Traces of Separation

/ Print Making and Book Design

A book containing a series of prints, looking at traces of social distancing floor signs and how the perception of them has changed during the pandemic.

This book is a slight continuation from my website concept I created a year earlier (Discovering the Joy of 2020). Where I used imagery to depict moments during the Pandemic. This time round I wanted to highlight a different type of imagery: social distancing signs. Exploring how they have been left to become apart of our landscape. I also want emphasise the beauty of these signs by using practical printing methods. 

/ Secondary Research 

My main body of secondary research came from my university dissertation (Picturing Crisis). Where I looked at the imagery that has appeared during the Pandemic.

/ Primary Research 

From November 2021 to March 2022. I took photos of floor signs and their sorroundings. To be used as imagery for the practical printing methods.

What was most interesting from taking these photos was that I able to see the signs disappearing even more, and it got harder to find them as restrictions changed. 

I looked at many different methods on how I could represent these signs, but I knew I wanted to move them away from the literal photos into something more abstract.  

/ Screen Printing 

My first method I decided on was screen printing mainly becuase I had many options to create the signs in different ways. Such as foiling (right). 

/ Letter Press

The next method I used was letter press. To help evoke society’s changing idea of ‘respecting social distancing’. I used the print method to help communicate this, by printing again and again with only one use of ink, meant that the words slowly dissapeared. 

/ Wood-cut Print

Wood-cut printing method was used at the start of the concertina fold time line. I used a laser cut stencil to create these prints. The main reason why I chose this as I final method is the texture it creates from printing.  

/ Embossing

Embossing  was used to show the sign has now dissappeared. This is at the end of the concertina fold helping to conclude the time line of a sign.