PacPrint 2017
27/05/17 Saturday
The digital revolution of the last 30 years has radically changed the way printing is done and what is printed. There is no easier way to track the changes than by regularly attending a print industry trade show like PacPrint 2017 (23–26 May, Melbourne Exhibition Centre), which is held every four years.
At the turn of this century, you could come away from the show staggering under the weight of tightly rolled stacks of stunning posters displaying beautiful images magnificently reproduced on high quality paper, all aimed at selling the machinery that could print this. Paper was king. One time I even came away with a digitally printed copy of Pride and Prejudice that heralded print on demand, which was the next new thing then.
Over the last three PacPrints (the ‘Pac’ stands for Pacific) paper has almost vanished. Now all the new print is on everything but paper. It’s on fabrics, whether for commercial display or for wearing and it’s on every type of plastic, whether a film or a solid.
The small amount of print on paper that PacPrint 2017 featured was all very fancy stuff: thick textures and special effects in metallic, acrylic/gel, embossed finishes, richly coloured and flawlessly reproduced. The trend was skewed to iridescent opulence and tactile sensuality. Not surprisingly, one of the exhibitors exemplified this approach in producing a mock book cover and we can expect to see a lot more of these print effects on book covers from now on. Despite the demise of print on paper, printed books continue to sell and letting a book be judged by its cover can be profitable business.
Although BryshaWilson Press is committed to the eBook revolution, our latest release Selected Poems by Larry Buttrose is also available in hard print thanks to all the new technology that is able to cater to a broader range of print needs than the market could only dream of a mere 20 years ago. Welcome to the future and take a copy of our Selected Poems by Larry Buttrose with you, either as an elegant volume in your coat pocket or as a beautiful eBook on your device.
The mock book cover and behind it a gorgeous A3 peacock poster.
The mock book cover close-up; the title and all the pattern effects are raised and deeply textured.
Over the last three PacPrints (the ‘Pac’ stands for Pacific) paper has almost vanished. Now all the new print is on everything but paper. It’s on fabrics, whether for commercial display or for wearing and it’s on every type of plastic, whether a film or a solid.
The small amount of print on paper that PacPrint 2017 featured was all very fancy stuff: thick textures and special effects in metallic, acrylic/gel, embossed finishes, richly coloured and flawlessly reproduced. The trend was skewed to iridescent opulence and tactile sensuality. Not surprisingly, one of the exhibitors exemplified this approach in producing a mock book cover and we can expect to see a lot more of these print effects on book covers from now on. Despite the demise of print on paper, printed books continue to sell and letting a book be judged by its cover can be profitable business.
Although BryshaWilson Press is committed to the eBook revolution, our latest release Selected Poems by Larry Buttrose is also available in hard print thanks to all the new technology that is able to cater to a broader range of print needs than the market could only dream of a mere 20 years ago. Welcome to the future and take a copy of our Selected Poems by Larry Buttrose with you, either as an elegant volume in your coat pocket or as a beautiful eBook on your device.
The mock book cover and behind it a gorgeous A3 peacock poster.
The mock book cover close-up; the title and all the pattern effects are raised and deeply textured.