Skylab

I can't remember the last time I've been this excited for a Monday, but the prospects of this field trip had me wishing the weekend would move along faster. The guys at Skylab were definitely generous in their space, process and prints, which made the trip all the more enjoyable. Some of my classmates may have gotten a bit crazy with the print collecting, but I guess I understand their enthusiasm. Anyways, the one thing I enjoyed most about the experience is the tactility of their work. As designers its important for us to clearly visualize the end product from what we see on our screens. Having an understanding of physical materials like paper and ink in addition to the process of your printer and what he or she is capable of accomplishing will improve your efficiency in both time and design. I'm not saying that you need to understand all printing processes, because the printer is knowledgeable in these areas. This is why, as Marty stressed, having a good relationship with your printer is important. Being a designer today is really a collaborative effort. Not only must we work collaboratively with other designers, we also work with printers, programmers, photographers and etc. Essentially, the complexity of collaboration is dependent on the goal you're trying to accomplish.

In the future I would love to intern at Skylab or a similar print shop. During this past month I've been struggling with my decision of choosing graphic design over printmaking and this trip has made me realized that I need that physicality in my work to be happy. Not to say that I plan to switch majors, but I've been feeling really divided in my work. I'm determined to figure out how to make this work.