Archives #01

From time to time on twenty5ive I’ll be pulling out projects of mine that haven’t made it onto jimhargreaves.com. The first is from a research project I developed on the subject of one and two-color design, and my resulting discoveries about the absurdity of color ink costs.

This poster, a one-color design printed on gray paper stock, clearly communicates a shocking statistic. The letterforms were filled with a pattern as opposed to a solid in order to demonstrate how little ink is actually needed to transmit an effective message.

The poster in and of itself also takes a shot at the industries responsible for the inflated price of color ink; as a recent student, I can attest to the fact that many designers, especially student-designers, are often forced to diminish their designs because of cost.

So how do we as designers make the most of the situation? The following are some practical advantages to reduced-color design.

Production

One and two-color designs are easier, quicker, and cheaper to print. They are well suited to a number of materials, and present well on cheap substrates such as cardboard. Reduced color designs can easily be screenprinted, converted to embossing or engraving, and can be used with many other types of output. Often times, presses aren’t even required as a home printer or a Kinko’s copier can do just as well with these types of design.

Designs can also be easily varied by simply swapping out an ink, changing the paper color, or combining different variations of the same design. Whether it’s a logo or a wine bottle, seasonal or special editions of a design often need nothing more than a color substitution.

Cost

A significant amount of money can be saved by designing for a limited amount of colors. Less ink is used, less press time, and often, less precision is required compared to printing full-color designs. Lower costs allow clients to spend more money on paper, quantity, or other extras, like die-cuts or varnishes — or simply pocket the savings. Eliminating even one color can often cut costs in half.

Environmental

Eliminating inks from the waste stream can significantly decrease pollution. Printing with fewer inks also uses less resources, less energy, and eliminates many of the harmful by-products created by presses. Also, by avoiding specific inks, certain Volatile Organic Compounds can be kept out of the environment and the printed product retains its recyclability.

For more information on eco-friendly printing:
Printing Green: 12 Things You Need to Know

December 5th, 2007 » Posted by Jim Hargreaves » Permalink

Entry Filed under: Archived Posts