Paint Brief - Research: Colour Schemes

While creating an interior colour scheme may seem like a simple endeavour, the colour wheel presents an overtly simplified representation of colour relationships and should be used as starting point only. There is much more to creating a successful decorative scheme, and it is important to consider your own perception of colour. That said, it can be useful to consider the type of scheme you wish to achieve, which may be one of the following:

Tonal, Harmonious, or Contrasting.

Colour schemes are not limited to only the colours on your walls, but those which you choose to paint your ceiling, trim and architectural features. It is important to remember how different colours will interact with each other and the affect this will have on your space.

Tonal Schemes

Also known as tone-on-tone, this type of scheme uses only varying tones - both lighter and darker - of one particular colour. Tonal schemes create the most sophisticated of interiors.

Harmonious Schemes

Colours which sit next to each other on the colour wheel, blue and green for example,  create harmonious schemes that are easy to live with when used together in the same space. This type of scheme results in more tranquil, natural looking spaces.

Contrasting Schemes

Using colours directly opposite each other on the colour-wheel, known as complimentary colours, is sure to result in a more dramatic and theatrical scheme, though are often best offset with neutrals to 

lessen the extreme tonal contrast.

Paint Brief - Research: Colour & The Colour Wheel

Colours are often surrounded by preconception - blue is cold, red is stimulating, yellow is happy and welcoming and green is restful etc. While there may be some truth in all of these statements, they should each be taken with a pinch of salt. The mood created within a space is informed almost entirely by the depth of colour and how it has 

been used.

The simple theory of the colour wheel - based on just red, yellow and blue - was developed by Sir Issac Newton in the 18th century, as was the first circular diagram of logically presented colours. The concept has been used and developed by artists and scientists ever since.

The  original wheel was made up of six sections comprising three primary colours and three secondary colours, one side warmer and the other cooler. The primary colours (Red, Blue & Yellow) cannot be created from any other colours, whereas secondary colours (Green, Orange & Purple) are made using equal quantities of primary

colours mixed together.

The colour wheel we see used most commonly today includes 12 sections includes primary colours, secondary colours and tertiary colours, tertiary colours being combinations of primary and secondary colours such as yellow-green, red-orange and blue-green etc. The wheel can help us to understand how colours relate to each other and how they may be used together in interior schemes.

Reds & Pinks

The colour Red has been a favourite around the world from the Victorian era to the present day. Considered to always be warm and welcoming, it is also the most powerful of colours, which means choosing to paint a room red is not for the colour-shy of us. 

Strong reds are very well suited to spaces such as dining rooms as they help to add drama and depth. They have a robust intensity and stimulating quality. Conversely, less vivid reds will produce a more restful atmosphere, as the effect of the colour strengthens when used over a larger area. These more muted tones create warm and earthy spaces that are less challenging to the eye yet still evoke a rich, classical feeling.

While red may be warm and welcoming, Pink has a much more gentle and soothing quality. An uplifting colour, tones of which can be used to create feelings of joy and youth, as well as sumptuous spaces full of impact depending on the tone you opt for.

Yellows

Yellow has been a colour to experience enduring popularity since the 18th century. That said, it was not until the 20th century when influential interior designer Nancy Lancaster used the colour extensively that it entered the mainstream, in which it has remained ever since. The colour is still used frequently in interior decoration practices, in thanks to the hopeful and optimistic feeling it never fails to evoke.

Yellow creates rooms full of energy, and enhances large spaces gloriously. Rich yellows reminiscent of sunshine help to create a welcoming and stimulating atmosphere, though may be better left out of the bedroom. Strong tones are best used in combination with significant amounts of white to ensure the colour does not become overwhelming. That said, strong yellow also works wonderfully well with deep, dark shades of blue to create intense and dramatic spaces with increased vibrancy and style. For light, refreshing spaces it is best to use creamier tones of yellow, which will produce a softer and more reflective atmosphere.

Greens

Green, from delicate understated tones to deeper shades, is often associated with health, good luck and the great outdoors. In one of the earliest recorded references to painted decoration, King Henry III 

ordered that the panelling in his principal residence at Windsor be 

painted in the colour. 

An uplifting colour, green is a perfect choice for those with an inclination to replicate English country house style. For spaces with a flexible and restful feel, opt for tranquil, muted shades of green which will work well with off-white tones to soften any harsh contrast. If you want spaces with more energy and life, choose tones with more intensity. These colours will work well in kitchens because of their refreshing, out-doorsy feel which in turn creates a happy family atmosphere with breathing space.For a more sophisticated scheme with magical qualities, choose a lighter distemper tone. There are few colours which can match up to green’s ability to promote a feeling of health, vigour, nature and the 

essence of life itself.

Aquas

In between green and blue, tones with aqua qualities due to underlying green hues make for the prettiest of spaces, and are therefore ideal in bedrooms and bathrooms. Due to the addition of green pigment, spaces painted in this colour won’t appear cold.

This in-between-hues colour provides spaces with the best of qualities from both green and blue tones. Use light tones of this colour to create light, airy rooms with a more delicate and gentle aesthetic. Darker shades of aqua create a feeling of serenity and space dueto their reminiscent quality of open waters and the sea, whilst also providing a greater feeling of intimacy due to stronger tonal quality. These tones have a warmth that makes them easier to live with, and works particularly well on panelling and woodwork. 

Dependant on which side of the blue-green line a tone sits on, and the light value it has, this versatile chameleon colour can be cheerful and bright or muted and relaxing. 

Blues

The colour blue tends to divide opinion more than any other colour. For some it evokes a feeling of calm and serenity, while for others it immediately feels cold and unwelcoming. 

Cleopatra is said to have used pure ground lapis lazuli as eye-shadow, and while often considered a regal colour, blue should also be used to achieve calm and spiritual spaces within the home. The price of blue pigment once exceeded that of gold, and is now the most widely used colour in interior decoration than any other. 

For cool, airy spaces look to lighter tones of blue and combine them with clean white. This will create a formal yet relaxed scheme reminiscent of Wedgwood China. The most relaxing of blue colours are those shades which are on their way to grey. 

Look to stronger tones of the colour if you wish to create a clean-looking space with life and light. Darker shades are reserved for those wishing to achieve a more sophisticated, glamorous scheme with more drama, and are fast becoming a popular and perhaps more stylish alternative to charcoal grey.

Darks

The past decade has seen many designers cross over to the dark side in regard to paint colours. These days, people are more concerned with the mood of their spaces, becoming increasingly less focused on purely the illusion of space and instead opting for deeper more saturated shades of colour within the home. 

While darks may at first seem only for the brave and daring, they can be an inspired solution to naturally dark spaces as they blur the perimeters of the room. Even in larger spaces, these darker, more commanding shades can flatter  the proportions of a room and create a strong sense of theatricality. Dark shades undeniably create a moody atmosphere, however are instilled with an unexpected sense of modernity.

For the perfect backdrop to home furnishing, choose deep rich shades with warm undertones. These will  also work well in bedrooms as they create intimate, romantic spaces. Remember, while at first Darks may seem daunting, they can create modern, dynamic spaces in both traditional schemes as well as more contemporary endeavours.

Neutrals

Without a shadow of a doubt, neutrals have been the most popular tones for the home decorator in the first decades of the 21st century, perhaps for a good reason too. For many, these carefully balanced colours create a comfortable and understated environment which is easy on the eye and make few demands in regard to space. 

Neutrals offer infinite possibility in creating spaces with light, airy atmospheres. The can appear sophisticated and elegant, or relaxed and timeless in their use. These tones also allow for stronger colour to be introduced elsewhere in the home, such as through the addition of key pieces of furniture, textiles and/or art.

It is important to remember neutrals alone are not a fail-safe choice as it can be easy to end up with a bland and uninviting space. To ensure your neutral scheme is a success, try creating a tonal scheme using  multiple tones, as even the most subtle differentiation in tone will produce more complex and dynamic spaces. Also consider the underlying tones of your chosen neutrals, and how these will interact with light and shade. 

Whites

For many, white is white. For House of Theobald, there are a range of whites that go beyond the clinical, cold tone of brilliant white that work together with stronger colours to ensure harmonious schemes can be achieved by everyone.

Whether being used on the walls, ceilings or trim, white is a colour best used in support of other tones, to add light or contrast, or maintain a traditional working scheme.

Whether you want a subtle, muted feel, or desire a fresher and more graphic scheme, there is a white you can choose in confidence that will bring your space together in harmony.

Consider the undertones of your white tone when creating schemes and how your chosen colours will interact within your space and any light it encounters.

Paint Brief - Research: Architecture, Light & Style

When it comes to decorating, there are no fixed rules. Naturally, everyone gravitates to different styles, different colours and live in different homes. No matter what home you live in, there 

are three important things to consider when 

planning to decorate.

1. The architectural features of a room.

2. Light in the space and how it affects colour.

3. Own preference of style. 

Every room is different, and the choice of decoration should be directly influenced by the conditions of the space, how and when its used, its architectural details and your own preference of style.

Architecture

The colour you choose to paint your walls can appear to visually alter the perceived proportions of your room, changing the size and even shape of the space. Lighter colours are best suited to larger rooms as they can maximise space and won’t feel over-bearing. In smaller rooms, dark tones can be used to enhance the intimacy of the space and create a cosy, dramatic space.

The use of strong colour in a large room can be daunting, though may be seen as a bold statement if that is the style and aesthetic you are trying to achieve. Strong colours used in smaller spaces allow focus to be shifted from the size of the space to how stylish it is, and can be, when injected with daring shades.

Before rushing into decorating the period features in your home, it is important to familiarise yourself with the architectural peculiarities in your room - even the smallest tonal changes can enhance said features dramatically. Softer colour palettes will help you to make the most of small spaces as the greater tonal contrast there is, the smaller a room will feel. In contrast, if you opt to paint all elements in the room the same colour (both the walls and the woodwork) you can afford to go darker, though this will make features less significant within your space. One-colour rooms in strong tones create a greater feeling of space due to lack of contrast.

Light

In order to better understand the effect light and shade have on colour, it is important to monitor how the appearance of the space changes throughout the day - whether the room benefits from bright southern sunshine or indirect

northern light. 

Without light there is no colour, which is why colours react to different lighting conditions. For example, changes which occur naturally throughout the day. In the morning, the light is bluer, at midday fairly neutral, and somewhat warmer come evening. 

While it can be tempting to use light colours in small, dark spaces, this often makes for a dull, uninviting space. Though the use of strong colour in such a space may seem counterintuitive, the reward of choosing a more daring colour is a much more exciting and theatrical aesthetic, achieving a more stylish space that will out do any attempt to create light by choosing white walls.

Rooms which are interconnecting may benefit from a subtle, tone-on-tone approach, making use of colours with equal strength which creates a harmonious feel in any space. In spaces with little-to-no natural light, such as entrance halls, opting for darker tones can create a dramatic and glamorous feeling within the space, while giving all rooms leading off it the illusion of being bigger and brighter. This also means from the view of lighter, larger rooms, the glimpse of a dark painted space can create intrigue. 

Style

While architecture and light are important factors to any pursuit of colour choosing, the choice you make should be just as much to do with your lifestyle and personal preference. While choosing colours that are in-fashion or overtly pertinent to the date which your house was built may seem most appropriate, it is most important to choose colours you will feel comfortable with.

Decide whether you want the colour of your spaces to be the central focus of your scheme or to serve purely as a backdrop to other interior pieces. For a more restful home, use the same palette of neutrals throughout used in different ways, as this will provide a perfect foundation to any style of decor. Spaces such as entrance halls and dining rooms can benefit from braver use of colour with more theatrical aesthetics, while kitchens (as the heart of most homes) are often best made as the lightest spaces. Bedrooms are the most private and personal of spaces, and so should be calming, peaceful spaces using colours you feel naturally drawn to. Try to avoid reds, as unlike greens, blues and neutrals (colours of nature), these tend to be less soothing. In spare or guest rooms, used less frequently, use of stronger colours with more impact can be afforded. In smaller spaces, such as bathrooms, do not fear of making them intimate and inviting through use of darker tones. 

While it is good to be informed and historically sensitive to your home, it is most important for the colours you choose to suit the way you live your life in the present. 

Paint Brief

The Problem / Background

The process of selecting paint colours to work within an interior scheme may initially seem like a trivial endeavour, with a number of leading brands offering a plethora of shades, tones and tins of the hues of the colour spectrum. That said, few of these brands provide detail on how colour works, and the different ways in which it can be approached and used throughout the home - 

especially in period properties which entail greater consideration of architectural detail and features.

They lack expert advice on how to maximise interior potential, tips for manipulating perception of space and how to achieve particular looks and styles. Most unfortunately, however, are the swatches available from the vast majority of brands failing to present colours within a functional format that allows for colours to be matched against other interior scheme considerations such as wallpapers, fabrics, soft furnishings, etc. These shortcomings mean ordinary consumers are without any interior decoration knowledge and are therefore potentially unable to make confident, informed choices to make the most of their interior spaces and enhance transformation potentials.

Client

A new brand of interior paint with a focus on providing a fine quality product, whilst also supplying knowledge to the consumer — allowing the target to confidently transform their interior spaces through informed and considered decisions, aided by a functional and considered point of delivery that assists product/brand interaction

and experience.

Job Description

Develop and design the visual identity/branding of a new interior paint specialist, as well as its printed collateral (swatches/brochure). The resolution should assist brand establishment and provide a functional aid to the interior design process regarding paint selection and product purchase thereafter. The identity should inspire consumer confidence in the brand, while the product packaging and print collateral should enhance consumer experience and perception. As a whole, resolutions should provide a more informed and functional means of interior transformation to the consumer. It is important to consider product, range and distribution also.

Target Audience

The target audience are those with a passion for interiors who are planning to transform their space(s) using paint. With an age range of 25 - 60 — ranging from the age of first time buyers / young working professionals to older persons more acquainted home decor. This is a target wishing to maximise their interior space potentials through development of knowledge and exploration of quality product/brand.Additionally, this target may also include interior designers looking for more functional devices to aid their development of interior schemes and quality products to ensure client gratification and satisfaction.

Deliverables

The visual identity/branding for a new interior paint brand, colour swatches/guide and product labelling. 

Print Interview: Name & Identity of Publication

Publication Name

In consideration of the publication’s name, I explored a range of potential titles which allude to, or otherwise directly reveal, the subject of the content to be featured - the interviews with G . F Smith, Pressision and Foilco. These are listed below:

The Past, Present & Future of Print - To the point.

The Power of Creative Print & Finishing - The subject of the interviews.

The Finishing Line - Alluding to the printing of a project being the final stage of the creative process, as well as finishing as a creative practice.

Printerview - A blend word of ‘Print’ & ‘Interview.’

Foil, Paper, Printers - A play on ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors,’ suggestive of their grouping as a three.

Life in Print - Representing the interviewees’ as professionals within/working closely with the print sector and the publication as a physical form capturing the lives of the interviewees via the content.

Publication Identity

After discussing the potential names for the   publication in critique, I decided on the title ‘Printerview.’

This title, a blend word of ‘Print’ & ‘Interview,’ is the most simple, direct indicator of the publication’s content. ‘Short and snappy,’ this title encapsulates the premise of the project in a single word that is spoken with great ease. 

It was suggested that the title be accompanied by a sub-title which lists the contributing interviewees, giving greater depth to the publication from first view via associative power (from the respective companies as industry leaders). I subsequently decided I would add the sub-title: 

‘In Conversation With G . F Smith, Pressision & Foilco.’

For the identity/title of the publication, I wanted to explore serif typefaces. By nature, serif typefaces are considered more decorative as a result of, of course the feature of serifs, as well as variant in line stroke, terminals (ball, tear-drop etc.), tails, and so on. Additionally, I see it that these character traits reflect a more conversational aesthetic, capturing the character of voice and tone of the interviewees.

While the publication in-part is a celebration of modern-day print and touches upon the future of the industry, I believe a serif typeface better reflects the history of print as a once-traditional practice, and the creative potentials it supplies; a minimalist serif typeface would fail to capture this as sympathetically. 

In exploring the serif typefaces, I was struck by the idea to use the tittles/dots of the two letter ‘i’ of ‘Printerview’ as an opportunity to further reflect the interview content of the publication, exchanging the standard diacritic dot mark above these in favour of single quotation marks, acting as a visual  representation of the publication context. Due to the nature of this classification of type, the quotation glyph appears as a dot with a curling swash, allowing the seamless exchange from dot to quote mark to subtly enhance the word-mark. 

The typefaces I explored are:

Athelas

Baskerville

Big Caslon

Bodoni XT

Century

Times New Roman

I believe typeface Century, originally designed in 1894, presents itself as the most visually balanced word-mark as a result of its crisp aesthetic, achieved through strokes ending in fine tapers, ball terminals and consistent serifs, which feature low stroke contrast and therefore create a less sharp and highly readable resolution. There is also greater cohesion between the quote mark glyphs used to ‘dot’ the ‘i’s and the tear-drop terminals of the other featured letters (r).

Starpack: Competition Submission Boards

Print Interview: Idea Generation

Idea 01

Inspired by People of Print’s ‘Posterzine,’ and Foilco’s 30x30 publication, idea 01 proposes 

a series of 3 small zines, one for each interview (G . F Smith, Pressision, and Foilco) which fold 

out to reveal a poster featuring one stand-out quote about print from the interview content. This would enable a range of outcomes which could be bundled as a set and presented in multiple formats (zine or poster).

Posterzine, Issue 02

Idea 02

Idea 02 proposes a perfect-bound publication in which the interviews are collated and presented together, providing a clearer picture/overview of the shared opinions, thoughts and viewpoints from the interviewees regarding the print industry. This method of binding would allow for a range of G . F Smith papers to be used, with different Foilco foils, also showing Pressision’s skill and the potentials of creative print. 

Perfect Binding

Idea 03

Idea 03 proposes a series of 3 small booklets, each focusing on the specialisms of the interviewees, e.g. the G . F Smith booklet utilizing a range of papers, the Foilco booklet utilizing a range of foils, and the Pressision booklet utilizing creative print technology (fluorescent/white ink) etc. This idea would bear more subject/sector specific outcomes from within the wider contexts of print.

Mark & Fold x Margo Selby hand-made booklets.

Selection

Upon taking these ideas to critique, idea 02 presented itself as that with the most potential to represent the print industry as a whole, celebrate the print industry as a community, and present the most clear view of shared professional viewpoints/opinions/thoughts etc. 

While a more standardised format, this publication would allow for the specialisms of each contributing party to be used together to produce a more creative piece of print and utilise a greater range of materials (stocks/foil etc.).

Feedback I received detailed that while in some ways the formatting of idea 01 may be seen as more creative, separating the interviews felt disruptive to the presentation of the interview content, which would be more interesting to read when responses could be viewed alongside one another, which would additionally make highlighting any common themes/perspectives easier. 

The same applies to idea 03, which further divides the contributing interviewees’ content and specialisms.

Print Interview: Existing Examples

Pressing Matters

Pressing Matters magazine is an inpendently-run publication, founded, designed and published by John Coe, a designer and creative based in Somerset.

The publication hones in on the people, passion and processes behind the art-form of print-making, giving insight into modern print-makers.

From curious beginners to those exploring the world of fine art editions, there are many different people who are ‘making their mark’ through print-making. The magazine’s hope is to inspire new-comers and give a voice/face to the ever increasing number of people citing print-making as their ‘thing.’

John  approaches the curation of the magazine from a ‘creatively curious’ standpoint, trying out new printmaking techniques and meeting makers to chat about their work. He felt that the magazine area of the printmaking world was 

limited, and hence created his own.

People of Print Book

The People of Print website began in 2008, originally created by Marcroy Smith, as a directory of illustrators, designers and printers both creatively and commercially, with the purpose of educating and inspiring. 

The People of Print book showcases highly influential print design produced using the combination of printmaking techniques, styles, and materials. It showcases innovative work created in an age where ‘endless streams of mediocrity contribute to the rapid growth of digital culture.’

This book offers insight into minds that have made an imprint on contemporary visual culture in the real, physical world, for anyone who shares the common aim to keep print alive. 

Found within the 336 pages are in-depth interviews, print techniques, stories, comprehensive references, and print-works from artists, designers and illustrators across the globe.

Posterzine

Also produced by People of Print, Posterzine is a mini monograph magazine which folds out to reveal an A1 format poster (594x841mm). 

Posterzine is printed by Pressision using two special Pantone spot colours each time on 

Fedrigoni Arcoprint Extra White paper stock meaning that no two issues look the same. It has been registered at the British Library as a magazine because of the way that it folds in on itself, differentiating it from a pamphlet which is folded like a concertina. 

Posterzine aims to strengthen the relationship between industries, brands, organisations and individuals through a series of ‘crisp and articulate’ interviews and insights into talented and established professionals from around the world. 

Also produced by People of Print, Posterzine is a mini monograph magazine which folds out to reveal an A1 format poster (594x841mm). 

Foilco 30x30

To commemorate turning 30 years old, Foilco produced a limited edition book printed by Pressision and using G . F Smith papers throughout, as well as a set of postcards. The premise of the book was to feature 30 quotes from prolific creatives, answering the question ‘What advice would you give to your younger self?’ (hence the 30x30 name).

The book features all the quotes, messages, and pearls of wisdom from the contributors, as well as showcasing the company’s range of foils.  

Foilco saw turning 30 as a great opportunity to celebrate, while nostalgically look back and questioning what we (creatives) have learnt in this time.

Print Interview: The Interviewees

Conducted over a 3 month period in 2017, the interviews held with G . F Smith, Pressision and Foilco were my first experiences making contact with those in industry. 

While I have always  had a preference for print design, the passion and enthusiasm shown by each of the interviewees affirmed my decision to become completely print-focused within my own practice. The significance of this provided the motivation for undertaking this project, and has also enabled me to make industry contacts who have supported the project.

Ben Watkinson, Sales Manager, Jane Crowther, Sales Executive.

Established in 1885, paper merchant G . F Smith has long been a name that is synonymous with the supplying of the finest quality unique papers to the creative industry. 

The founder, George Frederick Smith, was a man with a singular passion for paper. Both he and his son were driven by a belief in its beauty and possibilities, sharing an admiration for the craft of the printers and publishers that used it.

Today, G . F Smith is much the same; the company has a singular passion for paper and shares this passion with all who may encounter it. The paper merchant now also provide a number of services, including bespoke envelopes, book-making, framed-print production and more.

Ian Cavanagh, Head of Client Services & Business Development.

Pressision Creative Print & Finishing are a Leeds-based commercial printers.

Acknowledged as experts in supporting the creative process by harnessing ‘all that is wonderful about the art of printing and finishing, past present and future,’ the brand is a celebration of expertise, technology, innovation, passion and quality.

The printers work with a broad client range, from the likes of Harvey Nichols to Nest - Leeds Arts University’s own magazine.

Andrew Cottam, Business Development Manager

Established in 1987, Foilco has been serving the graphics industry for over 25 years, offering the largest range of hot stamping foils in all sectors.

With a wealth of expertise on all types of applications, the brand’s huge range of grades of foil offers designers and creatives countless foiling potentials for a range of outputs. Additionally, Foilco has the ability to match foils to Pantone colours in gloss, satin, and matt pigments, as well as metallic colours. 

Print Interview: Brief

Background

It seems that the design industry is in a perpetual state of flux between the popularity of print and digital practices/trends. While this may be the case, it is print practices that take the brunt of negative speculation, with phrases such as ‘print is dead’ finding their way into industry news. 

Despite efforts to combat this speculation, it cannot be denied that technological advancement will naturally continue to develop, however, the recent resurgence in preference for beautifully created print at current shows no signs of wavering. The question which remains to be answered is whether or not digital practices will ever find a way to challenge the qualities and potentials of creative print, and what the future of print will be for designers. 

Last year, I found the opportunity to interview a range of industry professionals working in or closely with the print industry on the power of creative print and their thoughts regarding the past, present and future of the sector. These sector associates were paper merchant G . F Smith, creative printers Pressision, and supplier of hot foils, Foilco. 

Job Description

Design and produce a piece of print which puts the interviews regarding the print industry - its past, present, and its future, as well as its relationship/variance with digital practices, into context through presentation of the interviews in an appropriate format. 

The resolution should utilise and take into consideration the different aspects of the print industry, represented by the contributing interviewees (print, paper and finishing etc.), and present their various viewpoints and opinions to provide a well-formed picture of the industry’s current creative climate and direction as it moves forward.

This exploratory piece of print should carefully consider appropriate methods of production, print technology, materials and use contributed content as inspiration for design decisions. Most importantly, the piece should in itself be creative.

Target Audience 

The target audience for this piece are those aged 18 and over with an active interest in design and, in particular, print.  They will be cultured in design, and most probably hold it as an occupation or future occupation — From creative students and design graduates to young professionals and beyond, such as well established practitioners within the industry. 

This target will hold a preference for tactile print practices and see its value in an overtly digital social climate. They may play a role within this field, and while not exclusive to designers, this resolution should naturally appeal to those within the creative sector as a benchmark of the print industry’s current position in the world of design and creative practice.

Deliverables

A piece of exploratory, creative print which identifies the print industry’s past, present, and future potentials - as well as its relationship with digital practices and practitioners within the relevant associative sectors - informed by the interviewees contributing and their viewpoints/professions/opinions etc. 

Starpack: Raritea Final Resolution & Evaluation

The ‘Raritea’ brand created in collaboration with Shelley Huang brings together our skills and specialisms in producing a set of 3 tea tins to be sold in the likes of John Lewis, Selfridges and M&S as a luxury gift pack.

Born out of a breadth of research, the brand/products are inspired by both the history of tea and current consumer trends. Notably, the rarity of tea in 1662 when introduced to Britain by Princess Catherine Braganza of Portugal (later Queen consort of Britain alongside King Charles II), Thomas Sullivan’s invention of the tea bag in 1908 and subsequent ‘Decade of the Teabag’ during the 1920s, and the shift in consumer popularity towards rare blends and infusions over the acclaimed ‘builder’s brew.’

All design decisions and product considerations have been made in support of the enhancement of a ‘rare’ resolution, homing in on luxury consumers’ penchant for discovery and premium quality.Using the anti-traditional visual language of the Art-Deco period, the packaging takes a unique, geometric form with clean lines and an opulent aesthetic. Based on an irregular octagon, the design is reminiscent of Art-Deco architecture as a result of stepped-edges found on the shorter 4 sides of the tin. While the intricacy of these stepped-edges make for a rare packaging format, the flat top, bottom, and longer 4 sides of the irregular octagon ensure the tins are still suitable for stacking, packing for distribution and storage — which is of great importance to consumers as discovered during primary research. We also propose that the sides of each tin are magnetic, allowing the packs to be kept together as set. 

All 3 tins within the set use a consistent matt black and metallic gold colour scheme, typical of the lavish Art-Deco movement and its use of expensive materials. While consistent in colour, each tea blend is differentiated by its own geometric, line-formed pattern, blind embossed on the tins’ four longer sides. This consistency of visual language ensures the marriageability of the product(s) as a set of three luxury tins (as requested by the brief).

The ‘Raritea’ brand and packaging resolutions exhibit creative use of tin, marriageability as a set of three luxury tins, and use of decorative and graphic elements to inspire re-usability as a secondary pack, shelf impact, and consumer appeal as luxury gift packaging — all of which are brief requirements. This has led to the short-listing of the entry in the Student Starpack Awards.

Starpack: Raritea Tin Design