Creating Badges from Existing Illustrations and Photos - 25.11.22
During the lesson, we had the chance of making our own merchandise using the badge press. First, a template was used so the badge sizes were all consistent with each other. The sizes needed to be the right diameter. If it was too small, the illustration/photo used will not cover the entire face of the badge and the backing used will show on the front face of the badge.
After this was done, the template was printed out and cut out using scissors as the tool used to cut perfectly around each badge was broken.
Then the badge press was used to create badges. The first step was to add the metal back into the press. To make sure that the correct side was used, the number 1 was marked on the press to ensure that it was the right side. After the metal backing was put on, the paper illustration/photo was then added. On top of this, we could have left it was just teh paper (to make it have a matt look to it) or used a plastic top so that it would not scratch off easily. I decided to use the plastic as this would make the badges last longer.
After this was done, the metal holder was then put into the badge press. The press had to be turned to the number 1, as this would be the first step into the manufacturing process of creating badges. Press the lever down to press everything together.
Now that the badge was in the press, the other side of the metal holder was used. This was so that a pin can be pressed into the badge itself. After turning the press to number 2 and then pressing it together, the badge should come out of the press looking like a badge.
As you can see, I added the dead dog illustration to the template just to experiment with the idea of making merchandise for the book. I felt like this would be a good illustration to put onto badges as it was a very simple, but still looked good illustration.
I was surprised when I let my classmates have a look at the badges that I made and they thought that the illustrations (alongside the shy guy illustration) were really good. But they particularly liked the dead dog illustration as a badge, which I decided to create more using the same template used.