And, another project I’ve been involved in recently is helping with a rebrand for a community care provider in Cornwall.
I’ve developed a bespoke new logo for Pendeen Community Care. I’m also working on a brochure, roller banner, and leaflets etc.
Pendeen Community Care are “a small, family run domiciliary care company, providing high quality, bespoke elder care packages in and around the Camborne and Redruth area.”
PCC Brochure – Initial Draft.
“At Pendeen Community Care all our carers are trained and highly skilled in dementia/Alzheimer care. We guarantee that your family/friend will be given the utmost respect and care whilst our carers are with them.Pendeen Community Care offers a real alternative to residential placements. Many people wish to spend their advancing years in the security and comfort of their own homes.”
Repro; copying and reproduction of documents and printed material. Graphics; creating imagery and visual material to communicate significance.
A friend once said, “you just do colouring-in for a living”. Yes, perhaps; but, as I have studied… the graphic Signifier will relay an idea that is Signified; in essence, this is what a Sign is.
As David Carson said, “Just because something is legible doesn’t mean it communicates”.
How can we make the most of a simple opportunity to say something?
“Can you just do a simple ‘One Way’ sign for me?” Or, a sign to ‘Science’… or a ‘No eating in the library’ notice?
Yes, of course, but what more can we do with that opportunity for signification?
We can add value to the everyday. Often print might simply have a utilitarian function, but that does not mean to say it can’t have added value, look smart, and reflect or reinforce the tone and climate of its environment.
Can you just print me some signs saying ‘Textiles’ and ‘Graphics’?
Yes, of course, but what more can we do with that sign?
The front cover of a worksheet, the postcard home, the certificate of achievement, or even the punctuality report; all of these can have added value beyond the initial function. Integral to their design, they can reflect and reinforce the values, visions and ambitions of the organisation.
This can be done in part by keeping the style and form of the organisation’s design elements consistent, and adding and repeating form and sub-content that promotes values and reinforces messages.
There’s more to it than that, but again as David Carson said, “It’s not about knowing all the gimmicks and tricks…”… You need to feel it.
From large format posters to labels and postcards – Reprographics
As well as small repro works, I’ve recently overseen the creation of some large text signage for interior and exterior walls.
Our aim was to reinforce ambitions using simple quotes from the school’s poetry canon. Yes, we could have gone bold and loud with colours and imagery. However, in this case it’s just the words themselves using simple consistent typography.
Inside the building the light warm grey colour is subtle and almost a subliminal presence (Expertly installed by Big City Graphics, Leicester).
Outside we’ve gone for a strong yet simple aluminium. (Expertly installed by Focus Signs, Leicester)
In the past, I’ve designed large wall-collage compositions, creating artwork for a local sign maker who installs murals to cover complete walls/rooms in primary schools.
So, from a one off ‘sign for the loo’, to an energetic topical graphic statement…
Reprographics; reproduction of printed material and imagery that communicates meaning.
Reprography: the art or process of creating, printing and reproducing documents and graphic material.
The school Reprographics Department I facilitate supports teaching and learning through the timely provision of a variety of printed resources and graphic design.
High volume colour & mono printing, on A4, A5 and A3 paper and card. Integral folding and stapling of worksheets, booklets, pamphlets etc. Creation and production of labels, stickers, postcards, flyers, certificates, posters.
Teaching and learning time is valuable, teachers and support staff at the frontline of secondary school education are well aware that their own time is also valuable. Our department is here to create and produce requested printed resources, making more preparation and teaching time for staff.
Mindful of good service, a timely response to print requests is just part of the value we provide. As a reprographics service, we aim to turnaround print requests from all staff, within hours. Juggling numerous requests from multiple staff can be exacting, but scheduling work so we meet required deadlines is an essential part of the service provided.
Requests may be for a few dozen worksheets, a few 1000 booklets, through to a varied mix of classroom material; reward cards, certificates, posters, notices, incentives etc. The quality and broad range of items possible is notable. Work may be single-color, full-colour, stitched, folded, hope-punched, laminated, bound… all on a variety of stock materials and finishes.
From scheduled test material and syllabus resources to items designed for more kinesthetic, tactile and visual learning, our daily output is significant and varied.
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
In an age of digital information,printed visual material is still important in our education system. Printed material can beused in classrooms to encourage students’ learning process and make it easier and interesting. Quality printed graphic material can be a great tool, helping make teaching and the dissemination of knowledge more effective and more successful.
In my daily work, I often get people asking “can I have some paper?”, “a few sheets”, “a pile of card” … When consulted about how much people actually require, they are often unsure. We then move on to what size and colour?
People often do not know what they want, and expect me to know what the person who asked them to ask for something wants. It’s a spooky thing! Believe it or not, I do not know how much you need.
So just for the record, here goes… the quantities below are not set in stone, but if you don’t know how much you are asking for, this is what you might receive.
If you insist on being vague, just add ‘quite’ at the start of your request … ‘quite a few’ multiplies the few by an unknown quantity. It’s a spooky thing!
Actual paper quantities: “A pack” of paper, is a ream which is 500 sheets. 25 sheets = 1 quire 500 sheets = 20 quires = 1 ream 1,000 sheets = 2 reams = 1 bundle 5,000 sheets = 5 bundles = 1 bale
Last spring (2020) I took a lot of photos of nature in our garden and on walks. So we thought we’d celebrate this spring by sending a quick printed* message to some friends – A celebration of spring and all that this time of year freely gives us. #print*
Forget-me-nots from out garden being tended by the gardeners’ friend Mrs L. Bird.
Alongside the sickness that the media have relayed recently, I’m reminded of John Steinbeck’s words ‘a sad soul can kill you quicker, far quicker, than a germ’. Thankfully positive energy is contagious also!
Infused with metaphor, folk tales, and traditions our springtime is full of energy. Whether it’s Creme Eggs, cake, and daffs on the window sill, or seasonal TV drama, religious reflection, and recollections of a horrific old rugged cross, it’s a season full of spirit; new things, awakenings, warmth, light and yes revitalisation.
Hopefully our springtime allows us to reconnect. We can feel the warmth of the light coming through the kitchen window, and see verdant velvet buds shooting from the grey-brown dormancy of a passing winter. You can really feel it. There’s an energy, some might say spirit, that brightens the shadows and eases the strains. A new realisation of our humanity, our breath, our connection.
There ARE flowers everywhere, for those that want to see them. Happy springtime.
In 1947 Henri Matisse published ‘Jazz’, which included the words ‘… Il y a des fleurs partout pour qui veut bien les voir.’ This has been popularly translated as ‘Happy are those who sing with all their heart, in the forthrightness of their heart. Find joy in the sky, in the trees, in the flowers. There are always flowers for those who want to see them.’ A more literal translation ‘…there are flowers everywhere…’.
I can arrange delivery of A6 (148x105mm) postcards using the above design.
Printed in colour on both sides, on special 300gsm TruCard; coated on the outside and uncoated the reverse so it’s easy to write on. Price includes delivery to one UK address.
Here’s a reminder of the bookmark design I revamped last year.
The bookmarks were originally created to be left in public places like airports, railway stations, waiting rooms etc. They can be given out, or made available, where people might benefit from ‘taking time out’ of their busy lives.
These new down-loadable bookmarks are now designed so that it can be easily printed at home on your desk-top home printer.
They are designed without bleed, so you can simply print on A4 paper (or preferably card), and then cut it into five bookmarks.
These new bookmarks read:
Sit down comfortably, feet flat on the floor.
For one minute, just be still: Deep breath in… slow exhale… Relax your muscles, calm your breathing… listen…
For one minute, remember something you are grateful for. Say thank you for it, and know that gratitude is good.
For one minute, remember something you regret. Say sorry for it, and know that you are forgiven.
For one minute, think of some good things you would like for another person. Be hopeful for that person.
For one minute, think of some good things you would like for yourself. Ask how will this help you?…and listen for an answer.
For a bonus minute, pause again, and be still… Deep breath in… slow exhale… Relax your muscles, calm your breathing… …try a smile.
“Section Breaks, Section Breaks my kingdom for a Section Break…” (or a page break at least)
Perhaps the most underused formatting option in the realm of Microsoft Word*!
In my experience the Layout, Break, Page or Section Break is one of the simplest formatting options that people either don’t know about, or lazily underuse. I reminded a colleague recently and they exclaimed “Wow! It stops everything moving around!”
Two docs, one portrait, and another landscape… One doc is colour and the other needs to print on the back in mono.
Combining Documents…
Instead of keying return return return… to reach the end of a page, you can simply jump to the next page with a section break!
For one, this can solve the problem of ‘everything moving’ when you change an earlier paragraph.
Secondly, in the ‘new section/page’ you can then change your page orientation, margins etc… So we can insert a landscape page after the portrait page.
If you format your articles/chapters etc with Next Page Section Breaks it can all stay organised.
Another underused tip: If you click Show/Hide (Ctrl+Shift+8) you can see your hidden formatting symbols – which can be useful!
So we can add a landscape page (in a new section) after the portrait page.
‘Select All’ (Ctrl A), then copy (Crtl C) the content of our landscape document and paste (Crtl V) the content into the new one.
Colour and Mono in one document!
Often a black & white looking graphic is actually ‘a dark mix’ of colours, and should ideally be converting to proper grayscale!
Hidden colour £0.10p. Grayscale 1p
Hidden colour £0.10p. Grayscale 1p
Converting dirty images to greyscale will save you money – your printer will then charge it as mono and not as a colour page – these costs mount up when you’re printing a whole year group!
In Word, simply double or right click on an image that looks black and white and convert it to true grayscale.
Format Picture – Picture Colour – Grayscale.
(While you are at it you could compress all the pictures in your document and probably half the file size!… Double click and image and compress, selecting ‘all images’…)
*Formatting your documents is a good habit to get into. If you only use one new thing in your next Word doc, make it section breaks… it stops everything moving around!
Do you have info for students to revise or remember?
About 900 words will fit nicely onto this notelet at 10pt typesize. About 750 words at 12pt. This prints 4 up on A3 paper, or you can print it smaller to 4 up A4.
Tuck ‘em in your pocket! Effective economical novel print.
It’s just a thing I put together in lockdown, feel free to download, adapt and share.
Notelets printed – 4 on an A3 sheet,
You can print this on an A3 or A4 paper you’ll achieve four notelets per print.
Yes, this sort of thing should be done using Indesign, Illustrator, or Publisher etc. but the majority of home/office users don’t have this software. So here’s a template in Microsoft Word.
Ick!… Word not nice.
But Yea!… anyone can use it!
The template is set at A3 and includes two pages. Start on page one and the text boxes flow through to the end. The last text box is not linked and becomes the cover of your notelet.
Simply paste your text in, edit and adapt it. Then copy and paste the content in the another three rows.
Happy daze.
Once printed, at A3 or A4 double-sided , simply guillotine the stack into four.
I guess you could just print the first page – ~450 words.
Students can fold their notelet themselves!
Notelets printed 4 on an A3 sheet.
If you print on A4 paper, you may want to increase the type size 2 points – but you’ll then get mini-notelets.
Smaller Notelets printed 4 on an A4 sheet.
When you start playing with MS Word then you really must be in some form of lockdown mode! 🙂
Reprography: the art or process of creating, printing and reproducing documents and graphic material.
The school Reprographics Department I facilitate supports teaching and learning through the timely provision of a variety of printed resources and graphic design.
High volume colour & mono printing, on A4, A5 and A3 paper and card. Integral folding and stapling of worksheets, booklets, pamphlets etc. Creation and production of labels, stickers, postcards, flyers, certificates, posters.
Teaching and learning time is valuable, teachers and support staff at the frontline of secondary school education are well aware that their own time is also valuable. Our department is here to create and produce requested printed resources, making more preparation and teaching time for staff.
Mindful of good service, a timely response to print requests is just part of the value we provide. As a reprographics service, we aim to turnaround print requests from all staff, within hours. Juggling numerous requests from multiple staff can be exacting, but scheduling work so we meet required deadlines is an essential part of the service provided.
Requests may be for a few dozen worksheets, a few 1000 booklets, through to a varied mix of classroom material; reward cards, certificates, posters, notices, incentives etc. The quality and broad range of items possible is notable. Work may be single-color, full-colour, stitched, folded, hope-punched, laminated, bound… all on a variety of stock materials and finishes.
From scheduled test material and syllabus resources to items designed for more kinesthetic, tactile and visual learning, our daily output is significant and varied.
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
In an age of digital information,printed visual material is still important in our education system. Printed material can beused in classrooms to encourage students’ learning process and make it easier and interesting. Quality printed graphic material can be a great tool, helping make teaching and the dissemination of knowledge more effective and more successful.
Jules P Richards 