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ink suck

without a doubt, beyond all argument, the artists making the designs we fold are made by some of the most creative and talented. looking at the crisp, beautiful designs as they pour from my printer, i am constantly in awe. more so when that design takes shape and joins the collection.

i would like that to be stated. now, having done so, i'm curious as to why you so often see a bunch of graphics/art on the template that never becomes a part of the finished product. i understand wanting to brand your templates, and respect the ideology behind doing so, but this practice can be a tremendous waste of ink for the end user, especially if the entire discarded template is coated in black.

i don't want to sound unappreciative of the goodness that comes my way, and this isn't about stifling creativity, rather the exact opposite. i just feel that some templates are such ink sucks that one has to think twice before printing it. hey, if the skin rocks, i don't care if it's 8 pages of black and i have to change cartridges in the middle of printing it, i want it on my shelf. but i find it funny when the design itself is subtle and understated yet the artist throws a whole bunch of color on the page just for the design's name or the creator's logo.

with all the effort and work and passion and love that these artists pour into their designs, it'd be a shame if some of them never saw a fold because printing the thing out was prohibitive.

{b}{k}{d}

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Comment by Leanne (Anne Götze-Piening) on January 24, 2011 at 7:22am: Some short remarks to this (not new) discussion: In my eyes the template in many cases is a piece of art for itself. I like the artist's logo on them and I like added doodles or sketches. I often print them out and put them on the wall.

For the waste of ink there is the solution whenever it is possible to load the template to a graphic programme and remove the background before printing. That's what I do.

Free downloadable paper toys are a nice thing but uploaded models are as well a showcase for the artist's skills. So he wants to be clearly recognisable.
3Eyed bear said everything else what can be said to this subject in my opinion.

Comment by 3Eyed Bear on January 24, 2011 at 5:04am: You have a very legit point here BaykitDead and I have to say one of my mission statements indeed is to minimize the waste of ink. I have even tried to get kits as white as possible (getting to use BOTH sides of the paper!).

The reason for our concern is simple: ink-cartridges are very expensive and toxic too, so to have fans waste money and environment for us not being able to come up with a creative solution to avoid that would be a shameful waste.

On the other hand, as you already indicated, we share our design with all of you for free hoping you put in a good word for us to your friends. It is the way I work anyway: trying to make as much friends as possible will supply with with the karma of ending up with some sugar-daddy who is willing to pay me big time for exclusive commissioned work. We need to eat too, so we sign our works in a way people don't forget who's kit it is anyway.

I also am 'advertising' myself as a graphic designer and creator of typo-logo's, so every kit gets it's signature-logo to show off in the same hope to stay in the sub-consciousness of possible clients. And, although you probably understand this real well, we STILL have to include a mini-manual to build the kits, because it would be very frustrating not to be able to (re)construct a kit when you build one for the first time. To me, the most stylized way to handle the manual is an actual image of a finished build alongside the usual 'fold''cut''glue' legenda. I have young fans and fans who don't have the ability to 'see' a flat design in 3d before cutting it out and have them try again after a failed attempt not only pushes them away from building for ever but THAT would be an even bigger waste as well. Wasting time added to the pile.

Last but not least I know of designers who LOVE their solid blacks. I have to admit it IS very powerful. Every time... :)

So yes, ink will be wasted, but me personally I am fully aware of that. But manuals need to be IN the kit, the flat pack needs to look inviting AND we need to advertise ourselves to be able to supply you with free goodies. Believe me, I try to use my advertisement-space well and creative by adding to the 'feel' of the character. It's not like it looks like a Google-add promoting guns or something like that. It's just showing off the best way I know how :)

Still, it's a good point and I'm glad you remind me of it again.