Recently, I have been trying very hard to find print related work. I, personally, have studied Flash, After Effects, Dreamweaver and now WordPress to help me stay current and up to date. However, with the advent of the digital agency, do people like me stand a chance in competing against those who have spent years working on the web and are as comfortable there as I am dealing with print jobs?
I was speaking to one of my print suppliers today and he has seen a very rapid decline in print jobs. The government is relaxing it’s policy on printed annual reports, so design wise not too bad, but it spells doom for the printer.
With more and more stuff being emailed or posted on the web, how long do we have till the printing press becomes as archaic as the cassette tape? Well, to be honest, I personally don’t think that will happen. There will definately be a drop, but I don’t believe there will be a complete shut down of the print industry… anytime soon. You can’t compare the feeling of a well designed brochure, annual report or invitation printed on a nice paper stock finished with a simple laminate or nice textured spot uv.
The way forward is definately digital, but like how technology and traditional acting can co-exist to create something as groundbreaking as Avatar, I think that a harmonious balance will be found… soon enough.
