New papers and new processes

Kestrel Press are a family owned printing company based in Irvine in Scotland which was founded over 40 years ago. However, unlike many established printers, this is a company that continues to innovate and explore new materials. Their work has appeared on this blog before here.

We have recently introduced two new materials which Kestrel Press have embraced as they realised their potential with the design community. The first product is our BlackGold which is our new range of intense black from Gruppo Cordenons.

Kestrel have produced some A4 folders using BlackGold 290gsm and they are printed using their "seeing is believing" strapline which they are applying to their promotions to demonstrate their innovations in digital printing.

The size of the 4pp folder is 300x215mm, portrait and is printed using clear digital print, which looks like a cross between varnish and clear foil blocking and works brilliantly on the BlackGold.

Click on images to enlarge

The inside of the folder is printed in white, again printed digitally and the result is really crisp and sharp. Both of these processes have been printed on their Ricoh digital press with the special attachments which make white and clear printing possible. Because these are processes which are produced in the normal pass through the press and not an "after" process, it means they are much more cost effective than traditional processes such as foil blocking or UV varnish.

The 4pp folder has a glued flap with a 140mm pocket and slits for a business card. The business cards are also printed on BlackGold but are triplexed with our Colorset Magenta 270gsm as the middle layer. 

Click on images to enlarge

The business cards are also clear printed on the reverse.

The second material used for experimentation is our new SIXTIES paper, which is 60gsm. These sheets are 320x450mm and is also surprisingly printed in white....

The white is printed on the front, but as you can see from the image below, even though it is printed white, you can still see the show through

This new SIXTIES is 60gsm and is a fine quality, similar to our Offenbach Bible in many ways but with one major difference - unlike a genuine bible paper which has a high opacity, this new paper has the same translucency as a tracing paper - but it feels like a normal paper! ...as I hope you can see from the picture below:

...and this further sheet which is printed in black (and a small amount of red) on both sides of sixties making an image out of type.

The results are truly superb and it is great when a printer takes the time and trouble to examine and experiment with new materials that they then show to their customers.

My thanks to Graeme Ferguson at Kestrel for sending me these samples and for taking the time to experiment with their new processes on these new materials.

http://www.kestrelpress.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 27.03.2018

National Poetry Day 2017

Today is National Poetry Day! The annual celebration that inspires people throughout the UK to enjoy, discover and share poems.

National Poetry Day was founded in 1994 by the charity Forward Arts Foundation and today it enjoys the support of the BBC, Arts Council England, the Royal Mail and leading literary and cultural organisations, alongside booksellers, publishers, libraries and schools.

...so what better day to write about a wonderful new poetry book, which just happens to be printed on our paper!

Tom Sharp is Creative Director, copywriter, co-founder of The Beautiful Meme,  a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts ...and Tom is also a poet! This is his latest publication titled 'English Pan'.

This is a 32pp publication which is 215x153mm, portrait and is singer sewn using black thread. It is printed in just one colour throughout.

There are twelve poems in the publication, all written by Tom Sharp. The superb illustrations are by Shaun Campbell.

The paper used for the 28pp text is our Neptune Unique Softwhite 120gsm, which is an uncoated off-white, smooth (yet tactile) text and cover paper - just the right material for black type to look brilliant on.

The 'cover' however, is a different matter and is actually on a brand new material in our range called SIXTIES and is 60gsm. It is a fine quality, similar to our Offenbach Bible in many ways but with one major difference - unlike a genuine bible paper which has a high opacity, this new paper has the same translucency as a tracing paper - but it feels like a normal paper! ...as I hope you can see from the picture below:

Wonderful use of a material for a cover - unexpectedly lightweight, covering up; yet revealing the title and it works superbly with the singer sewing:

Each one is hand numbered and a limited edition of 100 and my thanks to Tom for sparing me a copy.

The design is by the studio at The Beautiful Meme. Print and finishing is by Kingsbury Press.

https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/

http://www.thebeautifulmeme.com/

http://kingsburypress.com/

http://www.studioscamps.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 28.09.2017