After seeing numerous articles discussing whether or not print is a dying market and having found it difficult to recruit people with print experience RMC Digital Print decided to try and encourage young people to move into the print industry. What better way of doing this than to give them a really positive experience of the industry while they are children?
We teamed up with Hull Children’s University and St Stephen’s Shopping Centre to offer local children the opportunity to have their Christmas themed artwork displayed in the centre and to win a £50 prize as well as a few prints to take home and display in their school. Eve Clark at Hull Children’s University was instrumental in setting up the competition and getting children involved.
Once the deadline passed we set up a crack team judging panel of Nicole Spencer of RMC Digital Print, Eve Clark of Hull Children’s University and special guest Stuart Weir of 3M Graphics. After a gruelling afternoon of judging the entries we settled on our winners; Libby Laycock – Thanet Primary (under 6 category); Isobel Daubney – Victoria Dock Primary, (6 – 8 years category) and Lauren Wheelwright – St. Nicholas Primary School, (8 – 11 years category).
The winners were all invited with their parents to see their prints being produced. The children watched in awe as the 3M Clearview Vinyl went through RMC’s Vutek GS5000r printer and laid down three layers of ink in order to create a double sided print. We used a middle layer of white ink with the graphic either side for most of the print to create depth of colour but left some areas as a single layer of ink to create more of a stained glass window effect. Other areas were made clear so that both the vinyl and glass were transparent.
After the installation had taken place the children excitedly gathered to see their prints on display and be presented with their prizes. They stood by their artwork as proud parents took photos and chatted with one another about the project. All of the children that won the competition said they really enjoyed their visit to the factory and who knows we may make printers or graphic designers out of them yet…
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