OUGD504 - Brief 03 - Stock Decisions

I decided from quite early on that I wanted to create a completely monochrome publication, for aesthetic, contextual and conceptual reasons. The latest GF Smith sample book was really beneficial in helping me broaden my horizons stock wise. I flicked through the massive book, searching mainly for stocks that were monochrome, ranging from very light grey's to jet blacks. We were allocated three slots to order sets of samples from GF Smith. I was looking to use the samples for the cover of the publication only. Obviously, in an industry setting, I wouldn't have to rely purely on samples, but within the context of the course, samples are beneficial as they are free and I am constantly looking for ways of keeping personal costs to a minimum, unless I feel it is really worth spending a little extra more than I usually would on a specific project. 

I ordered three sheets of Plike Graphite in 330 gsm. What really drew me to this stock was its feel when touched and its matte appearance. It reminded me of slate, which I came across a lot in the cemetery, so I saw this as a highly appropriate stock choice for the cover. I also thought that it's matte quality would contrast really well with jet black screen printing ink or spot/UV varnishing. 330gsm was the only weight that this stock came in, I would have preferred a lighter option, but it wasn't possible unfortunately. 

I also ordered three sheets of Colorplan - Embossed Leather. I chose this stock because I loved the texture. It reminded me of old fashioned Bible covers. The colour was also appropriate: there are a lot of greys and darker shades associated with cemetery environments. I also thought that this stock would work well with black screen printed designs. 

I looked at and admired a number of other monochromatic stocks, but was only able to order nine sheets of stock. This is a limitation set by the stock company, and partly by myself because I was reluctant to actually buy any stock. If my book were to be commercially printed, the appropriate stock would be bought in bulk and used to print multiple copies of the publication.