This stock is called Mountain Lokta Paper. It is a 30gsm stock that is a handmade paper from the inner bark or bast fibre of Lokta. Lokta is a sustainable and renewable resource. Plants are cropped above ground level and can be re-harvested after 3-4 years. The papers are made using the traditional Nepalese floating mould method in which the pulp is poured onto the paper frame. The paper is sun dried on the frame. From this description, the handmade characteristic of the papers production process is unsuitable for the commercial scale of banknote printing. However due of the nature of the exhibition, this should not matter. What is important is to convey the idea that the note is made from recycled paper. However from the description above, there is no indication that the stock is made from recycled paper. When one thinks of recycled paper, it is often a typical image of brown, unbleached paper that shows visible signs of its blemishes. This stock has all those characteristics from the visible fibres to the occasional ingrained fleck. Therfore despite it not being actually recycled, this stock represents the visual idea to explicitly communicate to the viewer that the future banknote is made from recycled paper.The thinness of the stock as well will have an impact on the notes design. When held up to light, the paper becomes slightly translucent. This means that the inks printed on one side have the possibility of being able to be seen through the other side. This could make for an interesting banknote design as the translucency could allow for one overall design to be split up on two sides, and only when held up to light do they converge to the full image.
Following on from this handmade characteristic, this stock is called Himalayan Washi Mitsumat. This 60gsm paper definitely feels more robust compared to the 30gsm Mountain Lokta. This Japanese style Himalayan paper is also made from lokta or mitsumata bark fibers and is a renewable resource from native plants. With this stock, the explicitness of the recycled theme is less due to the smoother texture and visual appearence of the grain. What this stock offers is a more flexible choice in the final colours used in the print. Because of its more neutral colour, the colour reproduction will be more accurate and be less affected by the colour of the stock. This effect can be desirable however which may create a more interesting visual style.
Paper Back are a company that specialise in offering recycled stock to customers. For this brief, I chose to take some samples that hopefully communicate this idea effectively to the viewer. As such, the stocks chosen are those more of earthy tones and different shades, following that idea that the notes will be distinguishable not from the colour of the ink used but the shade of the paper. Unlike the texture and feel of the handmade paper, these recycled stocks are smooth and have a uniform gradient. Without any prior explanation, these papers do not convey the stereotypical look of recycled paper. On one hand this may not be desired as the aim of the design is to make the viewer of note's efforts made to save the environment, however on the other hand, these stocks could represent the capability of recycled paper being a desired medium to use. The determining factor for this argument is to see how well the inks will be reproduced on each stock.
To further communicate the idea of the banknote being environmentally conscious, the size of the note should also be considered. A smaller note would represent the idea that the size saves on the amount of paper used for production. Mock ups were made of the possible sizes for the note.
10 x 5 cm
10 x 6 cm
11 x 5 cm
11 x 6 cm
12 x 5.5 cm
12 x 6 cm
To choose which dimension worked best, feedback was given based on their ergonomic quality and how much space the dimensions offer for design. The notes done in 5-5.5cm were too narrow and too small for the average user. The smaller the note, the more it will compromise on the visual design. The 6 cm width is a better option as it offers more space for the design but yet still retains that compact form. For length, both 10 and 11 cm are feasible for the final size of the note. 11cm offers more length which resembles more of a typical banknote form the public is familiar with. 10cm has a boxier shape that could also work because of the width it still offers for the design. However as a whole the general consensus was that 11cm was the preferred length of the note.
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