series of 26 posters, one for each letter of the English alphabet] - I think that it might tie with my first proposal in terms of how much I like it. The sources were primarily education based, as in - how do children with different abilities learn the alphabet. I was thinking: why should children have to be divided to learn the alphabet? I mean everyone has to learn it somehow eventually so why not make a tool that can teach children with different abilities and disabilities? I realize that this one will require way more research if I actually choose to go with it, seeing as I am only vaguely familiar with sign language (I own a copy of The Pocket Book of Signing by Rod R. Butterworth and Mickey Flodin for my own personal interest) and know even less about Braille. The most interesting thing that I have yet to learn/ understand is how seeing-impaired people "read" texture - I mean, can I just block print an image and they'll be able to visualize it through the image they read with their hands? (check out http://www.tactilemindbook.com/ - I saw this at the Erotic Arts & Crafts fair at the Gladstone this past February - the most unorthodox places can end up being the most informative!) I could be completely off but so far I haven't really found any substantial sources on the subject so I'm going to have to look harder if I get into it and possibly do some participant observation.
But anyway, back to printmaking, I took out Handmade Prints by Anne Desmet and Jim Anderson from the OCAD library and I have to say that it's one of the more interesting print-making books I've looked at because it shows the less "professional" forms of printmaking and really explores every sort of technique possible, from potato stamping to "printing from bits and pieces" to stenciling, to screen printing. It also defines a lot of terms and explains how to make every single print. Most importantly it exposes a whole new way of thinking about printing - it's not all about the press!
Speaking of the press however, I did check out Zach Springer (thank you Sarah!) and I really love the idea of using a traditional printing press like the one that Guttenberg had designed all those centuries ago, which is apparently just what Mr. Springer has done with The Print Factory. I checked out buildsomethingtogether.com but I think that this website (http://craftandconcept.com/pfinfo.html) is more to the point about this project, it also has Zach's contact information so once I get out of this end of year stupor I'm going to contact him and ask him more about The Print Factory project and discuss my own ideas - maybe he can help give me some tips and guidance.
Ok, well I think that's it for now. Good luck with your thesis Sarah, and I hope everyone (anyone?) reading this blog has a great summer :)

More Sources YAY!

Desmet, Anne, and Jim Anderson. Handmade Prints: An Introduction to Creative Printmaking Without a Press. London: A. & C. Black, 2009. Print.

Godfrey, Richard T. Printmaking in Britain: A General History from Its Beginnings to the Present Day. New York: New York UP, 1978. Print.

Ittmann, John W., Innis H. Shoemaker, James Wechsler, and Lyle W. Williams. Mexico and Modern Printmaking: a Revolution in the Graphic Arts, 1920 to 1950. Philadelphia: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2006. Print.

Klanten, R., and H. Hellige, eds. Impressive Printmaking, Letterpress and Graphic Design. Die Gestalten Verlag, 2010. Print.

Krejča, Aleš, and A. J. Weelen. Print-making Techniques : A Guide to the Processes and the History of Original Print-making. London: Octopus, 1982. Print.

Martin, Judy. The Encyclopedia of Printmaking Techniques. Tunbridge Wells: Search, 2001. Print.

Meggs, Philip B., and Alston W. Purvis. Meggs' History of Graphic Design. Hoboken, N.J.: J. Wiley & Sons, 2006. Print.

Raizman, David. History of Modern Design. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004. Print.

Saff, Donald, and Deli Sacilotto. Printmaking: History and Process. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1978. Print.

Schlosser, Leonard B., and Kenneth E. Tyler. Paper and Printmaking Glossary: A Brief Listing of Terms and Definitions in Common Contemporary Use. North Hills, Pa.: Bird & Bull, 1978. Print.

Walker, George A. The Woodcut Artist's Handbook: Techniques and Tools for Relief Printmaking. Richmond Hill, Ont.: Firefly, 2005. Print.

Watrous, James. American Printmaking: A Century of American Printmaking, 1880-1980. Madison, Wis.: University of Wisconsin, 1984. Print.

Most of these sources are about the history and techniques of printmaking - unfortunately most of these books are also from 1978 (before personal computers were even around). However, I have found another great text that I think will help me/ inspire me a lot and it's coming out this month! (Very contemporary) It's "Impressive: Printmaking, Letterpress and Graphic Design", just the title makes me want to buy it, but better yet this is what it says on the publisher's website (www.gestalten.com)

Today’s graphic designers, illustrators, and typographers are rediscovering old printing techniques and handcrafts. They are inspired by passion for the unique; the feel of different papers, press cuts, and embossing; the brilliance of printing inks; and the originality of book binding techniques. The book Impressive presents the results of this passion.

Today’s fascination with old-fashioned printing presses and techniques started with individual designers and smaller collectives that created one-of-a-kind printed material by hand for special occasions, such as weddings or birthdays. Impressivefeatures these artists and their personal work as well as a broad range of business cards, invitations, stationery, and publications that are designed and produced in a way that is both nostalgic and contemporary. Historical styles – from the Victorian grandeur of floral elements and adornments to the aesthetics of classical modernism – are used and referenced as well as combined and reinterpreted in unusual ways. Traditional and more exotic techniques such as silk-screen printing, stamping, woodcut, or linocut are used. What counts is doing it yourself.

Impressive investigates the interplay between traditional handiwork and current trends in graphic design. The work collected in this book shows how relevant and exciting the modern use of traditional design forms can be and how much it can inspire the visuality of the future.

It's like someone read my mind and wrote this book for me - I NEED it! I'm thinking it will be a key source as I continue to research for this thesis.

Checking out Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design

So I've finally got around to actually checking out this book and it's looking very inspirational - I'm getting more and more excited about this! The book has some information about DIY (they even mention John Ruskin, William Morris, and the Industrial Revolution [page 1]!) but it seems to be less academic than most of the other sources I've looked at. Although, it's a good way to approach a book on DIY I suppose. It's a collection of artists stories' with a lot of images of their work including their websites which will be a great place to go next. The two that interest me most are Deb Dormody and her business If's Books & Marks (www.ifnbooks.com) - she says, "I think that in this day and age, people are seeking out something that is authentic and personal." (page 10) - and JW & Melissa Buchanan and their business The Little Friends of Printmaking (www.thelittlefriendsofprintmaking.com) - they just make so much cool stuff and it's a great inspiration, I will definitely be checking out their website soon (although in the book they mostly talk about the difference between art and craft and how there is none which sounds way too opinionated [even if I do agree with it] so I'm not sure I'll be quoting them but we'll see... And lastly - an artist that does beadwork had some interesting things to say that I think have some merit; she seems to be doing this craft for very similar reasons to why I'm making a book next year: "I like thinking about how making lampwork beads has been done before, but I am doing it anew, in my way and for myself because I want to see new things. [...] It's funny that lampwork is historical and, in a way, it's traditional, but I make what I do because I want to see things that I have never seen before." (page 22)

Sunday, rainy, Sunday

Something really exciting is about to happen - tomorrow morning I'll be applying for my first printmaking class ever - PRNT 2B26 Nano-Publishing: Independent Publications - it was by a happy accident that I stumbled across this course - not only will it count towards my expansion studio credits but it's EXACTLY what I need to learn/ improve upon for my proposed hand-made book.

YAY!

Ok, now that I've got that out of the way, I've also been looking at more sources for my thesis, the following are from news sources rather than more scholarly texts:

"Pat's New Grant." Surfing Life. Australia's Surfing Life, 17 Mar. 2010. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. .

Simpson, Peter. "DIY Publishing: Stick It to the Printing Press." National Post. Canwest News Service, 19 Mar. 2010. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. .

Witthall, Zoe. "The Changing Face of DIY." Web Log post. Quill & Quire. St. Joseph Media, 26 Mar. 2010. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. .

The DIY one's focus on changing perceptions of so-called "vanity presses" in the publication industry. Both make a criticism against the unjust preference of indie music and film in modern society over indie publications.

While "Pat's New Grant" was an interview with a surf artist that didn't have much input on my subject(s) of interest except in his closing line; when asked "Do you have any advice for aspiring artists out there?" he responded with "D.I.Y. OR DIE YOU MONGRELS! Make zines, put on your own art shows, promote your own gigs, publish your own books, press your own vinyl, send your heroes mail, and try not to use Photoshop too much."

What a way to end the search for today.

Library Mission

Alright, so I'm at the OCAD library and I've started reading one of the books I cited yesterday as a good source (Bookmaking: Editing/ Design/ Production by Marshall Lee) and it's looking to be one of the most valuable sources yet, not only does it talk about the vital information that I'll need (printing techniques - an entire chapter dedicated to explaining the "four principal printing techniques: relief printing (letterpress) [...] Planographic printing (lithography) [...] Intaglio printing (gravure) [and] Xerographic printing" (Lee 207)) but it also includes other very important research information such as the history of bookmaking, the profession, editorial knowledge, prepress...well pretty much everything - it's really got me excited about doing this! I think it would be an excellent investment to buy this book, so I might be getting it sometime over the summer.

I also found two other books at the library that seem to have valuable research information for me;

Bettley, James. The Art of the Book: from Medieval Manuscript to Graphic Novel. London: V & A Publications, 2001. Print.

Williamson, Hugh. Methods of Book Design; the Practice of an Industrial Craft. London: Oxford UP, 1956. Print.

Methods of Book Design is looking to be another gem (AKA a super-important source!) Very much like Lee's book, this one has all the information anyone would ever need about about book design with detailed information about printing methods. The great thing about this book though, is that it talks even more in-depth about the different kinds of printing - it has three separate chapters on the topic: 13 - letterpress blocks, 14 - letterpress printing, and 15 - surface and recess processes.

The Art of the Book is more of an inspirational reference rather than informational one - I originally thought that it would be a good source of historical information but it really just writes vaguely about the chronology of the works presented. But the works do show a progression of style - something that I will be illustrating throughout my own work.

So...I wrote this Friday - my how things have changed

So it’s been a hectic week in which I’ve had to skip class on Monday for personal reasons, had two giant assignments due on Thursday and another smaller one on Friday. Hopefully this coming week will be better and I’ll have more time to do more research for my thesis proposal.

But first I think it’s important that I put some queries out onto the proverbial table; we had to write a thesis proposal at the end of last semester – I was under the impression that we would be getting those back this semester heavily commented on (is this a good idea, am I on the right track, am I totally off, should I be focussing on something different? Etcetera, or even better – you should talk to this thesis prof. about this idea because they’re into that sort of thing) However – we didn’t get them back at all (unless I missed that this week, in which case I apologize) So how am I supposed to know what to research? I feel like with my previous ideas of what to actually write about are irrelevant and therefore stupid/ bad ideas. I still really want to make a book (seeing as I hope to go into editorial design) and I want to use the traditional methods that I suggested in my proposal but I’m missing an actual topic with makes me think I’m doing this all backwards. My latest idea was to write about the process of making a book the old fashioned way but then I thought – who would want to know about this except for a handful of traditionalists? And why is it important? And does it have to be important? Does it need a greater audience? Should it be bringing others in?

I personally have a lot of interests and more background knowledge/ information than the average art/ design student because of my two years studying cultural studies at York University, but I just don’t know what to research that will intrigue others and garner a semi-respectable audience.

I could think of a million things to write thesis papers about (i.e. comic book culture, Japanese anime/ manga culture, the idea of cool, the loss of proper grammar and language to the uprising of a new high-tech language [lol, ttyl, aps, w/e…], taking the list of endangered/ nearly extinct plants and animals and seeing how each one’s loss would/ will affect our world… I could go on…) but who is this for? What am supposed to be trying to accomplish?

What’s going on? I need some guidance and I don’t see how this class is giving it to me – telling us to blindly research (which is what it sounds like) is not working. The idea of a thesis assignment has always boggled my mind and blindly researching whatever interests me (so…pretty much everything) is not getting me anywhere except more confused.

Ok, so a lot of questions have been answered over the weekend (i.e. I should have gone to Patricio to pick up my thesis proposal from last semester - I don't remember him saying anything about it but that might just be me...) Anyway, now I'm on a much better/ clearer track in regards to my thesis proposal(s) Here they are so far:

Proposal 1: Original Proposal (from last semester + alterations)

At varying levels I have always loved printmaking and books. Ever since making my first potato block prints as a young child I learned that creating one’s own two-dimensional designs by hand is not only possible but also very accessible. I have since experimented with linoleum and wood block printing and have really enjoyed the experience – it can be a tedious job but the finished result always far out ways the struggle. Besides appreciating the process I really enjoy the aesthetic of hand printed materials, particularly books. The idea that an entire book can be – and at some point in history always was – completely handcrafted is one that really appeals to me as a book lover, artist, and designer. There are still many techniques that I have not used and would love to try such as offset printing, etching, screen-printing, and using movable type. Furthermore, I am hoping to go into editorial design after graduation and would like to take on a more artistic approach to something that has become so computerized and mechanical over the past few decades before I am finished school. For these reasons I would like to create an entire book using traditional printing methods.

The subject of the book will be the process of actually creating a handcrafted book using all of the different traditional printing methods, explaining the way each technique is applied, its history, and its influence on society.

I hope this will further legitimize Do-It-Yourself (DIY) culture while also reinstating book making as an art form.

Questions: does the process of using historical methods inform the design of the page layout? What has changed in page layout since the introduction of the computer? (These are Sarah Beck’s suggested questions)

How has one method influenced another?

What are the advantages of hand-pressed book?

How might hand-pressed books inform editorial and publication design?

DIY – rococo – dissatisfaction w/ what’s going on right now

Deskilling - RESKILL

Proposal 2

A topic that needs to constantly be addressed is the importance of biological diversity. As the world faces unprecedented environmental changes it is even more pertinent to address the importance of endangered species. I intend to make a campaign to bring attention to the loss of 26 endangered species – one for each letter of the alphabet, for two reasons; first of all there are far too many species on the endangered species list to address them all in the manner that I intend, and secondly it allows me to use another element to the design – the English alphabet. The main component of this campaign will be a series of 26 posters mimicking the alphabet banners commonly found in pre-schools and kindergarten classes (A is for Altamaha Arcmussel, B is for Brown Teal, etc.) with information about the species’ importance to the biodiversity of its ecosystem and the world as a whole. The goal of this proposal is to inform people of the importance of biodiversity and remind them that without a balance we will eventually become endangered ourselves.

Questions: what are endangered species?

Which animals will people be most responsive to?

Does it make a difference if the animals are local versus exotic?

What harmful side effects will occur once this species is extinct? How will that eventually effect us?

Proposal 3

An interesting theme to consider in the context of graphic design is the idea of cool. It is the cool people after all that make or break a design, they are the ones that determine whether or not a font should be popular, and they are the ones who will proclaim whether or not a brand identity is good enough to be associated with. I want to investigate what “cool” is, and then once this is established, figure out if it is possible to market towards these so-called cool people.

Questions: are cool people born or can they be made?

Is it possible to design for cool people if you, yourself are not cool?

Does cool have an age limit?

Obviously my main proposal and the one I want to work on for thesis/ core project is the first one so I might consider changing my third proposal to an alteration of the first one.

So far these are the sources I've looked at...

These are from last semester:

Chesney, Lee. "Printmaking Today." College Art Journal 19.2 (1960): 158-65. Print.

D'arcy Hughes, Ann, and Hebe Vernon-Morris. The Printmaking Bible: The Complete Guide To Materials And Techniques. San Francisco: Chronicle Books Llc, 2008. Print.

Dewar, James A. "The information age and the printing press: looking backward to see ahead." Ubiquity 1 (2000). Print.

Eisenstein, Elizabeth L. Printing press as an agent of change communications and cultural transformations in early modern Europe. Cambridge [Eng.]: Cambridge UP, 1997. Print.

Febvre, Lucien, and Henri-Jean Martin. The Coming of the Book The Impact of Printing 1450-1800 (Verso Classics, 10). New York: Verso, 1997. Print.

Francis, Pat. "Socialists and the Art of Printing." History Workshop 23 (1987): 154-58. Print.

Ivins, William M. Prints and visual communication. Cambridge, MA: M.I.T.Press, 1969. Print.

Johns, Adrian. Nature of the book print and knowledge in the making. Chicago, Ill: University of Chicago, 1998. Print.

Lacy, Lucile P. "Modern Printing Processes." The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science 47.6 (1957): 730-36. Print.

Maruca, Lisa. "Bodies of Type: The Work of Textual Production in English Printers' Manuals." Eighteenth-Century Studies 36.3 (2003): 321-43. Print.

Mayor, A. H. "A Historical Survey of Printmaking." National Art Education Association 17.4 (1964): 4-9. Print.

Paparone, Nick, and Jamie Dillon. Print Liberation The Screen Printing Primer. New York: North Light Books, 2008. Print.

Pollak, Michael. "The Performance of the Wooden Printing Press." The Library Quarterly 42.2 (1972): 218-64. Print.

Rosslyn, Helen. "Lasting impressions." Royal Academy Magazine 102 (2008): 58-59. Print.

Shafer, Robert. "Words for "Printing Block" and the Origin of Printing." Journal of the American Oriental Society 80.4 (1960): 328-29. Print.

Tschichold, Jan. "Chinese and Japanese Colour Wood-Block Printing." Leonardo 4.1 (1971): 75-79. Print.

Twyman, Michael. Early lithographed books a study of the design and production of improper books in the age of the hand press, with a catalogue. London: Farrand & Private Libraries Association, Distributed in the Western Hemisphere by the Book, 1990. Print.

Van Laar, Timothy. "Printmaking: Editions as Artworks." Journal of Aesthetic Education 14.4 (1980): 97-102. Print.

Wallace, Michael, and Arne L. Kalleberg. "Industrial Transformation and the Decline of Craft: The Decomposition of Skill in the Printing Industry, 1931-1978." American Sociological Review 47.3 (1982): 307-24. Print.

"What Is a Print?" MoMA | The Museum of Modern Art. Web. 22 Nov. 2009.

Since then (this includes web-pages that just inspire me):

Allen-Gibson, Summer. "Make Do and Mend." Web Log post. Design Is Mine:. Blogspot, 4 Mar. 2008. Web. Winter 09/10. .

Dewar, Heather. Human Activity and the Environment: Annual Statistics. Rep. no. 16-201-XWE. Statistics Canada, 9 June 2009. Web. Spring 2010. .

"Endangered Species - Why Are Endangered Species Important?" Web. Spring 2010. .

Lee, Marshall. Bookmaking: Editing, Design, Production. New York: Norton, 2004. Print.

Levine, Faythe, and Cortney Heimerl. Handmade Nation: the Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design. New York: Princeton Architectural, 2008. Print.

Mazzotti, Frank J. The Value of Endangered Species: the Importance of Conserving Biological Diversity. Rep. no. SSWIS14. University of Florida, Sept. 2008. Web. Spring 2010. .

"Net Called Great Threat to Rare Species." MSN News. The Associated Press, 21 Mar. 2010. Web. Spring 2010. .

Pearson, David. Books as History: the Importance of Books beyond Their Texts. London: British Library, 2008. Print.

"Scratch Foam Block Printing (plus a Few Bonus Auction Project Tips)." Web Log post. Glittergoods (a Sparkly Life). TypePad, 16 Apr. 2009. Web. Winter 09/10.

I'm sure I've got more that I've looked at and have influenced me so I'll be looking for those over the next few days as well as looking for more new sources. Well that's it for now :)