Rose by Another Name?

They say that a rose by any other name is still a rose. In that case, what makes a blog a blog?

I ask because if you follow this blog regularly you have no doubt noticed the diminished frequency of new blog posts.

Lowering frequency can be slow death in the blog world... like the withering of a flower. 'The bloom is off the rose', is another popular saying.

Immediacy and relevance are the two most important features and functions of blogs. Some blogs are daily affairs, somewhat like newspaper columns. Other blogs are like encyclopedias or catalogues, where you can look up instant answers about relevant issues.

Instant answers are all they want now, eh? There's no more reading for the sheer pleasure of luxuriating in new thoughts and enjoyable language. Who's got time anymore? The wolf is at the door, or so they would have you believe. But in my ranting I digress...

I watch Pam Swanson teach herself enormously complex software programs without ever touching a book. The complete and total change of the learning paradigm amazes me. If she ever has a question, the answer is on-line at the touch of a button, often in the form of a video.

This blog (and my book) are never going to be for instant answers. That much has become clear to me. In the beginning I tried. However, when things get busy around here I find myself in the same conundrum faced by Saab® automobile back in the late 1970's.

As explained to me by Lars Einar, their former Marketing Director,
the original mission of Saab automobile was to be a car for the people, like the German Volkswagen®.or, 'People's Wagon'. But they couldn't make enough cars in their small factory to make enough money.

It was Lars Einar who figured out that the only way to get more was to give more. That was when the Saab concept changed from the VW paradigm to the luxury car model, competing with the likes of Mercedes, Audi and BMW.

That's exactly where things are at here on Vashon Island. We have a little factory and like the Trolls can only produce so much. That is why it is so important that every piece be printed perfectly, and fairly priced. We check the Internet and try to beat those low prices even though our jobs are produced 'fully loaded' ...options at other printing shops are standard at Vashon Island Imaging. Heck, I print my own stuff there ...(!)

Curiously, Saab never lost money again after that until General Motors took over. Then Lars and a whole bunch of other good people left or were fired... including yours truly.

I learned a lot of important lessons from Lars Einar and following his example I am retooling this blog and upgrading it to a luxury model. Frequency may decrease but quality will certainly increase. Coverage will be more detailed and complete. The new orientation will be a problem-solution approach in case history format. Kind of like a 'day-in-the-life' of a giclée guy.

That change has already happened, if you hadn't already noticed. Things will continue to improve too.

With the talented help of Pamela Swanson (www.poetpam.com) this blog and the Websites belonging to Douglas Mesney Art are being remodeled. Please bear with us during this process and let us know of any problems (thanks!).

Pixel Perfect Printing

The purpose of this blog (or whatever you call it) remains the same, pixel perfect printing. However, neither the blog nor my book, Giclée Prepress - The Art of Giclée (www.gicleeprepress.com), should be considered textbooks or encyclopedias.

My writing are intended to be more like the sharing of tales and tips at a scuttlebutt between mates. The kind of things people talk about or read on long train rides. Like the train itself, the stories may ramble in odd directions at times but there's always a moral to each story at the end of the line, and hopefully getting to it is an enjoyable read.

If there are two things I have learned in my many years it is these:

1.) The path to a solution is seldom a straight line.
2.) The sum is greater than the whole of its parts

OK, so maybe this isn't a blog. However, a rose by any other name is still a rose.

Is there something you'd like to know more about? Let me know (douglas@gicleeprepress.com) Subjects for the blog are selected from the requests of readers and our clients at Vashon Island Imaging (www.vashonislandimaging.com).

Thanks for following Giclée Prepress - The Art of Giclée.