Research: looking into print from the perspective of materiality

Now that I have figured out what I want to explore by making my resolution to support my question of research, I decided it would be beneficial for me to continue researching visual examples of poster designs that connote materiality within print primarily. What better way than to explore this area by looking into books for inspiration. 

So I have a mild obsession with regards to European posters, this became apparent to me since starting to Geneve Switzerland where it became apparent how much I love Swiss design and the posters that were situated around the city. Below are just some great visual examples of this and the typographic style that is presented within these designs. 

Photo taken by Jordan Jones (2023)

Photo taken by Jordan Jones (2023)

You might be wondering what relevance this has regarding my research now and looking into books, well I was fortunate enough to discover a great book called From Switzerland: Graphic
Design from Switzerland, compiled and published by Counter-Print Print, (Dowling, J. From Switzerland 2020).

Book cover of From Switzerland (Dowling, J. 2020) 

Screenshot of a page From Switzerland showing the work of Studio Feixen (Dowling, J. 2020) 

What I find great about these examples from design studio Studio Feixen, is the materiality aspect of the poster designs. They create such an immersive experience within the designs that make you want to touch the work, giving it a strong visual connotation towards the tactile qualities that materiality represents. I can identify from the work that they clearly used other materials to make such imagery to enhance the poster designs. I can see there be an infusion of the two mediums both digital and analogue way of working that has come together to layer this poster. 

I feel this gives me visual inspiration to think about how I can adapt my current designs and scanned images to then create further texture and layering to the poster design that will be screen printed. 

Below is work from design agency Berger and co, the reason for highlighting their work is the use of layered techniques from print design that allow to create textural responses that support the design structures and composition of the work. I am rather inspired by the art of layering when it comes to print design and how you can infuse colour gradients and overlays to add further depth to any print work. 

I feel this is another great example to suggest the importance of understating materiality within print design. This is because I feel it can give a dynamic look and feel to the work. I feel this shows how print can elevate your work dramatically in ways that digital outputs cannot. Even though this is a print made digital for the purpose of printing in a book, it still visually promotes print design as the focal point. 

Screenshot of pages From Switzerland showing the work of Berger and Co (Dowling, J. 2020) 

From this point, I decided to further explore this form of layering technique within print design, so what better artist for this to visualise than the work of Andy Warhol. I have been familiar with his work for quite some time now but haven't really looked into his work for a while. I feel this will give me further ideas to explore within my screen print development and test print working with layers. 

Book cover of Warhol, A., Staff, C. C., Books, N. L., & Confidential, C. (2005). Warhol. Grange Books Plc.

Photo showing Warhol, A., Staff, C. C., Books, N. L., & Confidential, C. (2005). Warhol. Grange Books Plc.

Photo showing Warhol, A., Staff, C. C., Books, N. L., & Confidential, C. (2005). Warhol. Grange Books Plc.

What became relevant to me was the fact Warhol uses primarily screen printing as his main printing medium, he is famous for his layering techniques within screen printing that allowed him to build up an image. I can identify that materiality clearly has played a big part in Warhol's work, from the use of organic textures that create a halftone effect. This for me would be something I would like to try in developing my current print designs by scanning them back in and then exploring Photoshop I would re-create halftone effects on the images that would then be printed via the large format printer to then become exposed onto the silk screens. 

Screenshot showing development work in Illustrator (Jones, 2023)

The image above shows how I developed my original designs and made them digital again by giving them a halftone effect in Illustrator. The reason for this was to allow me to further explore this textured way when I come to screen print this design onto paper stock whilst exploring different colours and gradients. This shows me responding to the similar design styles in which Warhol uses in his work. These designs will be transferred to screens later on when I am next back in the print studio. 

Continuing my research into finding examples of materiality within print, I decided to take my exploration onto social media. Particularly, I find myself a lot of the time scrolling through lots of work that I save as inspo for myself. I decided to look at the work of graphic designer Dafi Kuhne via Instagram. He is known for working primarily within traditional letterpress techniques with the adaptations of a contemporary feel to his work.

Screenshot showing Dafi Kuhne's Instagram page

The work of Kuhne is clear to me that it visually promotes materiality and expresses a strong traditional approach towards print design with letterpress being his primary focus. What I found also interesting to identify was that he also explores other materials such as lino which becomes part of the image. This to me suggests that Kuhne clearly has adopted a strong methodology within the context of materiality whilst prompting the art of print design in a modernistic viewpoint. 

I feel that designers need to consider print design within their work as another means of communication and a form or medium to articulate towards their given audience. Not only this but it pushes you to make better design choices and allows you to consider other aspects of the design such as colour theory, texture and composition. This allows you to become a well-rounded, well-knowledgable designer, thinking not only about the outcome itself but the process that goes along with it. 

Screen record showing Dafi Kuhne's Instagram page

Looking closely into this area of print design and supporting my own thoughts on the possibilities which print promotes, I can't help but consider looking into graphic designer and art director Qim Marin. Known for his eye-catching poster displays, his work is renounced as influential in modern-day design. His work promotes a strong message and describes his work as "coming up with fresh and memorable designs with a clear aim at essential beauty and equilibrium that, at the same time, will ensure communicative effectiveness. He goes on by saying to seek to wet the eye, I want the visual impact to remain in people’s memory, and I aspire to seduce minds through contrast" (Marin, 2018).


Below are clear examples of his work which for me clearly outlines a strong fusion of both working within digital design to produce print design. This shows that print medium is the final resolution to showcase the work and so I feel it still holds strong value within the design world, especially such contemporary and typographic designs that Marin produces.

Screenshot showing the work of Qim Marin (2020)

Quim Marin - typo/graphic posters. (2020.). Typo/Graphic Posters. https://www.typographicposters.com/quim-marin

Screenshot showing the work of Qim Marin (2019-20)

Quim Marin - typo/graphic posters. (2019-20.). Typo/Graphic Posters. https://www.typographicposters.com/quim-marin

As you can see from the examples shown in Marin's work, they clearly show a strong sense of a materiality aspect within the overall designs. The work is minimal to promote white space within the designs to articulate the narrative clearly to the audience. I feel this works really well, as it allows you to appreciate the overall design but also gets you to focus on specific areas such as image treatment and typographic design.

From what I have researched so far, has allowed me to think about my current designs and how I want to present them on my silk screens to then screen print. There is just something about the nature of contemporary design within typography as it becomes the overall image. I want to consider this within my design development when printing my posters. This is because I want the focus to be on the Alef letter form as a focal point towards typography, whilst showing the adaptations to which I had experimented with. 

To add to the designs I want to create a tactile response to the prints by adding textures and layers to the posters, this will add visual connotations towards my perception of meaning towards materiality and how it enhances the user/audience experience.