An appetite for success in Russia

A-Design INK was a Gold Winner at the 2018 FESPA Awards in the special effects garments category.

Sergey Buzanov, technical application specialist, took inspiration from Hollywood’s Hunger Games franchise and used MagnaPrint water-based inks and pigments to produce this special effects project. 

Tell us about yourself, and the company…
I have been working for A-Design INK as a technical application specialist for six years. The company is a distributor of MagnaColours, Rutland, Ulano and Saati products in Russia. We have our own training centre for newcomers or experienced students, and we also host a testing site for technologists to test screen printing products from our suppliers.

What were you attempting to achieve with the work?
The Hunger Games work was not a commercial project, but one attempting to develop printing technology. I did it by foaming bases with the high-dimensional 120.34cm mesh and high lineatures – 90 lpi.

What were the key challenges involved in the project?
There were no difficulties during printing, as the MagnaColours inks are quite stable on stencils, which allow printing on hand-held machines.

How long did the work take?
The full cycle of work took two days, including the preparation of stencils and printing.

What was the reaction to the work?
Our customers were completely satisfied with the result – as were we. Those who received the printed samples as a gift were particularly pleased.

What is the future of special effects garments?
Special effects are becoming increasingly popular all over the world as an additional method of emphasising the individuality of the product and the uniqueness of the design. But many printers still tend to avoid using water bases and special effects.

In my work, I try to combine the simplicity of execution and the visual effect, which captures the interest of our customers and the desire to repeat something similar. I also try to apply non-standard solutions in the printing process to achieve a positive final result.

How has the award changed things for you?
Participation in the competition and the Gold award has given us an additional incentive to experiment in future projects.

What projects are forthcoming?
Now that’s a secret, but it’s sure to be interesting.

To enter the 2019 FESPA Awards, click here