Evolution Print

Visiting Evolution Print 

Don't waste time on small ideas 

Graham Congreve (Director) 

Meeting Graham

Having been given the chance to meet Graham, on a studio visit I had chance to have a casual interview with him. 

What’s the one thing that the industry should do more of, or do better, in 2018?

'Collaboration.'.

What does industry need to do differently in the next few years?

'Celebrate the relevence of print, and be positive.'.

What part does paper and print have to play in the brand experience? Does the tactile experience impart a message about the brand itself?

'It’s crucial. Paper and therefore print choice lives and breathes – it exists – it’s a physical product, and you can even smell it, and taste it if you want! It’s a sensory experience that when used in the mix adds in a powerfully positive way. Get this wrong at your peril.'.

What place does paper and print have in the communications mix?

Where perhaps previous experience suggests print was central to the marketing mix, and often the only means of mass communication, the advent and growth of online media and new technologies moves print into more of a complimentary role. The industry has to come to terms with this and to proactively change models and product services to prosper. In a multi-channel marketing push print definitely is an exciting and worthy addition to further ROI, and adds value at many levels.

During are time at Evolution print, Graham demonstrated his enthusiasm for lithography printing in comparrison to digital print. He explained  the following: 

• The Digital printing process simulates different colours using a four-colour matching system, that unless carefully controlled can be difficult to match to a specific colour(s) or pantone (the industry wide recognised colour specification). Litho on the other hand can produce colours that are absolutely spot-on with the standard ‘pantone’ reference guide, and will hold it consistently throughout a print run. 
• Lithography provides top image quality.
• Lithography printing has many flexabiltys when it comes to stock. 
• You have more colour possibilities including; neons, silks and metalics. 

All of above which digital print lacks in. 

Lithography Printers 

It was facinating to see how many copies of posters were being created in seconds.

The Work Place 

The printers

Cutting and Binding 

One of the main key areas of finalising a product is trimming the borders/edges off a creatice piece and takes particular skill, one of Graham collegues who was in charge that day made it look simple, however one wrong move would cost the company a lot of money to reprint the designs again.

From the vibe which Graham was expressing, it was clear to notice he was a traditional print enthusiast as he prefered the orginal ways of creating/completeting work. In particular this machine below which has been explained above, is a blade rather than a laser to cut pages, which is what they used to use in the glorified traditional days.

Letterpress

Following are tour of the lithography printing studio, we briefly were shown a very old letterpress machine, which cost's a fortune to run. We were shown the stencils used created orginally to be used in the machine, and it was interesting to find that the smaller the stencils the more expensive they were, the reason for this is because of detail.

Current Production 

These were some current project posters created for Clockword orange, which display the colour quality lithography provides.

Freebies 

Before are studio visit came to an end, we were gifted more than a bag full of treats from evaloution print, including, posters, books, and notepads some of which are below. 

The visit 

From talking to Graham & collegues, i managed to get myself hands on a buisness card to help with furture projects and printing advice. Altogether this studio visit has opened my eyes to a new way of printing as I was never sure what Lithography printing really was, however now I do. The idea that you can actually get the colour you would like printed and for it to come out the exact same is something, i haven't experianced unless the work was screenprinted, so it's definately something I'd consider in future projects.