Study Task 8: Screen Printing Posters

Today I have started to screen print my posters; Cats in Hats. I really enjoyed screen printing the posters as the process was really fun, I also enjoyed experimenting with different colours and paper. I created one set which was on white cartridge paper where each cat was black but had a different coloured hat; blue, yellow, pink. Another version followed a colour palette of red, black and white; I used black card, with the cats in white with red hats. The last version of posters uses the same colour scheme but this time the paper was red with black hats.

I was stuck between which style to use as my final set, so I asked my peers and friends which paper worked best (similar to a mini critique but with people individually, rather than as a group). Red had one vote, black had 3, however the majority of people that I asked preferred the normal white paper; 5 votes. I agreed with this in the end, I think the white cartridge paper with the coloured hats look best.

Study Task 8: 3 Final Collage Designs

These are the 3 final collages that will be used for my screen printed A3 posters; cats in hats. I have decided to create my posters in A3 rather than A4 as the details of the collages would be hard to see on A4, also A3 will stand out more.

I have begun to think about colours when screen printing. My first idea is to screen print each cat in black, but have the hat in a different colour on each cat, giving a simplistic yet bold aesthetic. I also thought about using a strict limited colour scheme throughout the set of 3 posters; black paper with the cats in white, with red hats. I will experiment with both ideas and then decided which works best.

This is what they look like thresholded ready for screen printing;

Study Task 8: Cat collages

I have now begun to create imagery for my set of posters, I have decided that the posters will be screen printed rather than a combination of methods to create a neater, cleaner look. I started with creating illustrations of cats digitally using photoshop, however this isn't really my style of working; I prefer to work more handmade and funky which is why I have used the technique of collage.

When collaging, I noticed than a common theme that I was using was giving each cat an accessory, mainly hats; I have decided that the theme of my posters will be cats in hats. The collages follow a humorous, funky, weird aesthetic as I felt that most cat illustrations that are often seen have a very simplistic, cute style, I wanted to do something different with mine.

I will now continue to create collages like this and then choose the best 3 to use for my screen printed posters.

Study Task 8: Initial Ideas

I have now started to develop my brief into initial ideas and sketches. My practical work for the printmaking question will be based on cats, I had a wide range of ideas before this but I have decided to create prints based on cats as it is something that actually interests me, meaning I will really enjoy creating the prints.

My first idea was to create cat Tinder; the cat tinder would be used to advertise cats that need homes. People would be able to view the cats information as if it was a Tinder profile, a photograph, age, gender and hobbies would be displayed for each cat. However, after speaking to Simon about this idea, it felt that this was based too much on advertising and branding, rather than printmaking.

I then decided that I instead I would create some really illustrative experimental posters using imagery and facts about cats. I will either combine a few printmaking methods throughout each poster, or I will screen print them. I think a set of 3 posters in A3 size will work best, however I will experiment with A4 as well. I have now begun to create sketches of how the posters could look; colour, shape of the posters and layout.

Study Task 8: The Design Process

The Design Process:

• Brief; Decide what you want to design and what for, what is the concept and audience?.
• Research consists of context, history, theme and audience in more depth.
• Initial ideas consists of a lot of experimentation of the ideas that have been generated when researching and writing the brief. Come up with around 3-5 initial ideas.
• Design development is based on feedback of which initial idea works best to develop into a possible final piece, start experimenting that one idea fully.
• Review/Refine: consisting of critiques on what areas need improving and tweaking.
• Final Outcome is the final product that is produced; fully developed and refined as much as possible.