Final Outcome, Crit and Evaluation

The final outcome was printed on thick cartridge paper, this allowed the book, when binded through Coptic stich to maintain its strong structure. When experimenting with thinner card, when using the Coptic stitch, the waxed thread repeatedly enlarged and tore the holes of the card ruining the binding process and the work itself. The roughness of the card that was selected added a more authentic and aged feel to the final outcome. The zine will be placed inside of clear VHS box to reinforce the memories still inside of our old VHS cassettes. 

The main colours chosen were a range of flamingo and cameo pinks (mainly pantone 196 U), black and greys, inspired from the zine found through research (on research page). The faded yet friendly hues of pink create a dated and worn out feel to the final outcome, successfully connoting the old fashioned technology of VHS. By using just shades of black and pink, with white for negative space, the overall look is inviting, and friendly. 

Overall the final outcome proved very successful. Through discussion during the final crit, peers complimented the final outcome, and how the overall concept was strong by encapsulating the video stills into a zine in such a sentimental and authentic way. The idea of having what was said on the tracing paper and with a typewriter was said to have deepened that form of authenticity. Through critiques, establishing the appropriate use of text was extremely helpful and moulded that aspect of the design, the rest of the design outcome was accepted from the beginning, making it difficult to identify if the outcome could have been pushed even further. The use of thick card proved successful, as no tears in the card were created when binding the pages. 

The thread used to bind the book was black waxed thread, this helped decreased the chance of knotting in the thread when binding and create a firm tight stitch. However, the wax on the thread created noticeable black marks (bottom centre image) when binded together due to it rubbing against the card when being sewn. A way in which the final outcome could be improved, is by slowing down the process of binding, this would decrease the friction against the thread and card; resulting in less markings. Another problem that was faced using the black wax thread was its inconsistency in thickness, then using a large string of the thread, it started to fray and untangle creating uneven widths, which are shown in the inconsistent size of thread in the Coptic stitch show above.

Although the Coptic Stitch proved tricky being the first time experimenting with this process, the outcome left the pages tightly and securely binded together. Along with the decorative spine (which can be seen through the clear case), the use of Coptic stitch transformed the zine into an interactive sculpture, creating the stills from the VHS into a rotating picture frame.