Russian Post-Punk (contextual research)

What is punk?

To begin my initial research into the origins and context of Russian Post-punk for the album cover project, I wanted to gain a wide definition of what Punk was and how Russian punk differs from Western punk. This would be crucial in broadening my understanding of the genre and pulling out bits of information that could be useful in the concepts of my designs.

Within the definition of punk, there is a strong sense of rebellion against the norm and in the case of Russian punk, against the corruption and regime of the Soviet Union. The key characteristic of Russian punks in contrast to British punks was that there was no high establishment (upper class) to rebel against, as everyone was poor; Russian punks rather rebelled against everything around them. Another characteristic associated with Russian punks was their military boots and jackets found in military shops.

How does post punk differ from punk?

Post Punk in itself is a rebellion against traditional punk, with the genre taking inspiration
from other musical sources to develop more of an avant-garde sound; a lot of post-punk
stuff is defined as being vey melancholy, moody, and nonconformist.

The post punk scene

Current day post punk still maintains this reputation of being enemies of the state; although commercialised post punk came into the mainstream during the late 90s, the raw, political nature of genuine/ authentic post punk bands stayed in the underground scene and continued to rebel against popular culture. Names associated with this nature are bands such as the feminist post punk group, Pussy Riot. There is a strong sense that the punk youth in Russia live on the fringes of society; the article above discusses how kids in Russia are still figuring themselves out, which seems to be a universal feeling.

Origins from 1970's punk in Russia

 I felt like it was important to understand what punk in Russia stood for during its initial introduction under Soviet rule; during my research, a sense of isolation and solitude was prominent, with the key phrase 'us against the world'. Due to the political tensions and the Soviet governments' censorship, punk was very much a hidden scene within 1070's Russia; so much so that albums and clothing were sold in black markets or smuggled in. The traditional Russian punk ideology stemmed from a feeling of anger that many Soviet boys had, which served as a platform to express their emotions.

Essay 2

What impact has the internet and digital media had on editorial design and publications?

Amidst the surge in the dominance of the internet and digital media, the imminent question of whether print is dead looms; assessed within Print is Dead Long Live Print (2015), the reality is that online publications provide information ‘faster and more cheaply’, which threatens the relevance of printed matter today (Jamieson, R. and Currell, A). Arguably, it is prominent that the internet has altered consumer behaviour in the media industry, with people having more news and entertainment options and ‘myriad ways to consume them’ (Lisk, J., 2019). Nethertheless, in the face of a seemingly inevitable end, in a multitude of ways, print is being revived; physical magazines are recognised as ‘hiding’ in independent spaces ‘outside of commercial publishing’ (Deighton, K., 2018). That being so, the debate on the future of print is now salient in the ever-changing landscape of the editorial design and publication industry.

It’s no secret that in recent years, printed matter has been overshadowed by digital media; to some extent, print ‘as we knew it’ can even be branded as ‘dead or dying’ (Jamieson, R. and Currell, A). This rather hostile attack the internet poses to print can be split in two fronts, discussed in Print is Dead Long Live Print (2015), it ‘erodes their readership’ and ‘tempts away’ advertisers due to the ease and effectiveness of online advertising within the age of data collection (Jamieson, R. and Currell, A). The readership of printed matter has perhaps been destroyed due to the accessibility of mass data the internet offers; so much so it has been named ‘the Guntenberg press on steroids’ (Wortham, J., 2017). Consequently, it comes as no surprise that newspapers in recent years have ceased printing altogether - a major example being The Independents’ decision to solely operate digitally in 2016 (BBC News, 2016). This effort in remaining relevant to consumers was implemented in order to ‘preserve the Independent brand’ and allow the platform to attract ‘more and more readers’ according to ESI’s owner, Evgeny Lebedev (2016). Shifts in advertising revenues can also be to blame for the decline of print; according to MediaPlanet (2019), global print advertising is expected to ‘decline by 8.7 percent’ (Lisk, J., 2019), threatening the financial stability of the print industry.  

With many big publications abandoning ship to digital, the role of editorial designers is ever changing through new requirements of skill sets. In an interview from Talk to the Newsroom (2008), Steven Duenes provides an insight into the initial introduction of online articles whilst working as graphics editor for The New York Times; labelling the process as a ‘newsroom-wide integration’. Duenes’ responsibility as a designer became heavily focused on ‘interactive features’ (Figure 1), which in his experience called for working alongside other departments with ‘specialised skills’. Duenes elaborates on how in the wake of the internet, there is a ‘temptation to publish more data simply because we have it’; this chaotic nature of digital media opens responsibility for designers to curate and manage data, described as making digital media ‘easily navigable’ (Duenes, S., 2008). 

On the contrary, to declare that print is dead altogether would be widely considered ignorant; once deemed an ‘old-fashioned content marketing staple’, print now serves a unique way to ‘break through the digital advertising clutter’ (Lisk, J., 2019). The argument that print remains relevant today is evident in certain business models of todays’ successful magazines; a prime instance of this can be seen in the British style magazine Dazed and Confused (part of the Dazed group), that continues to have a strong consumer base for their bi-monthly printed magazine. In an interview with The Financial Times (2015), Dazed co-founder Jefferson Hack credits the magazines’ consumer ethos for its’ success in the digital age; a good benefit in ‘staying relevant’ is that ‘its target audience have always been those against the norm’ (Garrahan, M., 2015). Consequently, although print for some media outlets may be considered a dead-end, names such as Dazed and Confused use consumer attitudes to their advantage to reclaim their reputation as a magazine that ‘sticks a thorn in the establishment’ (Hack, J., 2015). 

Linking to this defiance of printed matter in the internet age, there has been an efflux in the consumption of independent zines in recent years; crowned as ‘going through a strong revival’ throughout ‘the past five years’ (Hansen, J., 2017). In an abundance of ways, it is arguable that the internet is to be credited for this revitalisation of zine popularity; according to co-founder of the NYC Feminist Zinefest, Elvis B, the zine revival is a representation of the growing ‘resistance to survallience’ of the digital world (Huffpost, 2017). In essence, zines present a counter-culture against the ‘culture of toxicity’ existing within the internet (Wortham, J., 2017); Shakar Mujukian (publisher of the Hye-Phen), notes that zine culture is ‘essentially about reclamation’ in which creatives can ‘define’ their own ‘narratives’ in a ‘radical act’ (The New York Times, 2017). The ramifications of this zine rebellion can be recognised as a growing demand for tangible products that introduce the idea that the internet is ‘adept at compressing humanity’ (Mujukian, S., 2017); exemplary figures in this revolution consist of names such as ‘Sparerib’ and ‘Galdem’ (Figure 2 and 3), (Deighton, K., 2018). However, the concern for the financial longevity for independent publishing still exists, as their ‘short life spans’ may indicate ‘an industry without a financially viable future’ (Deighton, K., 2018). Mirroring this fear, within Print is Dead Long Live Print (2015), Rob Orchard of Delayed Gratification labels constraints that ‘the sums just don’t add up’ within printed zine publishing. 

However, with recent developments in technology, could it be possible to create a hybrid to settle the fight for relevance between digital and printed matter? To investigate this avenue, Dazed co-founder, Jefferson Hack decided to create the first LED screen magazine with a moving image for its cover; Hack warranted the experiment to ‘bring technology to print’. This revolutionary design sparked the ‘debate for whether there could be a market for digital hybrids’ (Garrahan, M., 2015), but there are limitations with the mass appeal for hybrid products; the initial product was deemed ‘a very high end piece of hardware’, and ‘not suitable’ for mass consumption (Hack, J., 2015).  

In an abundance of ways, it would seem undeniable that the world of printed matter and editorial design is rapidly evolving in the face of digital media; with a copious amount of titles such as the likes of The Guardian and The Independent abandoning a once beloved platform in efforts to stay relevant amidst growing digital outlets (BBC, 2016). With a drought in advertising revenue for tangible matter, the extinction of print seems inevitable due to the efficiency of digital data collection and ‘cookies’; arguably it appears that the readership of printed publications is declining, as consumers now demand information at both a faster rate and larger quantities (Jamieson, R. and Currell, A, 2015). However, polar to this, the internet has in fact contributed to a growing popularity of independent zines in a surge of rebellion against the pollution of digital media; in recent years, printed media has reclaimed the reputation of an intimate and quality product that cuts through the somewhat inhuman nature of the internet realm (Mujukian, S., 2017). Resultantly, the world of printed matter refuses to ‘die’ at the feet of digital media; it is a platform that in unremarkable ways, still exists as a personal and cherished product, rejuvenating itself within the online world. ‘This is not a continuation, but a rebirth’ (Jamieson, R. and Currell, A, 2015). 

Bibliography

Jamieson, R. and Currell, A. (2015). Print is dead, long live print. pp.7-8.

Lisk, J. (2019). Print Is Not Dead. [online] Mediaplanet 3. Available at: https://www.mediaplanet.com/at/blog/insights/print-is-not-dead [Accessed 30 Dec. 2019].

Deighton, K. (2018). Print Is Not Dead: The Beauty Of Independent Magazine Publishing. [online] Youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5APn8aLyi_E [Accessed 30 Dec. 2019].

Hansen, J. (2017). Zines Are Having a Moment. [online] Huffpost.com. Available at: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/zines-are-having-a-moment_b_59bbde47e4b06b71800c3873?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFeYsSpPNiGOexRmUZW4PH-xLp2o7BxLi1z1zuakCFwVizzqad3LifwnvHywUlx49iu6SNiqunziNNMXmarn2dyn8p_DE6w4aYAqF1CGKIZHshO58a1-cmvfhYmJ2khfEOVVaf14-dZ50r32l9A8u339zJzi2nLaYPfyLXC6W4AO [Accessed 30 Dec. 2019].

Pilkington, M. (2013). How Book Covers Have to Evolve in the Digital Age. [online] Good e-Reader. Available at: https://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/how-book-covers-have-to-evolve-in-the-digital-age [Accessed 30 Dec. 2019].

Garrahan, M. (2015). The future for print publishing. [online] Youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sH0AjwnYtI [Accessed 30 Dec. 2019].

Wiesenberger, R. (2015). RICHARD TURLEY: A Lazy Modernist in Corporate America. [online] 032c.com. Available at: https://032c.com/richard-turley-a-lazy-modernist-in-corporate-america/ [Accessed 30 Dec. 2019].

Duenes, S. (2008). Talk to the Newsroom: Graphics Director Steven Duenes. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/business/media/25asktheeditors.html?adxnnl=1&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1379934076-/bQ312l69KqzEYQ2Py0wmA [Accessed 30 Dec. 2019].

Wortham, J. (2017). Why the Internet Didn’t Kill Zines. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/28/magazine/why-the-internet-didnt-kill-zines.html [Accessed 30 Dec. 2019].

BBC News. (2016). Independent to cease as print edition. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35561145 [Accessed 30 Dec. 2019].

Essay 1

What is Publishing and Editorial Design?

Publishing, from a broad perspective, is defined as the means of ‘making information available to the public’ (The National Archives). Information is spread to meet the demands of consumers, in an array of formats such as books, newspapers, magazines, ebooks and online articles. These can be distinguished into two categories - periodical and non-periodical; periodical being regularly printed matter such as newspapers (Unwin, Tucker and Unwin, 2019). The physical process of printing has transformed hugely, from its origins within the Ancient Sumerians, the invention of the printing press, to the revolutionary digitised publications of our current day and age. In the parameters of Graphic Design, editorial design is the process of aligning a publications’ content to the interest of readers; Magazine Design (1999) considers that the editors’ job is to ultimately ‘decide what is and what is not of interest to readers’ (Young and Foges, 1999). Akin to this, editorial design is observed as shaping ‘new design vocabularies’, noted by critic Teal Triggs.

At the forefront of the renaissance, the invention of the printing press by German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg during the mid 15th century was a significant turning-point in the journey towards mass printed matter; prior to its invention in Medieval Europe, publications were hand-written by scribes, an art known as ‘incunabula’ (Unwin, Tucker and Unwin, 2019). Within Stephen Fry : The Machine   That Made Us (2008), the history of the printing press is explored through the analysis of the Gutenberg Bible (Figure1) and its impact. It is argued that Gutenberg kick-started the mass production of texts within Europe by introducing whole new approaches to printing, and this success was aided by the Churches support as it favoured new Christian unity. Despite this, it is considered that the first movable type in fact originates in 11th century China; a process known as ‘block printing’ (Figure 2), used centuries before Western developments in printing (britannica, 2019).

Notwithstanding, through the Bible’s mass production, Stephen Fry highlights the knock-on effect on literacy in 15th century Europe; preliminary to its invention, books were exclusive to limited higher classes, whereas following the Gutenberg Bible, books became available to lower and middle classes, thus increasing literacy within Europe. 

However, publications in Europe during this period were censored massively by the Church; written matter was censored before the invention of the printing press, especially within universities during the late Middle Ages. Censorship was later enforced within the decree in 1543 that ‘no book might be printed or sold without permission from the church’ (Unwin, Tucker and Unwin, 2019). In spite of this, it is considered that books are the most lasting non-periodical genres of publications, due to their role as a ‘storehouse’ for national heritage and culture (Britannica, 2019).

On the contrary, Newspapers are widely recognised as the most mass produced periodical forms of publications; published regularly, functioning to inform people on current happenings. (Benjamin Sawe, 2017) navigates how early newspapers came into circulation swiftly after the introduction of the printing press, and were often sensational, propagandist or heavily censored by governments. The first newspaper ‘Relation’ (Figure 3), a German newspaper published by Johann Carolus (1609), was printed in blackletter type and featured a header hierarchy that exists as a function of newspapers today (Worldatlas.com, 2017). 

(Unwin, Tucker and Unwin, 2019) elaborate on the evolution of newspaper production subsequent to technological developments of the Industrial Revolution in the West (1760-1840). Steam driven double presses (Figure 4) were introduced into the publishing industry; in 1814, this method was adopted by The Times in London, which increased newspaper production to 5,000 copies per hour. This later evolved into automatic typesetting on the linotype machine invented by Ottmar Mergenthaler 70 years later. Consequently, more economically viable methods alongside cheaper wood pulp paper made newspapers more suitable for mass consumption, which further improved literacy within Europe and America. Progressing over a century later, the use of metal type came to an end in the wake of computerised printing, introducing an early method of what we use today; within the documentary (Farewell, Etaoin Shrdlu, D. Weiss, 1980), The New York Times’ last use of metal type in 1978 is depicted, showing the shift from a workforce in linotype operation, to a workforce in offices (Figure 5).

Magazines, initially ‘periodicals of amusement’, also came into circulation not long after the invention of the printing press; surveyed by (Unwin, Tucker and Unwin, 2019), early magazines contained philosophical, political and literary discussions, which were strongly targeted to an upper class audience. Benjamin Sawe discusses this exclusivity in the premise of the first weekly magazine published in France and founded by Theophraste Renaudot in 1631; formerly known as Gazette De France (Figure 6), the magazine was noted as ‘the mouthpiece for the legitimists who were a royalist faction’. Amidst the mid 18th century, magazines began to target specific consumer groups, shaping into the functionality of what magazines are today. Akin to this, Magazine Design (1999) touches upon the idea of the word magazine originating from the Arabic ‘storehouse’; magazines are primarily a collection of diverse elements curated into a functional whole that targets specific consumer interests. (Young and Foges, 1999).

(The Newsstand, 2016) explores subcultures of magazine production, and individuals behind counter-culture zines; following the invention of the printing press, pamphlets and zines have obtained the role of representing marginalised voices and political opinions. During 1960’s totalitarian South America and Eastern Europe, AA Bronson navigates how artists utilised pamphlet/zine formats to communicate ideas which were otherwise deemed illegal or dangerous. Platforms for independent voices later became popularised with the outburst of punk self-publishing circa 1977, mostly consisting of vinyl and zines (Figure 7). Bronson touches on how this inspired minorities to speak out during the 80’s, in a new generation of ‘queer zines’ such as ‘J.D.s’ (Figure 8); a queer punk zine from Toronto co-published by Bruce LaBruce and G.B Jones which allowed ‘aesthetically, sexually and geographically marginalised voices to be heard’ (Bronson A. 2016).

Throughout the evolution of printed matter, editorial design has played a massive role regarding its impact on stylistic developments in design, conversed within (Magazine Design, 1999); Critic Teal Triggs recognises magazines as ‘laboratories of experiment’. A defining moment within editorial design is highlighted as the revolutionary Modernist design in post-war magazines; a prime example discussed is ‘Twen Magazine’, published in 1960’s Germany and edited by Willy Flekhaus (Figure 9). An article on the legacy of Twen (magazinedesigning.com, 2013), discusses how the publication encapsulated attitudes of their post-war youth audience with graphic sans serifs, rigid grid layouts and images considered ‘erotic’. This Modernist approach shaped todays’ editorial design; Flekhaus’ techniques of hanging text to create rigid footers is seen in contemporary magazines.   

On the other hand, 90’s Postmodern design explored in an interview with David Carson (Adam Butler, 2014) sheds light on how editorial design can serve as a platform for emotional connections with audiences. Carsons’ ‘Ray Gun’ magazine (Figure 10) was recognised for its’ postmodern attentiveness to following no grids, formula or format; describing his work as ‘experimental, intuitive and personal’. This personal aspect is what defines a key function of editorial design, hence Carson wanting his work to ‘connect with people on an emotional level’ which he feels is ‘most effective and lasting’. (designbloom.com, 2014)

In the era of the internet, many local UK newspapers closed printing entirely; a report by Tim Adams (Theguardian, 2019) discusses how ‘from 2005 to the end of 2018, there was a net loss of 245 local news titles’. However, this has not been the case for some; according to (theguardian, 2018) the news title planned to create a coexistence with their tabloid print format, alongside a digital redesign. It may be argued that the internet is an exciting time for publications due to an evolution in the ease of creation. (Magazine Design, 1999) navigates how ‘technology has made magazine production a geographically flexible business’, as with desktop publishing, anyone can create a publication. Despite this fact, the book argues that although publication design is more accessible, a successful magazine still requires specialists for each component, identifying that creativity and skill sets are still needed in the era of the internet.

Bibliography 

Young, X. and Foges, C. (1999). Magazine design. Crans-Près-Céligny: Rotovision., pp.06-15

Bronson, A., Saveri, L., Miller, K. and Wawrzyniak, M. (2016). The newsstand. New York: Skira Rizzoli Publications, Inc., pp.49-50.

The National Archives. (2019). What is publishing? - The National Archives. [online] Available at: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/producing-official-publications/publishing-guidance/publishing. 

Unwin, G., Tucker, D. and Unwin, P. (2019). history of publishing | Forms, Development, & Facts. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/publishing.  

Sawe, B. (2017). The Oldest Newspapers Published In Europe. [online] WorldAtlas. Available at: https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-oldest-newspapers-published-in-europe.html.

Nikola (2013). Twen – The Most Influential Magazine of All Times?. [online] Magazine Designing. Available at: http://www.magazinedesigning.com/twen-the-most-influential-magazine-of-all-times.

Butler, A. and Carson, D. (2014). interview with graphic designer david carson. [online] designboom | architecture & design magazine. Available at: https://www.designboom.com/design/interview-with-graphic-designer-david-carson-09-22-2013. 

office, G. (2018). Guardian and Observer launch new tabloid format and digital redesign. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/gnm-press-office/2018/jan/14/guardian-and-observer-launch-new-tabloid-format-and-digital-redesign. 

Adams, T. (2019). Final editions: why no local news is bad news. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/sep/29/local-newspapers-closing-down-communities-withering. 

Stephen Fry : The Machine That Made Us. (2008). [video] Directed by P. McGrady. UK: BBC.

Farewell, Etaoin Shrdlu. (1980). [film] Directed by D. Weiss. New York.

Final physical outcome for CoP publication

Final zine outcome for Garfield minus Garfield

Today was focused on tweaking aspects of the final publication and curating all of the elements of the design. The final outcome is intended to be used as a 'monthly' publication for the blog, with two pages of comic strips, a poster design and a sticker sheet. 

Colour schemes- plastic wallets

I wanted to use a nice quality paper stock in order to relate to my essay in the sense that zines serve as a quality tangible product; I felt like plain white printer paper lacked a certain exclusivity, so I used coloured paper. This made the zine have a more coordinated colour palette, as I matched the colours to the ink; e.g. blue, pink and green. As well as this, I matched the colour with plastic wallets which contributed to consistency. 

Adding stickers

I added the stickers into the plastic wallets and experimented with how the audiences could interact with the posterzine. I thought it would be fun to add stickers onto the plastic wallet which complimented the final publication. 

Pasting up the posters

I also tested the poster elements of the design by pasting them up; I like how the colours compliment one another and the audience has a freedom to chose the layout of the poster.