The old saying “Seeing is believing” goes: Few people know that the quote by Thomas Fuller, an English historian and clergyman, states, “but feeling em>
This rings true for many designers. Molly Combs is a creative based in Oklahoma City. She first fell in love with the feel of paper during a design course for print.
She says, “It’s very distinct from designing for the internet.” Combs loves the dimension print that is added to her work. It’s the tangible part of it. It’s fun to design something and then to be able to touch it. It’s fun. It adds an exciting dimension to the creative process.”
Chris Siarkiewicz is a Brooklyn-based graphic design designer. It’s an art form that I am proud of, knowing that a printed piece will be produced and reach someone who will find it valuable and enjoyable. He says he likes to interact with the product, sit with it and experience it.
There are practicalities involved in evaluating different paper types. Siarkiewicz says that choosing the right weight is more important than people realize. Aside from its design, it may be the most critical aspect of the final product’s appearance. A heavier stock will feel more valuable and formal, while lighter weights may be more suitable for delicate or temporary uses. Poorly chosen consequences can cause poor ink coverage, which gives prints a cloudy appearance. Dimensions can also make a big difference. A large brochure or a distinctive foldout can tell a compelling story. The texture is also important. Is it shiny and smooth, or Mattey and velvety? How will this affect a customer’s reaction to packaging a cosmetic item?
Siarkiewicz says that “Paper is the vehicle to the design.”
However, COVID has complicated the relationship between print and graphic artists. COVID has taken workers from their physical offices and removed them from their creative work. Home offices don’t usually have the equipment to print on specialty stock like heavyweight papers or anything larger than a standard letter-sized sheet.
Screens are everywhere at home. Many of us were forced to use screens at home during the shutdown for work, leisure, or awkward, late-night get-togethers. All of the evidence points to an adverse effect of screens on creativity. A 2013 article by Scientific American titled ” Why The Brain Prefers Paper ” states that over two decades of research have shown screens to be more cognitively and physically taxing than papers.
Digital fatigue is a common term. This condition can lead to a lack of energy, mental clarity, and burnout. It can also cause psychological and physical problems that affect our overall well-being, not just work output, writes Tiffany Pham (CEO of Mogul) in Entrepreneur. Many things can cause digital fatigue. There are pragmatic reasons, such as straining eyesight from screens. But there is also the well-known and much-lamented blurring between home and work. People looking to work with their hands in a creative field will find that work-from-home needs more substance.
“My friends will ask me if you can’t do it from home. I tell them that we have a production-level printer in our studio. Siarkiewicz says I can see how the work will print and don’t need to use Zoom to interpret it.
Many creatives have become disillusioned by digital everything and need to catch up on the hands-on possibilities that production equipment provides. However, only a few employees are eager to return to work. According to The Economist, 75% of executives said they would like to return to work three days a week, while only 34% of non-executives agreed.
Many employees love the convenience of wearing sweatpants and skipping the commute. This has led to many company leaders looking for ways to bring them back to work.
Could print be the solution?
According to consumer surveys, print is a great way to combat digital fatigue. The USPS conducted a study called COVID mail attitudes. Respondents enjoy receiving mail and agree it lifts spirits and helps them feel connected. Study after study has shown that people associate with printed messages more deeply. A study by Go Inspire Group found that print marketing campaigns are five-fold more effective than email-only campaigns. Combining the two media is six times more efficient (these numbers are a positive outlook for agencies seeking to increase client orders following a pandemic).
These numbers are more about the effectiveness of marketing campaigns than bringing agencies back together, but the emotions of excitement and connection that paper media generates are a human response.
Siarkiewicz will return to work five days per week. The Ricoh Color Digital Press was a winner. It is a small yet powerful production printer.
