How creative work was produced in 1969
Advertising agencies in 1969 produced creative work in a very crude and manual way compared to today. Today you have multi-talented graphic designers operating a multi-faceted Applemac computer.
In 1969 Applemacs were not around. In the creative department would be visualisers (designers), art directors and copywriters, all overseen by a creative director.
In the art studio would be paste-up / finished artists, layout artists, typographers, lettering artists, illustrators, airbrush artists and in some studios, photographic retouch artists. Many of the skills mentioned are today carried out by one designer at a Mac. Visualisers and Art Directors would create designs on a layout pad using Magic Markers (Felt Tip Pens). They would start by creating thumbnail scribble ideas which would then be worked-up into finished visuals.
It took a very skilled talent to create an image using felt tip pens that emulated what the finished product would look like.
With the copywriter’s input, messaging would be added by hand, written in felt tip pen depicting the font style intended to be used.
The Creative Director would then make sure the creative visuals were ‘bang-on message’ before they were mounted, sometimes into a heavy presentation paper folder or onto board.
Every agency had their own house colour for the material used. The finish of the presentation visuals was of paramount importance and therefore immaculate, with the agency logo strategically placed as presentation was everything. The Creative Director would then present them together with an Account Handler or Account Director, to the client.
Putting together design proposals for a pitch, was sometimes an exciting affair for the creative and studio team. You could be working on the pitch late into the evening but would be rewarded by an Account Executive supplying you with beer and steak sandwiches. To get home, taxis would be provided free of charge.
Once design proposals were approved, a layout artist would produce a working layout for the studio guys using either felt tip pens or Rotring Ink Pens on layout paper or semi transparent typo paper. This is also the point where a Typographer would produce a working layout of the type to be used, by using similar materials as the layout artist. Typographers would use reference books of various type styles and sizes to work out how the type would fit the layout by using a type scale (Ruler).
The specified type layout, along with the typed up copy, would then go out to a Typesetting company for the type to be set. The typesetting would come back on paper set in the font size and style as specified by the typographer. In London, typesetting companies had to offer a 2 hour turn-around service to be competitive.
Deadlines were always an issue, therefore deadlines had to be met. Somethings never change!
This is the point where the black and white finished artwork would commence.
A paste-up artist would paste the typesetting onto CS10 Board in the position of the layout using Cow Gum.
Some artist would take great delight in entertaining other artist by blowing cigarette smoke into an opened tin of Cow Gum, which resulted in a huge bubble erupting, looking something like an atomic mushroom.
Later Cow Gum was replaced with Spray Mount. A toxic substance in an aerosol can which necessitated being used in a spray booth with an extractor fan.
Any line work for rules, boxes etc were immaculately drawn by the finished artist. Finish was paramount again with no ragged lines allowed. A scalpel could be used to clean up corners etc.
Display lettering for headings etc could be hand drawn by a lettering artist or could be outsourced to a headline typesetter. Headline setting was produced photographically as a black and white print called a Bromide. The printed setting was adjusted manually by a finished / lettering artist who would have an eye for layout.
Kerning is the word used today for letter spacing adjustment. Black and white lettering or illustrations had to be outsourced to a photographic studio to supply a black and white print to the size required for the finished artwork. A scaling disc would be used to work out the percentage reduction required. A few years later these photographic companies were made redundant because studios installed their own Agfa repro cameras and dark rooms, thereby producing their own photographic bromide prints.
The finished artwork board was completed with pasted-up typesetting, black line work drawn, headline photographic prints in position, picture boxes drawn with a trace position guide for the size and position of a picture. Taped over the board was semi-transparent paper, onto which would be specified in felt tip pen, which areas were in colour. Any colour tint areas had to be specified with a percentage tint, using a cmyk colour tint specifying book.
The board was covered in coloured cover paper which was affixed by a flap over onto the back and attached by masking tape. The flap had to be mitered at 45˚, any excess tape could be rolled into a ball and flicked with a ruler at an artist you wanted to annoy.
The completed artwork would then go to a Repro Company who would produce a proof of the artwork, followed by negative films of each of the 4 colours, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black from which printers plates would be made.
Today, artwork up to the point of going to print, can be produced by one person and without the need for cumbersome hard copy artwork. Artwork can be sent to print on disc or electronically on line.
1969 - Those were the days!
Article: Tony Eaton