Wednesday 31 March 2010

Fenner Paper stars in the movies!

Well I guess it was inevitable that the qualities of Fenner Papers would one day be recognised by the film making industry and on Friday our paper was released onto the Big Screen.

Yes, sheets of our very own Redeem 100% Recycled star in Nanny McPhee and The Big Bang, written by and starring Emma Thompson. If you hadn't guessed, it's the big kids film for the Easter holidays!
We were contacted by the design and production person working on the film at Shepperton Studios about a paper that looked old and the sort of colour that paper might have looked like back in the 1940's. 

Now I'm not sure whether the paper is actually seen in the film or whether the scene was edited and has ended  up on the cutting room floor but here at Fenner Paper Towers, we are hoping it is in and hoping for a "Best inanimate object" Oscar nomination - Hollywood here we come!
Posted by Justin Hobson

Monday 29 March 2010

Gerald Laing Graphics

This is a lovely exhibition catalogue designed and produced by Jalloro for London art gallery, Morton Metropolis.

The catalogue shows the work of artist Gerald Laing, for the exhibition of his graphic work from the last forty years, including some amazing screenprints from the 1960's

The job has an 8pp cover on our 100% recycled Colorset Bright Red 270gsm with a 116pp text on Starfine Natural White 150gsm with many throw outs which are required to show the scale of the work. The size of the catalogue is 190x210mm (portrait) and the spine is around 10mm. The Starfine Natural White was chosen (because it prints well ...but that's a given!) mainly because of the neutral white shade which is not cream. Given the nature of the work, a stark bright white paper would not have worked with variety of prints, especially some of the more muted colours.
Design is by Jalloro, who are based in London and the Creative Director on this project was James Robinson.

You can download the pdf version of the catalogue, here:
http://www.mortonmetropolis.com/media/uploads/Gerald_Laing_Catalogue_8_-_lo-res.pdf

Print production is by Footprint Innovations based in Tunbridge Wells and the project was handled by Stuart Hillcock. It is a really beuatifully produced catalogue.
http://www.mortonmetropolis.com/
http://www.jalloro.com/
http://www.fpiltd.com/
Posted by Justin Hobson

Friday 26 March 2010

Mikey Ayling at Portsmouth Uni

This is a project produced on our new weight (60gsm) in Redeem 100% Recycled by Mikey Ayling, a Communication Design student at Portsmouth University for an ISTD project highlighting the plight of the planet regarding global warming.

The brief he gave me was as follows "My project is a typographic project, and uses a large amount of white space in which to hold my text blocks, hence the amount of stock needed, each A3 is French/Chinese folded and contains a print within the fold which gives the opposite meaning or the reality if you will of the planet's CO2 crisis. Basically a dirty looking mess."
It is A4 in size and makes up as a 48pp concertina with waste pieces of 750micron greyboard being used as the front and back cover.

I do try and help students if and when I can and as you can see from the results, this one certainly made it worth the time (and he wrote to say thanks as well). He has submitted it to the ISTD together with his rationale which I have also read - so good luck Mikey.
mikee73@hotmail.co.uk
http://www.istd.org.uk/
Posted by Justin Hobson

Tuesday 23 March 2010

New Website for Applied Works

Now I know my blog is mostly about papery things (and usually Fenner Papers in particular!) but Applied Works (...who hardly ever use paper) have just launched their new website and its worth a look.

In particular, check out the National Trust Intranet, the TFL work and Giles Revell's new site
Posted by Justin Hobson

Monday 22 March 2010

Ink on paper for Eye magazine at Beacon Press

Eye magazine has taken a trip to their printers which is Beacon Press and there's an interesting post on the Eye blogsite with pictures of the job at the factory.  www.blog.eyemagazine.com/?p=495#more-495
Unfortunately the mag is not printed on our paper (I think it's on Arctic) but it's still a good magazine!
Posted by Justin Hobson

Friday 19 March 2010

Spring is here with COLORSET

Spring has finally arrived!
Below is the installation for fashion label GHOST which was produced for London Fashion Week. A host of Origami lillies were made using Colorset (100% Recycled) 120gsm.
Origami by Chirag Patel at Ghost and thanks to Chirag for taking the time to send me the pics.
http://www.ghost.co.uk/
Posted by Justin Hobson

Wednesday 17 March 2010

Selected Works

This is a new brochure for design company Campbell Hay which shows some of their selected works.

The cover is particularly interesting as it makes a clever and unusual use of a one sided paper. It uses Astralux 1 sided (cast coated) paper in 115gsm. As you may be able to see from the picture the top strip is whiter and this is because the cover (which is saddle stitched) is longer than the text. The cover is stitched on with the uncoated side on the outside but because it is longer, it then folds up from the bottom with the glossy side showing on the outside. This provides a really nice contrast between tactile and smooth on the cover.

The size of the brochure is 165x240mm and has a 32pp text, saddle stitched. The text is on Omnia 120gsm which has reproduced the wide variety of their work fantastically. It is written in English and French.

Art Direction was by partners Elly Cambell and Charlie Hay. Designer on the project was Jonathan Baron.
These are only a couple of the spreads but it gives you an idea of the quality and diversity of the work this studio produces . From packaging, to identity and literature and even luxury muffin boxes (see above pic)!

The excellent print and finishing is by Generation Press.

Designer, Jonathan Baron has recently left Campbell Hay to work on his own projects ...so good luck and best wishes to you Jonathan mailto:jonathan@studio-baron.com.

Posted by Justin Hobson

Tuesday 16 March 2010

I'm backing the Pub - write to your MP

This post is about two subjects that I know loads of graphic designers are passionate about - BEER and PUBS!

The Chancellor will be introducing his next Budget in the coming weeks and with it the threat of even higher taxes on beer which in turn is threatening a large number of pubs and bars. People in the drinks industry are campaigning to try to get this Government to see sense and to persuade them to stop piling punitive tax increases and unnecessary regulation on pubs.

“I’m Backing the Pub” now has over 100,000 supporters and you can make a difference by sending an email to your local MP asking them to back the campaign.

It's easy. Link to http://www.backthepub.com/ and click on the “Petition Your MP” box.

Just think about how many projects you've worked on where the best ideas have come together "down the pub" and what about those of you who use the saloon bar as the extra meeting room? don't delay ...do it now!
Posted by Justin Hobson

Monday 15 March 2010

Nick Turpin - Publication #1

Here is the latest project from photographer Nick Turpin. This new series called "Publication" is a biannual periodical produced by street photographers for street photographers. Whereas this was a very small market a few years ago, the advancements in technology and low cost digital cameras have made street photography ever more accessible and an internationally recognised art form. 

This debut issue is titled Inspiration deliver a showcase of work from leading street photographers together with interesting articles which reflect on the historical perspective of street photography. 
The size is 178x230mm. It is printed on Redeem 100% Recycled 240gsm cover and 130gsm text.
Design is by Eng Su and Pali Palavathanan
Published by Nick Turpin. Project management and production by Sarah Ewing. Print is by Push

Each copy of Publication comes in a box with a set of twenty prints from contemporary street photographers (see pic on left) You can order your very own copy of Publication at http://www.in-publication.com/

...and thank you to Eng for the beautifully made origami note
Posted by Justin Hobson

Thursday 11 March 2010

Flockage Invitation

This is another example where the well considered use of material has made a massive difference to the end project. Produced on our Flockage Colours, in Bright Red 400gsm. It's from Christmas but I've only just received a couple of file copies.

The invitation is for a party for the Howard De Walden Estate and the party had a theme of the American circus of the old west which was the inspiration for the design.

Design is by Mike Turner at Em-Project.
The invitations are A5 in size and foiled in one colour using gold metallic foil on the flock side and printed one colour litho in gold on the reverse side. Print and foiling by Identity.
This is another good example of a"cost effective" use of the material. Flockage is an expensive material, but because of the small quantity and the fact limited processes were being used with waste therefore being minimal - a luxury, high impact impression was achieved for relatively low cost.
http://www.em-project.com/
http://www.identityprint.co.uk/
Posted by Justin Hobson

Tuesday 9 March 2010

COS - New Optimism

This is a few months old now but I've only just got some file copies - It's a publication for COS and as I'm sure you can see from the images below, it is a beautiful piece. Art direction, photography and reproduction is superb.
It's a 68pp self cover. Size is A3 and it's printed on Marazion Ultra 90gsm. It is loose bound - no saddle stitches.
Art Direction, design and production is by Saturday. It just has a fantastic feel - it is difficult for me to say much more about it - just look at the images below, they speak for the job...






This is not just simply a look book, it is a magazine and editorially this issue encompasses Fashion, Film and Design.
The exceptional printing (four colour black and whites are fantastic) is by Push.
http://www.push-print.com/
Posted by Justin Hobson

Monday 8 March 2010

Historic Royal Palaces #2

This is the second edition of the publication for internal communication at the Historic Royal Palaces. It follows the same "newspaper" format of 430x280mm. This issue is only 8pp, loose bound and is concertina'd into thirds.
The excellent illustration work is by David Foldvari (http://www.davidfoldvari.co.uk/)

It is printed on our Redeem 100% Recycled 130gsm. Although this publication is a small run of less than 1000 and produced entirely for internal distribution, it is an excellent example of a well designed piece of internal communication.

Design is by Steve Burgess
Print is by BKT Print management.
http://www.hrp.org.uk/
Posted by Justin Hobson

Friday 5 March 2010

Fundraiser Print Series No1

LANDFILL is an arts and music publisher based in London, founded winter 2009. They are publishing works for artists and much of the printed content is produced by their sister company callesd MANYMONO on their Riso RP 3105ep.

I was recommended to Hugh by Rob at Praline (thank you) and they tested some of our materials. Anyway they have tested some of our materials on the Riso machine (which is an unusual machine - it's not offset and it's not strictly digital - it's based on the old fashioned "duplicators" which use a waxed master. Anyway the printed effect is great and they have produced a series called "Fundraiser Print Series No1"!

Below are the three prints which Hugh has kindly sent me as a thank you.
Tommi Musturi (above)

Sister Arrow (above)
Jim Stoten (above)
The series are printed in two colour on the Riso machine on our Matrisse 200gsm which is an uncoated cover board with a distinctive "toothy" surface, a high bulk (270microns) and a high white shade.
Have a look at the artists on their site: http://www.landfilleditions.com/
Posted by Justin Hobson

Tuesday 2 March 2010

Whistles and Roksanda Ilincic

This is a really simple but effective look book for a Spring/Summer collection for fashion retailer Whistles.

The size is 127x180mm and the format is 14pp and is made up by a long concertina which concertinas into a "Roll Fold" which in effect forms the front and back cover. Because of the bulk of the material, a parallel crease forms a very effective 4mm "spine".

Printed on Omnia 320gsm.

Art Direction is by Partner+Partner. Art Director is Chris Simmonds. http://www.whistles.co.uk/
http://www.partnerandpartner.co.uk/
Posted by Justin Hobson

Monday 1 March 2010

Jobs from the Past - Number 6

Regular followers will know that my first post of every month is a "job from the past" so that I can show some of the really good work from years gone by and here's one from twelve years ago.
Marmalade - A book for photographer, Robin Broadbent

This job was instigated by the then newly formed design company Browns in 1998. The original founders, Graham Taylor, Jonathan Ellery and Mike Turner set up after leaving Addison and although much of their business was corporate publishing for annual reports, they had a desire to publish some of their own, more creative and artistic, projects and this was amongst the very first of these projects. This is a tradition which continues today (http://www.brownseditions.com/)

The subject is stark black and white compositions of shapes and substances photographed in England, Scotland, Malaysia and Italy by the contemporary photographer Robin Broadbent. There is no text, just a listing of locations.

It is a casebound book and the size is 215x155mm. The text is printed Tritone - Black and two greys, with one "tipped in" section which is a 4 colour surprise! It has a 68pp text printed on our Millennium Real Silk 150gsm which has been made to look super glossy with an extremely high gloss machine varnish (not a horrible UV varnish!) on the image areas. The end papers and cover paper is printed on Neptune Unique 120gsm. The publishing initiative was a project that all three partners worked on but the Creative Director on this project was Mike Turner.
and now for the four colour surprise ...marmalade!
The book is a "proper" book, published by Browns together with an International Standard Book Number (ISBN: 0953373002)

The printer on the project was The Pale Green Press and the job was handled by Managing Director, Ben Craze. Sadly (like many printers of the day) they went bankrupt but re-emerged (surprise!) as Special Blue but again went bankrupt again a few years later.

So where are they all now? Jonathan Ellery remains at Browns. Mike Turner left Browns and set up his own practice called Em-Project. Graham Taylor crossed the atlantic to establish a Browns studio in New York in 2003 and he is now Creative Director at The Protean Corporation in the US. The photographer Robin Broadbent has also moved stateside and now lives and works in New York.
http://www.brownsdesign.com/
http://www.robinbroadbent.com/
http://www.em-project.com/
http://www.theproteancorp.com/
Posted by Justin Hobson