We love old and new technologies and experimenting with a mix of design and printing methods, with digital and laser technology. So we take advantage of opportunities to show and see print works, which in this case led us to creating designs for the IMPACT9 conference and exhibition run by University of the West of England, Bristol. The IMPACT conferences are an international multi-disciplinary event where printmakers and artists get together to show their work and techniques at different locations every two years. IMPACT9 was held at the China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China. The IMPACT conferences and exhibitions are a vital platform for this type of work to be seen internationally by other practicing designers, artists, educationalists, and printmakers, from around the world. Starting in 2013, the material was first exhibited in New Zealand in 2015.
An important aim was to generate interest in the use of rapid prototypes using digital and laser technology, and modern materials to produce clean graphic images. Another goal was to utilise composition design methods. The designs are a social commentary on public figures in New Zealand. The work, sponsored by AUT, aimed to generate interest in letterpress and print media. The work was done in a very well appointed print area in the Keir Building, city campus. We started by creating designs and turning them into vector graphic files, then making printing plates digital and laser technology, by laser cutting them out of MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard). The prints were made by hand on a KORREX proof printing press, which required many months of testing to perfect our technique. This was made more difficult with five and six colour prints that needed close registration (you can see them here).
We received very positive feedback that expressed the high quality of the prints and people did not realise they had been produced on a letterpress machine. Much interest was generated at the conference and from this work we were asked to join an international print making group.
