OUGD504 STUDIO BRIEF THREE - TEST PRINTS

Test prints were produced, experimenting with different stock as well, to see how the images printed on different stocks, the absorption specifically. Initially the photographs on the InDesign file were duotone images, so they previewed fine, however when it came to printing it didn't recognise them as duotone files and therefore printed them a really murky colour, which is what happened with the initial test print too, only it wasn't realised this was the cause, rather just presuming it was the stock, sugar paper, that had too high an absorption rate.

Here is a test print on Colourplan Lockwood green stock for the cover, and Gmund Bier Weizen for the content pages, which has really interesting speckles in it creating an usual appearance. You can see the duotone colours have printed a lot better here, simply by changing the colour mode on the original files to RGB, which maintains the colour appearance but changes the file to a mode InDesign recognises.

Close up shot of the red, and also so you can see the duotone photographs more clearly.

Content page double spread, the colours looking very aesthetically appealing on the Gmund Bier Weizen stock, and the page sizes look much more substantial compared to previously, so it isn't nearly as fiddly.

One example of front cover was printed on the Colourplan Lockwood Green stock, with a wire emboss texture to it, however it was printed with the embossed lines horizontally rather than vertically, just for ease, however with the final print if this stock was to be used, then it would be printed with the lines vertically to reflect tree trunks.

To the left is Colourplan Forest stock, a slightly darker green stock that Lockwood Green, and with no texture so it's much more smooth. To the right green leaves are printed onto another G F Smith stock, Colourplan Natural, which is a slightly off white colour. 

Another page from the book printed on a very white, smooth stock, which creates a pristine appearance. Not sure if this is something the book should aim to reflect,a s it is supposed to appear natural and environmental, rather than clinical and pristine.

The Gmund Bier Weizen stock on the right, and a highly textured stock on the left, as you can see from the almost leather effect. The textured stock is far too textured, so much so that it takes away from the content on the pages, and distract your from it.

Experimenting with different stock was really useful to highlight was actually works when printed on, as you can't see what stock will print nicely on that clearly just by feeling the stock and looking at it's appearance. The Gmund Bier Weizen stock by G F Smith is the most favourable stock to print on, and if there was a larger budget for this book, that would be the stock that would be used for the content, along with Colourplan Lockwood Green in the embossed texture for the cover, with G F Smith Plike White for the band. However there isn't a large budget for this book, but a rather small one, and to order G F Smith stocks there is a minimal order of 25, which can be quite costly, and it would mean buying excess stock. Because of this, the final sheet of Gmund Bier Weizen sample stock will be used for the first spread in the book, to show what would be used for it if money allowed, and sugar paper will be used for the rest of the book, a much cheaper alternative at 5p per A1 sheet from the college library. Lockwood Green embossed stock will still be used for the cover, as there are a few sheets left from the sample paper, as well as Plike for the band, as again there are a few sheets spare.